Yellow Jackets douse the Flames in home opener

By Lauren Vargas

The Yellow Jackets brought the heat against Lee University’s Flames on September 11. Audience members witnessed quite the spectacle as the skills and finesse of both teams collided during an intense game. Cedarville, holding the No. 15 rank to Lee’s No. 21 rank in this early season, walked away with a 2-0 victory.

Consistent possession for both teams during the first half produced high pressure and intensity. The Flames’ methodical ball control created problems for the Jackets, whose own inconsistent, uncontrolled passes were scattered. Cedarville’s defense struggled at times to maintain possession of the ball when pressured by Lee’s quick offense, but the Jackets kept the Flames from landing a shot during the first half. As the clock ticked down, the fight only became more intense.

Coach Brett Faro shouted instructions to his players throughout the game as he noticed his team’s lack of coverage and corrected their marking deficiency. Not willing to give the Flames any opportunity to take an opening for a shot, Faro encouraged the team to tighten up the defensive and offensive lines. He knew the competition was stiff.

“Lee’s a good team, we’ve played them for a couple of years in a row now,” Faro said. “We knew that it was gonna be a tough battle.” 

As the second half rolled around and the cool weather set in, both teams got a second wind, and within minutes, the gameplay picked up speed. The Flames, eager to score, turned up the heat. However, their efforts were met with the intimidating ferocity of the Jackets, and before they knew it, Lee fell behind.

Cedarville’s forward, Michael Catanzarite, pulled off a spectacular goal in the 60th minute in a one-on-one with Lee’s goalie Paul Northcutt. The energy surged through the stands, and the momentum from the shot continued to build. Defender Amari Everage headed in goal number two shortly after in the 71st minute.

The Flames grasped at straws as Cedarville continued to maintain ball control throughout the second half. Fouls against the Jackets became more frequent as the thought of their victory became reality for Lee. Jacket goalkeeper Eben Dewhurst remarkably pulled off two consecutive saves in the 84th minute, extinguishing any hope the Flames were left clinging to. The mental and physical preparedness of Cedarville’s men’s soccer team earned them the win.

“We knew it was gonna be a tough match, so mentally we had to be prepared, and I feel like the guys did well,” Everage said. “We stuck together.” 

Everage and the team look forward to preparing for their next match against the Trevecca Trojans on Saturday, September 13. Will they be able to pull off another spectacular win?

Lauren Vargas is a sophomore biology student with a minor in Spanish and a sports writer for Cedars. She’s an avid weightlifter and loves watching movies in her free time.