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(11/13/09 5:05am)
The shadow stands only 5-feet 9-inches, yet it encompasses Dustin McCarty all the same. Dax McCarty stayed at North Carolina only two years, a bushel of light brown hair on a scrawny and unimposing body. It’s been four years since he’s been here. But for Dustin, time hasn’t passed so quickly. The shadow has persisted much longer than that. Only now it’s not so overpowering. It doesn’t cause others to turn their heads and whisper about the shadow. Because now Dustin’s casting his own light.The startJust outside of Orlando, Fla., Dart and Cynthia McCarty raised their two boys, Dax and Dustin. “I was with [Dax] every time [playing soccer],” Dustin said. “He had a serious passion for soccer. He really brought me up and taught me all the fundamentals. I’ve looked up to him my whole life with soccer, and I still do actually.”Dustin looked up to Dax skill-wise as well. During his first two years of high school, Dax earned almost every individual accolade possible, including All-American status and a scholarship to UNC.For two years, Dax delighted fans at Fetzer Field. The fiery midfielder was first-team All-ACC as a sophomore in 2005 and easily one of the top players in the conference. But there would be no encore. Dax decided two seasons was enough and entered the Major League Soccer draft. FC Dallas picked him, and Dax became a pro. But the reverberations of his time in Chapel Hill remained.“The funny thing is that I’ve been pretty much hiding under my brother’s shadow for as long as I can remember,” Dustin said. “I feel like everyone that notices me thinks of me as little Dax and as his little brother.”‘Walking with giants’Dustin wanted to play with the big boys. For years, he had accompanied his father to adult leagues and watched. By age 15 he joined a Premier Development League team, a highly competitive amateur soccer league filled with men.“It was a little bit of an intimidation, considering I’m definitely not one of the tallest or strongest,” Dustin said. “I’m walking with giants, but I took it as a challenge.”Dustin struggled with the physical play, but he did excel. And like Dax, Dustin racked up several awards in high school. But he had a sense that what he achieved wasn’t good enough compared to his brother.Dustin had always wanted to go to UNC, but when the Tar Heels didn’t recruit him heavily, he realized that an alternative route might be best and turned to Central Florida’s scholarship offer. The Knights were led by his old club soccer coach, Bryan Cunningham. The familiarity helped, as did the full scholarship Dustin was offered. Dustin also thought he’d have a good chance to start or play significant minutes.“It taught me a lot of maturity,” he said. “I grew up faster in that one year than I had in my whole life.”But Dustin and Cunningham weren’t on the same page. They had been good friends at the club level, but in college, Cunningham was all business. Dustin began to realize that he didn’t see himself going to a higher level with the program. So Dustin called his father to see about transferring — preferably to UNC.Dart told Dustin he’d get in touch with UNC coach Elmar Bolowich.“(Dustin) made the contact with us about the possibility of a transfer,” Bolowich said. “We looked at his stats and what he had done at Central Florida at the time. There was a renewed interest, and it worked out.”Dustin entered UNC as a sophomore in 2008 — the second McCarty to grace Chapel Hill.“People always tell me, ‘You play like Dax, and you even act like Dax,’” Dustin said. “I hate even going by that. I want to make sure everyone knows that I’m my own player.”FrustrationThis wasn’t supposed to be happening to Dustin.During his freshman season at UCF, Dustin had been playing every minute. Now, he was scrapping for just 15 to 20 minutes a game. Dustin’s confidence plummeted.“Sometimes, I felt like I wasn’t doing anything right,” he said. “I would second-guess myself. I felt like I would lower my playing standards, which didn’t help me at all.”He saw action in 16 games but started only two. Bolowich constantly moved Dustin to different positions. One game, Dustin lined up at forward. The next, defender. And at other times, midfielder.Dustin became frustrated that the coaching staff couldn’t find a spot for him. The UNC coaches told Dustin that he was a good player, but his focus was off. At times, Dustin seemed to be going through the motions. His teammates reminded Dustin not to get down. His father said the same. But it was Dax’s advice that Dustin sought most.“My brother would tell me that he went through the same thing when he came here,” Dustin said. “He told me that he would get frustrated as hell trying to earn that starting spot and trying to get enough playing time. Even though sometimes he thought he was better than the players (starting). In the end, it worked out for him, and he learned a lot.”Dax had struggled. It seemed hard to fathom. Obviously, Dax had created quite the legacy, but to hear of his struggles was something new.Dax’s follow-up season, though, was practically the story of success. Dustin wanted the same.Making a nameDuring his sophomore season, Dustin’s mind wandered. He’d reflect on a growing social life. School. Work. Family. He’d think about the expectations of following where Dax left off. It was too much. Dustin realized that in order to show any improvement, he had to let go. Stop worrying so much and just focus on soccer. So he did.He trained all offseason before his junior year. Got physically fit through endurance and speed training. Improved his eating habits. No more fast food. He completely cut soda out of his diet.By North Carolina’s sixth game, Dustin was starting as a central midfielder. Granted, the team experienced an abundance of injuries before and after that match, but Dustin was beginning to play a pivotal role — one he still holds.“By the way he’s been playing this year, and I’ve been following him quite a bit, he’s showing people that there’s another McCarty player that’s just as good,” Dax said.Through 16 games, Dustin has contributed two goals and zero assists. But that’s not his role. As UNC goalkeeper Brooks Haggerty said, Dustin is a machine with winning headers. He provides stability and a good tackling presence near the back.And he’s begun to step out from behind Dax’s shadow.Earlier this season, after a 1-0 loss to Maryland, the Terrapins’ coach came over to talk to Dustin.“He stayed me with a lengthier time, and it seemed like he walked up to me instead of me walking up to him,” Dustin said. “He was giving me compliments and compliments and didn’t even mention my brother at all.”Not many people do these days. In fact, friends have recently referred to Dax as Dustin’s brother.“That is definitely a stretch,” Dustin said.“But,” he added, “that would definitely make my day.”Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.
