Greater Atlanta Christian looked every bit like Class AA’s top team on Tuesday. Not even frigid conditions featuring a 20-plus-mph wind could cool off the undefeated Spartans.
GAC’s Ryan Marcano opened the scoring with an unassisted goal in the first half and Nash Wagnon opened the floodgates in the second half with a right-footed bender, leading the Spartans to a 4-0 win over second-ranked and three-time defending state champion Westminster.
GAC (11-0) is loaded with next-level players and controlled the action. Westminster coach Scott Snyder knew his Wildcats (5-3-2) couldn’t match the Spartans’ talent. Snyder’s game-plan was to hang back and look for counter opportunities. They never materialized.
GAC was on the attack from very beginning. Westminster keeper Benton Wood fended off several early shots, before Marcano made a play at the top of the box and buried a cross-corner right-footer for the critical first goal.
“It was important for us to get the first goal,” said GAC coach Thom Jacquet. “That was something we talked about. If we didn’t score the first goal, they’d be able to just sit back.”
Wagnon made it 2-0 eight minutes into the second half in spectacular fashion. The midfielder, who is committed to Wofford, worked his way free along the goal line and hooked home a shot from a difficult angle.
Richard Hamryka scored a minute later, after his driving cross deflected off Aaron Shaw and past Benton to put GAC up 3-0. Will Hamryka finished the scoring, putting home a nice pass from Michael Williams at the 26-minute mark.
Game-time temperatures were in the mid-30s. The wind made it feel like the upper 20s. Snow flurries had been in the area earlier in the day. None of the players sported long pants, though.
Jaquet said the chilly temperatures weren’t much of a factor, but the wind was.
“We wanted to keep the ball on the ground a little bit,” he said. “And, you know defensively that it’s going to be difficult to get the ball out, so you want to be real simple so you don’t turn the ball over on your own end.”
It was the second straight loss for Westminster, a program that has owned Class AA for three seasons. The Wildcats’ frustration was visible. Forward Justin Greenfield made several nice runs, but couldn’t get one past GAC keeper Marius Heislitz. Greenfield picked up a yellow card in the second half, during the Spartans’ three-goal spurt.
“We’ve got to repair our self a little bit after tonight,” said Snyder. “We can do better than we did. We’re not going to equal their talent, but we can equal their will.”
