COVINGTON, Ga. — Saturday was designated as this year’s date for all-day Eastside vs Newton soccer held annually at Sharp Stadium, and it was all Eastside as the girls and boys squads defeated Newton 11-0 and 6-2 respectively Saturday afternoon.
The two schools first met on the pitch in varsity competition in 1998. Newton came in to the day holding a slim 15-14-4 all-time lead over Eastside on the boys’ side of the series while Eastside held a 20-13-2 lead on the girls’ side.
The Eastside junior varsity girls got the day started with a 10-0 victory over the JV Lady Rams that was followed by the Eagles JV boys 5-1 win over the JV Rams.
And then it was time for the main event as the varsity squads hit the pitch.
The Lady Eagles and Lady Rams were first up with Eastside (5-1, 1-1 in Region 4-AAAA) coming fresh off a 9-0 region win over Salem Friday night, entered the match hoping to start another win streak. Since Eastside coach Joel Singleton as been at the program’s helm, the Lady Eagles have won 14 of 15 matches with the Rams’ lone win coming in 2014.
It didn't take long to see that there wouldn’t be much change in that domination.
Eastside freshman Lizzie Teasley scored what would be the game-winner on a free kick with 36:45 on the clock.
With 34:40 left sophomore Aralyn Everett volleyed a corner kick from junior Elizabeth Ozburn into the Newton net to make it 2-0.
Sophomore Lauren Gates followed soon after when she netted a shot by freshman Katie Oakley that had been deflected off the Lady Rams’ keeper.
Oakley scored the next two goals for the Lady Eagles. The first with 32:27 left in the half that was assisted by Everett. The second was off a pass sent down the left sideline
by Ozburn with 24:11 left that Oakley sent across the goal mouth and into the far side of the Newton goal. The score would remain 5-0 Eastside for the next 15 minutes of play.
When the scoring resumed it came fast and furiously.
Everett intercepted a Newton pass and dribbled through several Lady Ram defenders and scored with 9:08 left in the half.
She then completed her hat trick when she scored off a ball provided by Ozburn with 6:50 left to make it 7-0. Ozburn notched her third assist when she sent in a corner kick
that Teasley headed in to give Eastside the 8-0 advantage with 5:33 on the clock.
With 2:45 left, sophomore Dallas Stephenson assisted Ozburn on her own goal
that made it 9-0. Freshman Bailey Love added her name to the scoresheet with 2:02 left in the 1st half, scoring off an Everett cross from the deep left side.
Senior defender Malaya Yamasaki took possession of the ball just outside the Eastside 18-yard box and proceeded to dribble all the way through Lady Ram defenders
until she crossed the ball from deep on the right side to a wide-open freshman Hannah Scharf who scored the 11th and final goal with 1:17 still left on the game clock.
Scharf had scored an incredible six goals in the earlier girls JV game. The varsity team’s match was ended on the mercy rule at the half.
Lady Eagle goal keeper Anna Shelton did not have to make a single save in earning her fifth clean sheet of the season.
Afterward, Singleton was pleased with the performance and the ability to play multiple players.
"We played very well today,” he said. “Everyone got into the action. We had multiple players score and we had assists on over half of the goals. We wanted to come in and dominate the possession, and we did just that from the first whistle.”
Eastside boys coach Champ Young and his squad extended their all-time series record with Newton to 6-3-1 after their 6-2 win, also coming on the heels of an 8-0 rout of Salem Friday night.
The Eagles and Rams boys match was a much more even affair. Eastside's Jackson Jolley scored the first goal at the 34:06 mark of the first half off a through ball from Jordan Beam.
Kade Mote headed a Chris Overfelt corner kick in with 27:01 left to make it 2-0. The match was a 50-50 game until Creighton Goerner and Jolley both scored in the 39th minute of the match to stretch the Eagles halftime lead to 4-0.
The second stanza saw Tristan Aldridge score on a free kick and Jolley recording the assist for Liam McGiboney’s goal to give Eastside a 6-0 lead. The Rams continued to play hard, netting two late goals to make the final 6-2 Eastside.
Both Eastside teams will play talented Luella squads Wednesday on the road in pivotal region matchups, but before that the Lady Eagles will host Piedmont Academy at Sharp Stadium at 5:30 p.m. Meanwhile, Newton will open Region 8-AAAAAAA play Tuesday against Grayson