(11/12/09 7:22am)
CARY — Ten members of the N.C. State soccer team kneeled. Each put one knee on the ground. Left arm locked with the teammate beside. It was as if they had been in this position before, and in some ways, they had. Several times in recent memory, the Wolfpack had pushed No. 2 North Carolina (13-2-3) to the brink. And now, in the quarterfinals of the ACC Tournament — in penalty kicks, no less — the 10 stared blankly ahead. When NCSU defender Tyler Lassiter calmly knocked in the first penalty kick, none of the remaining nine showed any emotion. Sure, they were linking arms to actually keep from freezing in the cold November air. But it seemed more like a routine. They weren’t going to let the moment or UNC get to them this time. They expected to win. And minutes later, they did, 0-0 (4-1 PKs). “I’m on an emotional high, to be honest,” Wolfpack defender Chandler Knox said. “Both my parents went to Carolina, and that’s a game that always gets me really excited. They’re an excellent team. We were prepared. We were excited. We were ready to rock ’n’ roll.”N.C. State coach George Tarantini told his players before the game that things would be different this time.But with the game pushed to an earlier kickoff due to rain, a sloppy, physical game ensued. No. 20 N.C. State (12-5-2) found itself creating golden opportunities — just like recent clashes with UNC — but no one could finish. NCSU forward Ronnie Bouemboue missed just wide less than 30 minutes into the match. Knox pushed a header badly past a nearly wide-open net early in the second half. By overtime, Knox could only cringe and bite his jersey after another missed opportunity — this time when he hit the crossbar from the right side of the 18-yard box.“The last shot I took was halfway a cross, halfway a shot,” he said. “I got kind of lucky (that it hit the crossbar).”But not lucky enough.Two overtimes couldn’t decide a winner, so the teams went to penalty kicks. As the N.C. State players walked to midfield, the team huddled and grabbed each others’ shoulders. Then they sent Lassiter on his way to take the first penalty kick.He walked forward and met UNC keeper Brooks Haggerty at the penalty spot. Haggerty held the ball in his hands, grin fully on his face. Even in such a tense situation, the moment didn’t appear to be giving Haggerty any nerves. But Haggerty didn’t block the attempt. Nor did he block any of the following three. His grin faded.His counterpart, NCSU goalkeeper Chris Widman, saved his smile for after the win. The senior missed a penalty attempt from UNC midfielder Michael Farfan. But then he blocked attempts from Kirk Urso and Billy Schuler. And for good measure, Widman even smashed in N.C. State’s third penalty kick.“I think we have one of the premier goalkeepers in the country,” Tarantini said. “I thought Chris carried us the second stretch of the season.”So it was fitting that Widman’s play was the reason that N.C. State stormed the field against UNC for only the second time since 1997.“Carolina is really a great team,” Widman said. “We’ve played some tough games with them, come out on the wrong end a few times recently. It was great to finally win.”
(10/20/09 1:53am)
Back in May, Larry Drew II returned to California for the off season. After only a week, his father, Larry Drew, took Drew II to dinner at a nearby T.G.I. Friday’s. During the meal, the elder Drew left and went to the car. When he returned, he wasn’t empty-handed.“He came back with a folder and dropped it on the table,” Drew II said. “It was like, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday. It was like everything that I would do all day, he just had a schedule. He basically had it all planned before I even got there.”Drew didn’t have a lengthy motivational speech planned out for his son, though. He simply said, “This is what you’re doing this summer. Get committed.”And committed Drew II was.After arriving in Chapel Hill in 2008 as a heralded high school recruit and a fairly prolific three-point shooter, Drew underwent a rocky freshman campaign. He scored only 1.4 points each contest. His field goal percentage was 35 percent, and his percentage from long range was much worse: a dismal 23 percent.Drew II recognized this fact and entered the summer ready to change the perceptions about his jumper.Under his dad’s workout plan, the now-sophomore woke up every day at 6 a.m. He’d shoot for two hours and then do some conditioning. After lunch, it was back to shooting. “A lot of the stuff that we did actually was close-range,” Drew II said. “Working on my form, trying to get my touch right. All my mechanics were OK close to the basket.”By the end of the day, Drew II would usually hoist close to 1,000 shots — a workout that hasn’t gone unnoticed by his teammates. During the team’s media day, forward Tyler Zeller acknowledged how well Drew II has been shooting in pickup games. “Last year, I didn’t feel like he had the greatest confidence level,” Zeller said. “(Now) he doesn’t question what he’s doing. He just goes and makes a move right away.”North Carolina coach Roy Williams will certainly hope this is the case. After losing his two backcourt starters in Ty Lawson and Wayne Ellington to the NBA draft, the Tar Heels’ current crop of guards brings an aura of uncertainty. Drew II will likely be the opening-game starter at point guard but not much else is known. Redshirt senior Marcus Ginyard is a lockdown defender but has never been known as a go-to scorer at UNC.Still, much like Drew II, such perceptions didn’t stop Ginyard from tailoring his offseason toward a specific part of his game.“Definitely more shots, more shots, more shots. More shots, no question,” he said.Redshirt junior Will Graves returns, after being suspended for a large portion of last season. Graves brings a sweet stroke from deep and could be the team’s best chance at outside scoring. But he averaged only 11.2 minutes last year and has never been an established scorer in the UNC rotation.And there are the two freshman guards, Dexter Strickland and Leslie McDonald. Both are highly acclaimed, but they are freshman. Williams probably won’t heavily rely on the pair at first.“If you’re not patient, you’re only cutting your own throat,” Williams said. “I don’t mind the uncertainty as long as the guy that does start plays really well.”
