Boys soccer: Cox aims to wrap up perfect season

By Chris Carlson

CHANTILLY

If the Cox boys soccer team considers this state tournament journey a business trip, then Ryan Oakes is the CEO.

He speaks of the state tournament as if it's a mission, maintaining urgency at all times. He entered the quarterfinals with a hip injury, but acts as if not playing was never an option.

"Our objective is to win the state championship," said Oakes, a senior captain. "Losing is not in our vocabulary. There's no option but winning. There's no other choice."

After a seemingly easy 4-0 win for Cox (24-0) over Stone Bridge (17-4) in the Group AAA state semifinals, one of Oakes' smiling teammates suggested - while Oakes was still in the process of changing into a dry shirt - that he talk to reporters.

"I'm not doing the interview shirtless," Oakes said, the joke falling flat.

The Falcons won their 30th consecutive game, advanced to the state final and moved within a win of the school's first perfect season.

All of that is at stake today against Battlefield (17-3-2) at 1 p.m. at Westfield High.

"This isn't a fun trip for us," Cox coach Scott Mead said. "This is a business trip. We'll get back to the hotel, the kids will do some recovery work in the pool - they call it water aerobics - they'll play video games or watch TV, and they'll go to bed. (Saturday's) a work day."

Battlefield's 3-0 win over Deep Run spoiled a potential meeting between the top two spring soccer teams in the country. ESPN Rise's Fab 50 rankings has Cox at No. 1 and Deep Run at No. 2.

"It doesn't matter who we play," junior Eric Bird said. "Obviously if they beat Deep Run 3-0, they're good."

On Friday, the Falcons showed the state what the Beach District and the Eastern Region already knew: They're pretty good, too.

Bird scored 1:09 in, and Cox never relinquished control.

Hunter Byrnes crossed the ball from the right side, Zac Eckert headed the ball across the goal mouth and Bird sent it in with one more bump of the head.

David Ellis scored 30 minutes later, giving control to a defense that hasn't allowed two goals in a game all season.

"We gave them a couple of soft goals and then you have to chase them," Stone Bridge coach Randy May said. "That takes an unbelievable amount of energy."

Four Falcon s scored - with Paul Braunstein and Alex Royo also finding the back of the net - bringing the number of Cox scorers to 10 in the past five games.

"We knew at the start that this was going to be an exciting year," Oakes said. "There's no pressure now. There's one game left. One more to go."

Chris Carlson, (757) 446-2367, chris.carlson@pilotonline.com