Published Friday, March 15, 2013

Prep Soccer: Heritage School girls cruise to 8-0 win

By DOUG GORMAN

dgorman@newnan.com

So far this season, the Heritage School girls soccer team's youth movement has not slowed it down.

With just two seniors and a junior in its lineup, the Lady Hawks are also relying on a cast of underclassmen and so far the combination is working out just fine.

Through four games, the Lady Hawks haven't allowed a goal, improving their record to 4-0 overall and 3-0 in region play.

Heritage School's latest victory came Thursday night when it kept rival Trinity Christian off the scoreboard with an 8-0 win.

"We are young but we are playing well together," head coach Ron Rineer said.

The Lady Hawks started fast, jumping out to a 6-0 lead in the first half and then adding the final two scores over the last 40 minutes.

Calista Eckert and Sara Brillanti led the offensive attack for the Lady Hawks en route to the win. Eckert scored twice and assisted on two goals. Brillanti also added two goals and an assist.

Ansley Dickmann helped the Lady Hawks' effort with two assists.

(To view photos from this game, please visit http://photos.times-herald.com/mycapture and click on Sports for the Photo Gallery.)

It didn't take long for the Hawks to set the tone as Eckert scored on her first shot of the game for a 1-0 lead.

The first score of the night opened the offensive floodgates for Eckert and her teammates.

Eckert, who is just in ninth grade, put her team up 2-0 with a score with 29:34 left.

Heritage School added its final four goals of the first half in the final 17 minutes.

The scores included two goals by Brillanti. Her first shot gave the Lady Hawks a 3-0 lead.

Heritage School  increased the lead to 4-0 when Phebe Warren scored a few minutes later.

The Lady Hawks closed out the first-half scoring with two final goals in a span of less than 30 seconds. Brillanti's second goal of the game made it 5-0 when her shot hit the far side post and trickled into the net. Thirty seconds later, Kate Everet added the sixth goal of the first half.

Heritage School picked up right where it left off once the second half began.

Eckeret increased the lead to 7-0 after she was pulled down in the box then converted the penalty kick.

Heritage School added its final goal of the game when eighth graders Gina Brillanti and Lou Pfundt got into the scoring act. Brillanti weaved through the Trinity Christian defense and passed the ball to Pfundt, who connected on the goal.

Trinity Christian's opportunities were few and far between, but Cora Gwinn and Breanna Baretine had a few solid shots on net.

The Lady Hawks put their undefeated and unscored on record on the line tonight at Arlington Christian.

"We have some big game coming up, so I guess we will find out just how good we are going to be," said Rineer.

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