(10/16/09 4:31am)
Immediately after Tyler Hansbrough, Ty Lawson, Danny Green and Wayne Ellington announced their return in May, the expectations began.Media members wondered if this edition of North Carolina basketball would ever lose. Fans wondered if the team would be the best in school history. And after UNC started the 2009 season with a 13-0 record, it seemed like the Tar Heels might just verify such thoughts.But then came a startling loss to Boston College. It was followed with another — this time to Wake Forest. Shock set in. No one could quite believe that North Carolina had a 0-2 conference record.Slowly, though, that changed. UNC won three ACC contests in a row and then came one of the year’s signature moments. With the Tar Heels tied at 77 apiece with Florida State, Lawson made a running three-pointer at the buzzer to beat the Seminoles.The whole North Carolina team embraced the junior for his dramatic heroics. It wouldn’t be the last time.After the FSU win, the Tar Heels continued their hot streak with nine out of 10 ACC victories. One of those came at Cameron Indoor Stadium — marking the UNC seniors’ fourth win at Duke.Still, shortly before beating the Blue Devils a second time — this time in Chapel Hill — disaster struck. Lawson injured his toe during practice. It wasn’t considered serious, but the injury didn’t stop nagging him.When the ACC Tournament began soon after, Lawson didn’t play. The Tar Heels escaped with a win against Virginia Tech but were not so fortunate the following game against Florida State.UNC had looked extremely vulnerable in its game with FSU, even for such a highly ranked team. Without Lawson, the Tar Heels lacked a true floor general, and everyone knew it. Preceding the start of the NCAA Tournament, almost every UNC player was asked on the status of Lawson. For many, including Hansbrough, the questions became a source of amusement.In the Sweet 16, Lawson did return. North Carolina would be playing an athletic LSU squad, and the Tar Heels’ point guard would sorely be needed to break any potential backcourt pressure.For 31 minutes, Lawson took the floor. He tossed three shots from downtown and made two of them. He passed for six assists. And he racked up 23 points. At points throughout the game, Lawson was visibly in agony. He’d sit on the bench and clench a towel in his teeth. He’d limp. But he made sure UNC won. It wouldn’t be the last time. Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.
(10/12/09 4:01am)
WINSTON-SALEM —North Carolina’s injury list seems endless: David Rodriguez. Eddie Ababio. Stephen McCarthy. Zach Loyd.And that’s not even counting two more key Tar Heels who were carted off in Friday night’s game at Wake Forest. Yet somehow, someway, the No. 2 UNC men’s soccer keeps finding a way to stay competitive — as it tied the sixth-ranked Demon Deacons 2-2 in double overtime.With an offense that has struggled heavily at times, and a defense that boasts only one starter from the beginning of the season, North Carolina (8-1-2) entered an electric atmosphere and scored its quickest goal of the season.“The strategy against Wake Forest is always just press them high and press them early,” defender Jordan Graye said. “I guess we got what we deserved in the beginning of the game.” Two minutes into the contest, sophomore Alex Dixon flicked a bouncing pass by Wake goalie Akira Fitzgerald and into the net. It was Dixon’s second goal of the season and a sorely needed momentum boost.Even though the game was just beginning, WFU’s pregame festivities had put the crowd in a rowdy state. The Demon Deacons had been led onto the field by the Wake mascot — on a motorcycle, no less. “Welcome to the Jungle” blared on the loudspeakers. The Wake crowd and players bobbed and jumped around. “It was great to silence them for a little bit until they got their goal,” Dixon said. “The fans were talking a lot of noise.”Immediately after his goal, though, Dixon didn’t appear to be in the same such spirits. He had collided with Fitzgerald and lay on the ground feeling dizzy. Eventually, he stood up and hobbled over to the corner flag to celebrate.Dixon thought he had suffered a concussion. He hadn’t, but several of his teammates would soon find themselves in similarly poor health.Nearly 12 minutes into the second half — with the game now tied at one apiece — midfielder Michael Farfan was taken down, and UNC was awarded a penalty kick. But while all eyes were focused on the call, another Tar Heel midfielder, Cameron Brown, lay in agony just past midfield.After a lengthy delay, Brown was taken off in a stretcher. “We’ve had a lot of injuries this year,” Graye said. “I’d say about half our starting lineup is injured or out for the season. We don’t use that as an excuse.”Still, it would be fair if they did. For later in the second half, the team’s goalkeeper, Brooks Haggerty, hurt his arm and was taken off in a golf cart. Even so, UNC refused to yield. In the overtime periods, Wake (7-2-2) wasn’t afforded many chances and could manage only a tie.And in reality, if either team could claim stake at a victory — or rather, missed scoring opportunities — it would likely be the Tar Heels. With a porous first half after the Dixon goal, UNC responded with 11 shots in the second stanza. Farfan played brilliantly, finessing several good-looking shots at goal – one of which was a penalty kick score. Twenty minutes into the second half, freshman Enzo Martinez had a one-on-one opportunity with Fitzgerald, but his shot was blocked by a trailing defender.Considering the surroundings, the opponent and the situation, it’s likely a result coach Elmar Bolowich won’t mind taking.“(The outcome) is a credit to those guys,” Bolowich said. “They’re working extremely hard on the pitch, and they’re good players, too. It’s not like we’re throwing chopped meat on the field. We still have a formidable squad.”Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.
