New Kent boys’ earns measure of revenge with 3-0 victory over Tabb

New Kent’s Tanner Day gets a header to prevent Tabb’s Karter Jones (21) from maintaining possession of the ball.

Robb Johnson photo

Playing in a tough Bay Rivers District, New Kent’s boys’ soccer team know that every team is capable of beating another. However, the Trojans wanted to stake a claim to the top team in the district and a win on Apr. 11 proved as a starting point.

Tough defense along with early scores provided New Kent a 3-0 win over Tabb, improving the hosts record to 4-1 on the season.

About eight minutes into the contest, a throw by Isaac Barber led to a header by Adam Caldwell to give New Kent a 1-0 lead. A few minutes later, Trojan forward Matteo Mecangeli used fancy dribbling to lead to a power kick and another score for the hosts. Mecangeli continued his magic on the pitch, scoring his second goal with five minutes remaining until halftime. Meanwhile, New Kent’s midfield defense pressured the visitors, minimizing their attempts to attempt a shot on goal.

Trojan Head Coach Derek Yates spoke about the team’s principles after the game.

“I keep preaching to these guys it’s not what we do on the field, it’s what we do in practice all week to prepare for the game and this week we had our best practice that we had all year,” the coach said. “We were focused, we were intense, and that is what we have been lacking in other games.

“Tonight, we came out, we stayed aggressive, we communicated with each other, and we made great decisions with the ball on both sides of the field. It just all worked tonight,” he concluded.