Trojans dominate Packers

New Kent’s Trojans managed a 1-0 lead in an evenly played first half, but the hosts dominated after the break to top Smithfield’s Packers 3-0 and gain their first Bay Rivers District soccer win.

With the April 16 outcome, New Kent improved to 1-2 in district play and 2-3-1 overall.

“The ball just kind of bounced our way a lot more tonight,” Trojan coach Clinton Leckie said. “We were able to put a lot of pressure on them and marked them tight.

“Then our defense locked it in pretty well,” he added. “We didn’t just stand around and watch tonight.”

The first half featured a defensive struggle as neither team registered much in the way of offense. Smithfield held a narrow 6-5 edge in shots, but the Trojans made one of theirs count. With 18:30 to go, Trojan striker Kyle Leckie broke away from a pack of Smithfield defenders, drilling a shot past Packer keeper Justin Crawley to put the hosts in front to stay.

In the second half, shot totals went New Kent’s way by an 11-5 margin. At the 27-minute mark, Jared Dickerson took a pass from Leckie and blasted an open shot beyond Crawley’s reach for a 2-0 advantage. Leckie then added an insurance goal on a Billy Boyer pass in the final minute.

Trojan keeper Dylan Coons maintained the shutout in goal, stopping five Packer shots. He got an assist from defender T.J. James in preserving the shutout with about 25 minutes to play. Smithfield’s Joseph Uzdavinis got off an apparent open shot after avoiding the charging Coons, but James got his head in front of the ball to block the shot.