(10/12/09 3:35am)
Ryan Houston knew he could score. With only 10 seconds remaining in the second quarter and North Carolina already up 35-7 against Georgia Southern, the junior running back entered the huddle on the sideline and shared his sentiments.“I just looked at coach (Butch) Davis and was like, ‘Coach, I can get us in there. We’re on the inch-yard line. Just put me in there, please. Just let me just run it. I promise you I’ll get in there.”It didn’t take long for Davis to consider Houston’s guarantee. After initially wanting a field goal, he turned to Houston and told the junior to get in there and run it.Houston did just that — easing in to the end zone with his third touchdown of the game, as the Tar Heels blasted the Eagles, 42-12. “This game just really put a smile on everybody’s faces,” linebacker Bruce Carter said. “We know we can do better than we’ve been playing lately. We just got to go out there and do what we know we can do.”But for the greater part of two weeks, many onlookers were unsure of what exactly that was. After throwing up offensive clunkers against Georgia Tech and Virginia, scoring seven and three points respectively, UNC found its perfect confidence booster in GSU (3-3). The offense led an 89-yard scoring drive on its first possession, marking the first time the Tar Heels (4-2) have scored on their initial try all season. Quarterback T.J. Yates completed two 14-yard passes to tight end Ed Barham. Shaun Draughn gained 27 yards on the ground. And then came Houston, finishing off the drive from 1 yard out.“We wanted to come out from the gate and throw the ball,” Yates said. “Kind of switch it up a little bit and score on the first drive.”The initial score was a sharp contrast from the team’s past four games, where the team went three-and-out on its first possession in each game. As expected, Yates wanted to change such statistics. And although he completed just 14 of 20 passes for 118 yards and no touchdowns, Yates spent most of the second half basking on the bench, courteous of a UNC blowout. When he was playing, Yates clearly looked more comfortable than in recent weeks, using rollouts and quick dumpoffs to pick up easy yards.The only noticeable negative from his day was Yates’ inability to complete the deep ball. Twice, he threw out-of-bounds when trying to reach wideouts Erik Highsmith and Greg Little. And with sophomore Dwight Jones open down the middle in the third quarter, Yates missed him as well.“I’ve just got to hit some more,” Yates said. “We hadn’t been practicing much this week in practice. Definitely got to work on it a little bit more. Sometimes I was forcing it a little bit, trying to get the ball downfield.“I missed Greg on a deep one. I kind of led him a little too much. On the one with Dwight, I was kind of blinded by the sun and couldn’t see him too much.”Still, Yates wasn’t the only one forcing passes at times. Georgia Southern’s quarterback Lee Chapple tossed three interceptions, including one that Carter returned 41 yards for a touchdown in the second quarter. The turnover was one of six the Tar Heels forced on the day —their highest total since 1999. Previously, UNC had created just seven in its first five games all season.Sophomore Robert Quinn sacked Chapple in the first quarter to get the turnovers started. The pressure caused a fumble in the process, and on the ensuing play after a UNC recovery, Draughn scampered into the end zone for a 16-yard touchdown and a 14-0 lead.In the second quarter, it was junior Quan Sturdivant returning a fumble 49 yards for a touchdown. And not to be outdone, fellow linebacker Zach Brown intercepted a pass on the next Georgia Southern possession.“That’s what we try to do every week really, but it hasn’t been happening,” Sturdivant said. “This week it happened, so we’re going to try and continue to do that every week.”If anything, though, North Carolina will likely try to continue its offensive output most. In recent weeks, Davis had begun to reference the 2000 Baltimore Ravens and their struggles with scoring offensive touchdowns. He told the team that sometimes a team has to find a way to win ugly.For one day, that wasn’t the case. “It’s a positive step — I have to believe,” Davis said.Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.
(10/10/09 9:16pm)
For all that talk about offensive struggles, lack of turnovers and downright uninspired play, North Carolina more than made amends with its first half against Georgia Southern. The Tar Heels threw up 42 points - their most of the season - in just 30 minutes of play.
(10/07/09 3:45am)
Brooks Haggerty wanted the assist. As he stood on the Fetzer Field track after Tuesday night’s 1-0 victory against Liberty, he jokingly acknowledged as much.And why not?The UNC goalkeeper had gobbled up a loose ball in his own box, and then he had begun the sequence that had given the Tar Heels their one and only goal.It was Haggerty who had heaved a dart down the left sideline to midfielder Michael Farfan.“He was on the run, and I saw him breaking out from a guy, and he had open space ahead of him,” Haggerty said. “So I just threw it, and he dribbled the field and he got the cross off, and it was a good goal.”In reality, Farfan weaved down the sideline as he juked through several defenders before he crossed to an open Billy Schuler. From there, the sophomore simply had to head it in.But Haggerty did start it. And if nothing else, it’s credit the North Carolina defense has been overdue to get.“It’s certainly our defenders that do their part,” coach Elmar Bolowich said. “They cover well for one another. And Brooks is excellent and solid in the goal and provides the necessary leadership.”Against Liberty (5-2-2), that came in the form of three saves by Haggerty and only seven shots allowed.What’s more, it was the Tar Heels’ third shutout in a row, and it extends the team’s clean sheet to 290 minutes without yielding a goal.Such statistics are fairly astonishing, considering that No. 2 UNC (8-1-1) is playing without two defenders who were starters at the beginning of the year. Center back David Rodriguez is out for the season with an injury, and right back Eddie Ababio has missed considerable time as well — including Tuesday night.“We had to get some people on the right page, but now we’re just clicking,” Haggerty said. “All our guys are really good. Our second team competes with our first team everyday in practice. Beats them a lot.” Still, with several reserves transitioning to starters, it’s been two constant staples who have kept the defense grounded: Haggerty and captain Zach Loyd.Haggerty missed most of last season as he recovered from a pair of concussions. But by season’s end, he was back and keying UNC’s run to the national title game.“Confidence coming off the tournament from last year is just boosting me this year,” he said.Against Liberty — after North Carolina scored the go-ahead goal — Haggerty stopped three late shots, including a difficult knuckling attempt from long range.And as Haggerty says, everything is easier with Loyd back there.Though Loyd is perhaps more potent in a midfielder role, he’s helped UNC keep opponents from scoring two goals in any one game this season.“We’re just together now,” Haggerty said. “We’re just going all-out playing defense.”Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.
