FINALLY!

The inclement weather and slick field didn’t stop Waynesboro’s powerful play as it cruised past Spotswood 5-0 on Monday in Region III action, the first regional game that the Little Giants have ever won.

The Little Giants kicked off the first half with an immediate goal five minutes into play from Orlando Marin assisted by Hugo Fernandez. The Blazers didn’t even have a chance to retort when six minutes down the road the Little Giants scored another goal, this one from Kyle Wright with the assist from Alex Farrington.

“We had played [Spotswood] earlier in the season at their field,” said Waynesboro coach Bill Meicke. “This time we were able to open them up and we had a lot of penetration down the sides.”

Ten minutes after the second Waynesboro goal, Fernandez got his turn at the net. Marin’s long pass from center field caught the foot of Fernandez who took it all the way to the goal, putting the score at 3-0 with almost 30 minutes still left on the clock before the half.

“We scored on them early and then just relaxed,” Meicke said. “We’ve let some teams back in the game, one of those we lost, and we’ve learned from that.”

The Little Giants kept the Blazers from getting anywhere near the goal, keeping most of the action towards center field. Waynesboro took its’ time with the ball, looking for the open man and the clean shot.

“We were excited to get them down and keep them down,” Meicke said.

Waynesboro kept the score at 3-0 going into the half, right when the dark clouds came into the mix.

The second half started with a downpour, but that didn’t slow the Little Giants, it didn’t even keep them from scoring. Within seven minutes of the start, Fernandez scored another goal for Waynesboro with the assist again coming from Marin.

“I tried to get a lot of our key players out of the game at that point [due to the rain],” Meicke said. “Hugo was coming out anyway, but he got it done before hand.”

With the score at 4-0 and most of the half still left to play, the Little Giants left it up to their subs to finish.

“We had it put away before the rain and then it was just about having fun,” Meicke said.

Waynesboro scored its final goal with less than six minutes on the clock, a solo shot by Erik Simonsen that rolled into and then out of the Blazers’ keeper’s hands.

“The guys were really motivated to win this game,” Meicke said. “We never won a region game before.”

The Little Giants’ motivation might have been due in part to the fact that coach Meicke will be showing up to the next game with a new hair cut, a mohawk, and if Waynesboro makes it to states Meicke will also be losing the mustache.

“I keep my hair short anyway,” Meicke said simply.

Waynesboro travels Jefferson Forest tonight.

“The game plan is to go down there and focus on playing our game,” Meicke said. “If we put a good game together then I like our chances.”