By Paul Durham
Wilson Daily Times
RED OAK - Call them champs again.
But also call the Fike girls soccer team relieved after it was sorely tested Thursday night by Rocky Mount for the second straight year in the 3-A NEW 6 Conference tournament final.
The top-seeded Lady Golden Demons emerged a 2-1 victor after senior Sarah Sallenger scored the decisive goal with 7:41 to play in the second overtime at Northern Nash High School.
After winning its sixth straight conference title (including three from the now defunct 3-A Big Eight North), Fike enters the N.C. High School Athletic Association playoffs as the No. 1 seed and will remain at home for the first four playoff games.
Thursday's triumph capped Fike's third straight unbeaten season in the three-year-old NEW 6 as the Lady Demons posted their 36th consecutive league win all-time and ninth straight this season.
But just like in the 2007 NEW 6 final which was settled by an identical score on the Lady Demons' field, No. 3 seed Rocky Mount (12-7-1) showed up to play despite going 105 minutes to get a 1-0 overtime win against Northern Nash in Wednesday night's semifinals.
"At the end, I was like 'Oh God!'" Sallenger said, eyes gleaming with euphoria. "I felt like we were going to win -- I knew we were going to win -- but it just wasn't that easy."
It certainly wasn't.
Fike (14-5-2) found itself in a 1-0 hole nearly from the start as Rocky Mount's Michelle Barringer found the net on a pass by Caroline Gray in the fifth minute.
The Lady Demons would answer in the 17th minute when freshman Beth Hanson threaded a pass to junior forward Tramicka James around the 30-yard mark. James went right, beat her defender back to the inside and struck the ball to the far post, well out of reach of Lady Gryphons goalkeeper Holly Campbell.
But James' equalizer had a curious effect on the Lady Demons, who failed to muster many more scoring chances in the first half.
"It was just a great physical and intense match and Rocky Mount really played well," commended Fike head coach Toni Vaacchi. "They brought it to us and we couldn't buy one for a while."
But neither could Rocky Mount as the sides traded offensive frustration and outstanding defense. Fike defenders Natalie Winslow, Kate Woodard and Michelle Smith protected junior goalkeeper Sarah Dillard, who ended up with 13 saves on 14 Rocky Mount shots.
Conversely, the Lady Gryphons jumped in the passing lanes and held their own in a match that tottered towards the physical side at times.
"They played great," James said of Rocky Mount. "Obviously, I'm pretty sure their legs were tired but they still gave it their all."
The Lady Gryphons caught a slight break some 15 minutes into the second half when the lights along one side of the field suddenly shut down. The ensuing 10-minute break provided relief but Fike began to amp up the offensive pressure as the minutes melted away.
Sallenger and James each had opportunities muffled by Campbell, who made 19 saves on 23 Fike shots.
With just under three minutes to go in regulation, Rocky Mount's Ashley Pearsall volleyed a cross that rose towards the goal. For a moment, it seemed Dillard had it then she paused in realization the ball was going over her head. But the tell-tale clang of the ball striking the crossbar sent cheers through the section of Fike fans.
The Lady Demons had survived one would-be dagger and Dillard halted two more serious advances by Rocky Mount in the final two minutes.
Hoping to get some offense going, Varacchi had moved Sallenger up from midfield earlier in the half.
"You know, I've done that before throughout the year and it hasn't always worked but it did tonight and she got it," Varacchi said.
Finally, after one 10-minute overtime and 2:19 gone in the second extra period, freshman midfielder Meredith Pruden delivered a crisp ball to Sallenger, who beat her defender to the front left corner of the goal box.
Campbell hesitated then came out to challenge Sallenger, who seemed surprised to see the Rocky Mount keeper out of the net.
"I didn't think she would," Sallenger said. "I thought she would just stay there."
After the mini-celebration following the tie-breaking goal, the Lady Demons hunkered down for the final seven-plus minutes.
When it was done, Varacchi reminded her troops that Rocky Mount had given them a great game.
"Just two good teams going at it for 105 minutes, We had inches," said Lady Gryphons head coach Patrick Sensiba, holding his fingers closely together. "And that was bad luck and they captialized on one. I mean, what can you ask for? This is what soccer should be about."
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