(10/05/09 4:09am)
T.J. Yates lay on the Kenan Stadium field, near the North Carolina 40-yard-line and held his right shoulder. The UNC quarterback had just thrown his first interception of the game, due largely to constant pressure from the Virginia defenders. Shaun Draughn slowly walked by his fallen signal caller, glanced at Yates and tried to pick him up. But Draughn’s efforts were futile —as Yates didn’t budge — much like UNC’s entire offensive performance all afternoon. UNC couldn’t pick up the pressure for Yates. And when it came time to essentially pick up the pieces and rally, the Tar Heels couldn’t get that right either.“Yates was under duress, and (UVa.) did — I don’t know the exact statistics, but I want to say that they either blitzed or either pressured something in the neighborhood of about 10 out of the first 19 plays of the game,” coach Butch Davis said. “They were taking advantage and looking at a young offensive line. They were doing what good coaches will do and trying to exploit somebody.”Coming into the game against Virginia, Davis had warned his players and media members alike about the dangerous aspects of the Cavaliers’ defense. Sure, UVa. had been scorched for point totals of 26, 30 and 37, but Virginia’s unorthodox 3-4 defense could provide problems.On UNC’s first possession of the game, the Tar Heels, for the fourth game in a row, faced a lengthy third-down play. As Yates set the offense, the UVa. defense began moving around lineman and linebackers between standing positions and three-point stances. The confusion apparently worked — Yates was forced to scramble and threw an incomplete pass.“We’ve seen them when they had two guys down and nine guys standing up, but we hadn’t seen them where they had all 11 guys are just standing up, running around,” Yates said. “Nobody runs that defense. They kind of just freelance. They all have a hole they’re going to hit. When it’s third-and-long, you can do that sort of stuff, and we have to stay out of that situation.”Problem was, UNC didn’t.Later in the first quarter, after the Tar Heels converted their initial first down of the game, Yates and Co. faced a third-and-13. As Yates hiked the ball and dropped back to pass, Virginia cornerback Vic Hall beelined through the left side of the UNC line and nearly creamed Yates. And though it was nose tackle Nate Collins, and not Hall, who eventually got the sack, one thing was certain: Yates was in for a long day.“Sometimes you can’t help but see when a guy comes free,” Yates said. “You kind of got to look at him. It’s hard sometimes when a guy gets free or a protection breakdown, and you got to throw the ball away or scramble.”Virginia may have only totaled two sacks and six tackles for loss on the day, but with eight quarterback pressures, Yates was forced into errant throws and two interceptions. For the day, he finished 20-36 with just 135 passing yards.Draughn tried to downplay the impact of UVa.’s shifting defense after the game, saying “that was just to confuse us, whether they were going to run an odd or even front.” Davis, on the other hand, mentioned that the losses of guard Jonathan Cooper and tight end Zack Pianalto hurt far greater than originally thought.Still, the most incredulous about the pressure — and subsequent subpar play — was Yates. As he sat with a towel dwarfed on his head, the UNC quarterback couldn’t fathom why Virginia’s blitzing defense had given them so much trouble. “I’m pretty frustrated,” Yates said. “This is not the way our offense rolls. We are so much better than we are.”Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.
(10/05/09 3:30am)
Zach Loyd says the team practices it. Cameron Brown says they don’t.But with just less than two minutes remaining in Friday’s second overtime against Virginia, a clearance out of bounds left North Carolina with a long throw-in opportunity toward goal.Without a moment’s hesitation, Loyd — the team’s senior captain — ran from his position at center back to take the heave.“We give our players the freedom to do these things as long as we are balanced defensively,” UNC men’s soccer coach Elmar Bolowich said. “When I looked at the picture, Zach was running forward, we still had two backs there, so it was not an issue for me to let him (go forward for the throw).”It wasn’t an issue for Brown, either. In fact, he was thoroughly encouraging Loyd to take the throw — and to make it a long one at that.Earlier this season, the pair had come across a similar situation. With the Tar Heels up late in a contest against Evansville, Loyd was again on the right sideline, throwing the ball into the opponent’s 18-yard box.On that occasion, Brown gathered Loyd’s throw directly in the air and performed a mesmerizing bicycle kick for a goal. The play wasn’t as dramatic as they come, but the difficulty was off the charts.Against Virginia, it was just the opposite.“The first one of the season, I was like, ‘Zach, take the long throw-in,’” Brown said. “I think, to be honest, (the long throw) can only work once or twice in the game, and it happened both times to be in goal.“Nobody thinks he can throw long. But I know he can throw it in the box.”Loyd did just that against the Cavaliers, as he heaved a lengthy toss toward a congested box. Another UNC defender, Jordan Graye, had come forward as well and got his head initially on the toss.Graye had jumped in between two UVa. defenders and, because of the limited space, was unavailable to direct his opportunity toward goal.Still, Graye was able to deflect the throw backward — in almost parallel fashion to the Virginia end line — and toward the back post. His effort kept the opportunity alive and allowed another teammate to finish.“I was sitting on top of the box,” Brown said. “I was like, ‘What if, what if that ball gets through?’ So it was thrown, and I started running toward it. And Jordan, unbelievable flick. He flicked it. It came right to my head.”Brown knew that he had missed several headers earlier in the year, and his sole focus was on trying to push the ball into the corner of the Cavaliers’ goal. He did just that.“When I headed it, I just looked at it, and I was like, ‘Wow, it went in.’ I went nuts. What a great feeling.”Virginia goalkeeper Diego Restrepo stood no chance, and Brown knew it. Immediately after the ball left the junior’s head, Brown immediately started sprinting down the end line and toward the stands. The whole team followed with Brown screaming and celebrating at yet another incredible finish.“Not until after the game we were talking about (another throw-in goal),” Loyd said. “At that point, I was just so ecstatic, I wasn’t really thinking about it. I was just extremely happy.”Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.
(10/02/09 4:39am)
Even with a 0-3 record, even with a loss to a Football Championship Subdivision opponent and even after only averaging 1.8 yards a carry in its last game, UNC coach Butch Davis still thinks Virginia is a very dangerous team.“This is one of the things we try to do with our players is, ‘Look at them,’” he said. “‘Don’t read the newspapers. Don’t listen to talk radio. Look at them.’ And the film says this a talented, good football team.”And though many will disagree with such an assessment — especially after the Cavaliers’ subpar start — Davis sees a physically gifted football team.He sees UVa. quarterback Jameel Sewell.“He’s very, very athletic,” Davis said. “He moves in the pocket well. He throws on the run well. He’s dangerous because he can extend plays.”Last year against the Tar Heels, then-junior Sewell didn’t see any action. And at the beginning of this season, that trend didn’t seem likely to change.But with the struggles of Marc Verica and converted quarterback Vic Hall, Sewell has started the past two weeks.He managed just 120 passing yards and was sacked eight times in his first game against Texas Christian University — although he did throw for two touchdowns. Still, such struggles wouldn’t last long. The following week, Sewell’s statistics exploded.Again, he tossed two touchdowns, but this time, he combined the effort with 312 aerial yards.“You watch the plays he made against Southern Miss, where everybody was covered, and he would tuck the ball away. He would always keep drives alive,” Davis said.Virginia’s new offensive coordinator, Gregg Brandon, has transitioned the team’s playbook to a more spread-option offense, which looks like a much better fit for Sewell. It’s allowed Sewell to line up in the shotgun and gives him the option to run.And as North Carolina’s defense struggled with Georgia Tech’s Josh Nesbitt, a run-oriented quarterback who racked up 97 rushing yards last week, it would seem that UNC might be worried.“Not so much because there are a lot of teams around the nation that run a pretty similar offense,” cornerback Kendric Burney said. “We got to play with a little bit of a chip on our shoulders. We’re not real happy about this loss. As a veteran defense, as a lot of veterans on this team, we know exactly what we need to do to bounce back.”The same can be said for UNC as a whole, as the Tar Heels will be looking to avenge three straight losses to the Cavaliers. And according to North Carolina quarterback T.J. Yates, that fact is not lost on the team. But either is the loss to Georgia Tech — which UNC hopes to remedy this weekend.“A lot of guys on the team kind of have a bad taste in their mouth,” Yates said. “The expectations for ourselves and this team going into the season, we didn’t see ourselves losing so early. A lot of guys on the team are pretty angry and pretty pissed off.”
