North Augusta, Eastside to clash in mirror match for boys' soccer state title

May 12—North Augusta second-year boys' soccer coach Michael Vaughan referred to the old adage that hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work as a way to motivate his team.

His Yellow Jackets possess both components of that equation, so he's told them that if they take their talent and work hard it will be very difficult to stop them.

That has proven true all season long, and Friday is one last chance for his team to prove it again.

North Augusta (20-2-1) will take the field at Irmo High School on Friday night looking for the program's first Class AAAA state championship. Across the field from the Jackets will be an Eastside (19-2-1) team that has felt the sting of four consecutive state championship losses and is back again to try to finally break that streak.

There are more similarities than differences between the two teams — both have allowed just 15 goals this season, both are on lengthy win streaks (16 for North Augusta, eight for Eastside), and both use a possession-based, fast-paced attack.

"I appreciate the quality that Eastside has, and I'm looking forward to seeing how we measure up," Vaughan said. "It's going to be a big test. These guys have been here many, many times, and I know that they are primed to finally get over that hump. While I appreciate that, I'm confident that we're going to give them a game."

Both teams had their season ended last year by James Island, North Augusta at Lower State and Eastside at state, and both entered this season knowing the work they had to do to make sure that didn't happen again.

"I think just that pain and disappointment on the underclassmen, but to see the pain on the seniors' faces, just a constant reminder that if you can avoid that at all costs then that's what we're going to work for," Vaughan said. "We've got a culture that everybody's working for the seniors, let them go out with that critical win that they deserve.

"They've put the time in. They've put the work in, and not just on the field. They're putting the work in off the field to help build that culture. So while last year was disappointing and it was one one of our prime motivators, I think everybody just truly enjoys the culture that we have built here and that we will continue to build on moving forward."

The Jackets showed Monday that they had indeed conquered that task, beating James Island 1-0 to win the program's first Lower State title. Eastside held off Catawba Ridge, 5-3, and overcame a lapse of judgement when the Eagles allowed a goal just 12 seconds into the match.

That's something Eastside first-year head coach Stephen Wood said can't happen again at this stage, especially against a North Augusta team that can magnify any mistake its opponents make.

"Having watched some of their games already, I know Coach Vaughan has done a great job of getting them organized," Wood said. "They hold their shape well. They look extremely fast. From the things I've seen, they look like a similar team to us which should create an exciting, fast-paced game. I'm looking forward to that. It seems like we have similar teams right now."

Eastside has a star-studded lineup with three All-State selections (goalkeeper Kaleb Craig, defender Jack Redmond and midfielder Onarae Rice) and a Clash of the Carolinas pick (forward Selvin Altamirano). Rice is the team's leading scorer with 17 goals and 10 assists, followed by Kenni Pagoada (12 goals, 11 assists) and Redmond (seven goals, 15 assists).

North Augusta's top scorer is Ben Holton (16 goals, eight assists), who netted the lone goal in the Jackets' Lower State championship victory. Gerson Escalante has nine goals and 14 assists, Kevin Avila has eight goals and eight assists, Kevin Reyes has nine goals and four assists, and Henry Martinez has eight goals and four assists.

The Jackets have gone six consecutive matches without allowing a goal, and goalkeeper Tyler Hughes and the defense withstood a late, desperate barrage from James Island on Monday.

The Jackets have played a tough schedule this season, and they were thrown into the fire at the start of the season against some Georgia schools that already have several matches under their belts. That showed them right away what they needed to work on, and Vaughan said his players have put in the work and have steadily progressed since then.

It's gotten them this far, and Friday they'll try to complete something a goal they've known all season they could reach.

"From the start I knew that we had a lot of talent again," said senior Blake Miller. "We lost a lot of seniors last year, unfortunately, but a lot of new seniors stepped up to the job and a lot of younger guys, a lot of freshmen, stepped up when we needed them the most. I knew that, from the start of the season, if we played our game and stuck with our play style that we could make it this far and eventually hopefully win it."