The Swain High Men's Soccer team traveled to Highlands on Monday night to open up conference soccer play against the always tough Highlanders. The Maroon Devils played the game missing 3 key starters for the team. Fourteen minutes into the game Sophomore Owen Craig would take a corner kick and would find Senior Lucas Trantham for a goal off a header. The rest of the first half would remain scoreless with the score remaining 1-0 Devils.
Nine minutes into the second half the Highlanders would tie the game up 1-1 off a header on a corner kick. With 13 minutes left in the game the Devils would pull ahead when Trantham would find Junior Landon Matz, who would beat a few Highlands defenders, and take a left foot shot for a goal. With 7 minutes left in the game Craig would get fouled in the box setting up a penalty kick that was taken by Matz. Matz would convert the penalty kick into a score solidifying the 3-1 win for the Devils.
"We played a good game," said Heach Coach Scott Cline. "There are small things we need to work on, but overall our players were resilient and kept the level of play up for the full 80 minutes."
On Defense Senior Lucas Trantham led the way with 25 Clears/Steals. He was followed by Senior Levi Trantham and Junior Canon Helpman with 8, Sophomore Revis Robinson with 7. and Senior Taligwo Walker with 6. In goal Junior Cameron Phillips would have 15 goalkeeper saves. The Player of the Game for the Devils was Senior Lucas Trantham. "Lucas had a great game both offensively and defensively for us," said Cline. "He is a great leader on the field and he stepped up big time in a crucial game."
The Devils were scheduled to host Cherokee on Wednesday, but that game is getting rescheduled. Next week the Devils will host 3A Erwin Warriors on Thursday night at 6 p.m.