(09/23/09 4:38am)
As the No. 2 North Carolina soccer team exited Fetzer Field on Tuesday, assistant coach Carlos Somoano stood on the steps of the McCaskill Soccer Center. He was handed a statistic sheet for the night’s game.He didn’t want it.“I don’t want to see the tape either,” he said. “I want to pretend this game never happened.”And with good reason — at least on the offensive end.For 97 minutes, the Tar Heels displayed some of their least impressive attacking soccer of the year.Granted, the conditions were horrible — a steady downpour soaked the field. And UNC’s opponent, East Tennessee State, was holding 10 players back on defense at times.But with 11 shots in the game and with only six on goal, UNC continually tried to force opportunities. Whether that came from a mix of frustration or from simply not being ready — as head coach Elmar Bolowich acknowledged — the Tar Heels will surely want to forget this offensive performance.“We kept the ball for a good while, but there was no purpose,” Bolowich said. “We just kept it for the sake of keeping it, and we didn’t do anything with it.”Twenty minutes into the match, senior Jordan Graye chipped a cross from the right side into the box. But instead of leading an awaiting UNC player, the ball beelined straight toward the ETSU goalkeeper.Five minutes later, midfielder Kirk Urso hit an inswinging free kick that went far post. Captain Zach Loyd tried vainly to finish the opportunity, but the kick skidded out of bounds.“In the first half, it was hard to get the ball through the middle,” sophomore Billy Schuler said. “It was tough. We settled down in the second half.“We went into halftime, and we talked about a few things we needed to improve on. We calmed down. It wasn’t great, but we got our chances.”Schuler was one player with chances. Seventeen minutes into the second half, he missed from close range, as his far-post shot was deflected wide. Later in the half, forward Bill Dworsky shot right at the goalie. And eight minutes later, another forward, Enzo Martinez, took too many touches in front of goal and wasted another opportunity.“We just need to be more accurate on our shooting and just finish our chances,” midfielder Michael Farfan said. “We’re missing a lot of opportunities that we should’ve had on goal. It’s hard to get these opportunities, so when we do get them, we need to take advantage.”Finally, in overtime, Schuler threaded the needle on a close-range, left-footed shot. But that was one of the few offensive bright spots of the day.“I think you have to be upset by the way we played,” Bolowich said. “The turnover ratio we had. By forcing balls into space where they shouldn’t go. Overlooking the next open guy.“That is something we have to address. If that is correct, more chances will come. And probably clearer chances will come. And that’s what we really didn’t have.”Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.
(09/18/09 4:30am)
Before the preseason No. 1 ranking to start the 2009 season, before the close loss to Maryland in the national championship game and before the magical run to the Final Four, there was Duke.Back in 2008, North Carolina was teetering between being a good team — evident from the team’s quick start to the season — and a team that couldn’t beat top competition, evident from the team’s two losses to ranked opponents in Virginia and Boston College.But when the Tar Heels traveled to Durham to play the then-No. 24 Blue Devils, something changed. UNC left 90 minutes later with a 2-0 win and, perhaps, a whole new outlook for the season.“That was actually a game that was a little bit of a turning point last year,” coach Elmar Bolowich said. “It gave us the belief that we could do some great stuff. We were clicking on all cylinders. There was not a weak link on the field.” Still, as North Carolina gets ready to play Duke again tonight, things appear quite different from the last go-around between the pair. For one, the Blue Devils are already more highly regarded now than in 2008. Duke is ranked No. 11 and boasts a stellar defense that has allowed just one goal on the season.And although the Tar Heels scored on just their second shot of the game in 2008, UNC may find more difficulty this year. “(Coach is) telling us not to take them lightly,” midfielder Cameron Brown said. “He’s emphasized that it’s a top-ACC game. He’s emphasizing how much better they are and how big a game this is.”What’s more, UNC no longer employs the services of Brian Shriver — he of the multiple-goal game against Duke last October. Shriver was the team’s leading scorer in 2008, and since then, North Carolina has struggled to find a steady replacement for him.Granted, the season is just four games underway, but Bolowich already reiterated during the exhibitions and during the first few games that he wanted more out of his forwards. Although such words could have been more of a wake-up call to his younger strikers, whatever the reasoning, it seems to have worked. Though the statistic sheet may not show it — the team’s three main forwards accounted for one goal and two assists in the past two games — the trio has supplied an immense amount of pressure and scoring chances.“(The forward play is) getting better, I must say,” Bolowich said. “When you see the work rate that a Billy Schuler puts in, Enzo Martinez, Alex Dixon, how fast he is running down balls and putting pressure on the opposing defender. That’s where it really starts. I’m actually pretty pleased where we are at this point.”Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu
(09/08/09 3:10am)
