CHAPEL HILL — Senior Leo Slebos kick-started a relentless attack from East Chapel Hill’s boys’ soccer team in its 7-0 win over Jordan-Matthews Monday.
Slebos, who notched a hat trick, scored two goals less than three minutes into the game. For the first goal, he outraced the Jets’ defense and corralled a long pass before striking. Moments later, senior Elijah Farrar, leading another counter attack, tapped the ball left to escape the goalkeeper and found Slebos for the easy score.
“I saw they were playing a high line from the start,” Slebos said. “I was just telling my teammates, like, ‘Look for the ball in behind early, and I just kept making the runs.
Shortly after Slebos’ hot start, senior Lay Htoo also used his speed to get past the Jordan-Matthews defense and punched in a goal to extend the lead to three.
Near the end of the first half, senior Owen Grabowski started making runs of his own, taking multiple shots that were misses or saved by Jordan-Matthews goalkeeper Emilio Rocha. With under four minutes remaining until halftime, Grabowski finally finished a breakaway in the back of the net for a 4-0 lead.
“That’s definitely something I need to work on, but, yeah, it’s just like grit,” Grabowski said. “Just keep going until one finally falls.”
Junior Noah Filiano, who helped orchestrate previous runs, finished another Wildcat attack with a goal moments before halftime. Late in the second half, Slebos tapped in his third goal of the night, and senior Elijah Farrar followed by putting the finishing touches on the win with a score.
“We needed this,” Grabowski said. “Especially after that loss against Carrboro, we were down in the slumps. We used that as motivation to keep going and help us get this win.”
The Wildcats recorded their second-largest win of the season to improve to 7-4. They’ve achieved three clean sheets in three of their last four games.
Although East Chapel Hill has had a solid first half of the season, including five clean sheets in its seven wins, coach Jake Axelbank believes his team has plenty to work on and is capable of accomplishing more.
“We know how good we can be,” Axelbank said. “And if we’re honest with ourselves and with the publication, we know that we’ve been underachieving, and we have not been playing to the level that we can. And that’s in some ways motivating, and in some ways, it’s worrisome if we aren’t able to bounce back like we did tonight. It feels like I know the ability, I know the potential that these boys have, and I’m hoping that you guys will get to see it soon, too.”
For Jordan-Matthews, Monday’s defeat was its largest loss of the season and the second time it had been shut out this year. The 2024 season opener was the last time the Jets lost by at least seven goals.
Jordan-Matthews is now 4-3-2 on the season.