When Zach Loyd hurled a throw-in toward the Evansville box late in Sunday’s contest, Cameron Brown simply hoped it would land nearby.On the North Carolina sidelines, coach Elmar Bolowich watched as the ball did just that — but at an angle likely too low for a clean header. Bolowich figured the midfielder would settle the ball with his body and turn on goal. But Brown had other plans. As long as he’s been playing soccer, the junior had dreamed of performing a bicycle kick in a game. Brown had attempted one or two before in matches, but never quite like this.As Loyd’s loft descended into the Purple Aces’ 18-yard box, Brown threw his body into the air. Oddly enough, the throw didn’t create much of an aerial stir — as practically no Evansville players contested the ball.The lack of congestion allowed Brown to go fully parallel with the ground, raise his right leg over his head and boot the ball with authority toward the goal.“In midair I’m hoping I don’t miss the ball and look like a complete idiot,” Brown said. “When I hit it, I was hoping I had enough angle for the ball to go backpost. The ball kind of went down the hill, but the keeper was slightly over. I got enough direction on it to make it go far post.”Evansville’s goalkeeper, Phil Boerger, tried unsuccessfully to get a hand on Brown’s piece of magic, but Boerger, too, seemed awestruck. The play was just that mesmerizing. Brown’s bicycle kick had gone briskly into the lower left corner.“His second goal was just spectacular,” Bolowich said. “In terms of execution it was beautiful. It was a well-executed bicycle kick.”Immediately after the shot went in, Brown sprang up from the pitch and began shouting with excitement. His face lit up as he charged toward the right corner flag. The crowd was in hysteria, and Bolowich stood filled with surprise — not expecting a bicycle attempt from such a low point in the air. “(Brown is) great, technically, and you can expect those things from him,” midfielder Michael Farfan said. “You see it all the time in practice, so it’s no surprise to us.”Since Brown began playing at UNC as a freshman in 2007, such creativity has been a staple of his game. Throughout the season, he watches YouTube clips of soccer’s finest — including Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi — and tries incorporating their moves into his game.At times, his antics have led to easy takeaways and counterattacks for the opposition. But on other occasions, like Sunday, he puts together a beautiful move or shot.The thing was, it wasn’t Brown’s only goal of the game. Much earlier during the first half, the junior settled on the left side of the field and struck a shot toward Evansville’s left corner. The near-post shot was from a lengthy distance, but Boerger was still not up to the task.Although Brown’s second goal — part of his first-ever multiple goal game — was unstoppable, this blast was much more reasonable. It, too, found the back of the net and gave the Tar Heels an early 1-0 lead.But when Brown looks back on this weekend, his focus will likely be on the latter goal.“It’s going to rank as one of my best memories here, one of my best goals here,” Brown said.Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.
(09/02/09 4:37am)
Shots like the one Kirk Urso had in the first half of North Carolina’s contest against UNC-Asheville didn’t come along too often.During those 45 minutes, it seemed like the Tar Heels passed up opportunity after opportunity for the extra pass. But during the next frame that quickly changed as UNC (1-0) routed the Bulldogs, 5-0.After firing 10 shots in the first half and scoring only one goal, No. 1 UNC exploded in the second with 12 shots and four goals. It was a stark contrast, especially after a fair bit of hesitancy as the game got underway. That is, until 21 minutes had passed into Tuesday’s contest.At that point, junior Cameron Brown headed toward the box with several defenders in his path. But as he did so, he lost control of the ball, and a Bulldog defender deflected the ball out to his teammate, Urso. Immediately, the sophomore midfielder settled the ball, seemingly composed himself, and then fired a beautiful rocket into the right corner of the UNC-A goal. The Bulldogs’ goalkeeper, Lassi Hurskainen, was fully outstretched in mid-air, but Urso’s shot was just that perfect. And Urso knew it. Right after his blast touched down 20 yards away, he turned and raised his arms as his teammates embraced him.“I’m just dying to take the shots outside the box,” Urso said. “I saw the defender, he was about to step, and luckily I got it off. I knew I hit well, and fortunately it went in.”For the rest of the first half, however, such success didn’t continue for UNC. Although the Tar Heels rattled off a couple more chances — including another lengthy Urso shot, this time with his left foot —no more goals ensued. Instead, it was UNC-Asheville (0-1) creating opportunities. With less than two minutes remaining, the Bulldogs took a free kick from the right side that touched down on Branden Lassen’s head. It was a glancing look, but the deflection from his forehead went just by UNC’s post.“First half, little disappointing, but we knew we could do better in the attacking third,” Urso said. “Second half, we came out with a little more focus. Our touches were a little sharper and our play wore on them.”With a new half underway, the Tar Heels attacked UNC-Asheville with renewed vigor. Although UNC had mainly dominated possession during the first, this period was certainly different. At points it seemed as if North Carolina was moving the ball from player to player at will. On one such occasion only two minutes in, a great buildup involving around six Tar Heel players amounted to a fairly close shot from senior Stephen McCarthy. But the midfielder couldn’t quite finish. But 13 minutes later, when sophomore Billy Schuler sent in a cross from the right side, the floodgates essentially opened for the UNC scoring. Initially, forward Alex Dixon was the recipient, as he glided into the air and finished the opportunity. Yet for the next 25 minutes, Dixon wasn’t the only one getting into the act. Freshman Enzo Martinez got his first regular-season goal after a prolific high school career. Urso added another, and Dustin McCarty finished off the day with a late close-range shot. It was a barrage from all levels, and one coach Elmar Bolowich will certainly be pleased with.“(Alex) had a beautiful goal,” he said. “You have to give Schuler a lot of credit because that cross was just perfect. The header was perfect. There were a lot of things that were going well tonight.”Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.
(09/02/09 1:57am)
For twenty-one minutes Tuesday, North Carolina seemingly passed up opportunity after opportunity. Although the No. 1 Tar Heels (1-0) would end the half with 10 shots, extra passes and too much dribbling doomed the team within close range. But when sophomore midfielder Kirk Urso took control of a loose ball just outside the 18-yard box, that all changed.
(08/28/09 4:39am)
All it took was two corner kicks, two transfer players and two goals, but North Carolina got the job done against Old Dominion, 2-1.After striking early in its last exhibition go-round, UNC again found itself on the doorstep of a goal six minutes into its contest against the Monarchs. Junior Michael Farfan, a transfer from Cal State Fullerton, stood primed for a free kick opportunity, but his shot into the lower right corner was deflected away, and the Tar Heels eventually won a corner.On the ensuing play, Farfan was again over the ball — as he kicked an in-swinger that met the head of senior Stephen McCarthy, a Santa Clara transfer.“I think (Farfan) was going near,” McCarthy said. “I don’t know if I was right. I headed toward the near and got lucky on that one.”In the Tar Heels’ last exhibition, McCarthy found himself in much the same position and finished nicely. This time would be no different as he edged UNC ahead.Yet with usual right back Eddie Ababio sidelined, North Carolina’s first half defense was shaky, to say the least. With just less than 20 minutes to play, senior Javier Velez dinked a pass back to goalkeeper Brooks Haggerty. But the pass was so slow that an Old Dominion forward intercepted and rocketed a shot.Luckily for the Tar Heels, Haggerty was up to the task. But four minutes later, another breakdown in the back led to an ODU goal. “I was very, very disappointed at halftime,” coach Elmar Bolowich said. “I felt like we were wasting an opportunity.”Still, UNC didn’t seem panicked. The squad built up the attack and eventually won another corner. It didn’t seem likely that lightning could strike in the same place twice, but that’s what happened.For again, there was Farfan. Again, there was another in-swinging corner kick. And again, there was McCarthy — putting his head to the ball for another goal.The second half had a different tone, as both teams went to their respective benches frequently. The play was reduced to a stalemate, though Haggerty did keep the Tar Heels ahead with several key saves.“Fortunately, (the team) pulled through and we showed better in the second half,” Bolowich said. “We’ll see how we continue.”Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.
(08/25/09 4:31am)
Plain and simple, Eddie Ababio has been a forward his whole life. When his career in soccer began in his native country of Ghana, so too did his career up top.
(08/25/09 3:11am)
North Carolina’s national title game appearance may have been unexpected for some, but the team’s loss still hurt. A lot.Soon after the Tar Heels’ 1-0 defeat to Maryland, then-junior Eddie Ababio returned to Chapel Hill and did nothing for a week. How could he? It was one of the most painful ordeals he had ever experienced.Zach Loyd felt similarly. Though even now, he still doesn’t think everyone has completely recovered.Even the team’s coach, Elmar Bolowich, admitted to a little bit of a void for the season. But as he attests moving forward, the postseason success was a great learning tool for his squad.“I hope there was enough good examples of what good leadership can do for a team,” he said. “We had enough of that last year. That should set an example for those that the torch is passed onto now. Because in the end, some things you build off of.”Such words surely apply to the 2008 men’s soccer team. After ending the regular season and ACC tournament with five straight losses — granted, three came against Maryland and Wake Forest — the squad went on a magical run to the NCAA championship match.And although that team barely fell short of the ultimate goal, with six starters returning and with several heralded newcomers, expectations are quite lofty for this year’s squad.The team enters the new campaign ranked in the top five in many preseason polls. And though most of the predictions stem from each team’s finish in the rankings last year, the Tar Heels hope a repeat performance is in order.“We can use it as motivation,” Ababio said. “Being there and not winning it. That’s all the motivation we need. First, we need the experience. And now it’s going to help us a lot.”Ababio, for one, trained in the area for the summer instead of returning home to Florida as he usually does. Loyd, now the team’s captain, has become more of a vocal leader. Although it’s a different role than he’s used to, Loyd will be sorely needed to replace two midfield staples — and their voices — in Michael Callahan and Garry Lewis. Still, it wasn’t just Loyd stepping up as the Tar Heels took a team trip to Costa Rica in June. The squad went for close to 10 days and partook in four matches against Costa Rican pro teams. The Tar Heels won three games and tied one — a positive indicator for this season.For that to be the case, several players, Ababio and Loyd included, will need to have big years. The team returns four of its top six scorers, five players that tallied 10 or more points and Brooks Haggerty in goal.Loyd, however, points to two newcomers as possibilities for strong showings this year.“I think our transfers, Stephen (McCarthy) and Michael Farfan are people others are going to have to watch out for,” Loyd said. “They’re big-time players.”Ababio believes the pair will fill in right away for the departed Callahan and Lewis, adding that freshman Enzo Martinez could play a big role coming off the bench at forward.If that’s the case, UNC could very well find itself in Cary, the site of this year’s College Cup — though the team is hoping for a better ending.“I don’t want to feel (a national title loss) again,” Ababio said.Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.
(07/23/09 4:00am)
The nagging questions persist like Brett Favre's career. How will UNC recover from the loss of its three top wideouts? What will the Tar Heels do without the man who wears 4XL size gloves? Who on the team will be able to catch a pass?If TNT knows drama certain media outlets know doomsday because that's apparently where Butch Davis and his offense are going without Hakeem Nicks Brandon Tate and Brooks Foster. Many journalists throughout the Southeast have proclaimed that the Tar Heels pass offense will be average at best and horrific at worst. One ESPN.com writer went so far as to rank the North Carolina wide receivers as the second-worst unit in the ACC — only one better than Virginia. And with Greg Little the only returner with any starting experience — granted a mere two games — it's feasible to see why. Still don't expect such a dramatic dropout.For starters that certainly begins with Little. After a largely disappointing go-around at running back to begin the 2008 season Davis shifted the tailback back to Little's original collegiate position of wideout before the Virginia game. Though Little has yet to materialize into the star some projected when he entered UNC he did end this past year in a fairly promising fashion.Against Duke in the team's regular season finale Little caught four passes for 67 yards. Nearly a month later in North Carolina's bowl game against West Virginia he added two catches for 36 yards. Although these stats are not overly impressive one has to remember that Nicks was lining up alongside Little — clearly inhibiting his chances. Still it's hard to believe that Little will continue to be denied in this manner. Many recruiting services characterized the wideout as the most versatile player in the country upon entering college though at this point it's been mere glimpses with Little. Another cause for optimism rests on the shoulders of 6-foot 5-inch sophomore Dwight Jones. Although it appeared he would be redshirted this past season Jones was inserted into three games. Jones didn't tally a reception but based off his spring game stats — three catches for 61 yards — he could be penciled in for a starting role.Most people tend to forget that Jones graduated high school as the nation's No. 22 player according to Rivals a sports information Web site. In fact he was considered the No. 1 prospect in North Carolina.Freshman Jheranie Boyd isn't nearly as tall but he comes to Chapel Hill with much the same acclaim. Rivals had him as the No. 48 prospect in the 2009 class.Though doubters of these Tar Heels will point to in-game experience as a notion for concern — and rightfully so — such talent is still hard to ignore.Thus look for a fairly strong year out of the North Carolina wideouts. They certainly can't be much less.Contact Chris Hempson at chempson@unc.edu.