Wolverines race past Blue Devils in home regular-season finale

Earlier this season, Polk Middle boys soccer coach Lennox Charles expressed concern about the Wolverines’ ability to finish, to put shots on goal and balls on net at the end of runs and passes.

Let Monday be testament to the Wolverines’ ability to listen to Charles’ instruction on the matter.

Polk gave up an early goal, then unleashed a torrent of blasts that often found their target, the Wolverines rolling to a 7-1 victory over Brevard Middle in a Blue Ridge Confernce East Division match at Utz Field.

Polk Middle (11-1-1, 9-0) won its 10th straight match and has now scored at least four goals in four of its last seven matches. The Wolverines travel Wednesday to Rugby Middle and can complete a rare perfect run through the East Division schedule with a win.

Brevard (5-5-1) scored in the second minute of the match, but that goal just seemed to wake up the Wolverines. Ross Dow hammered a shot off the right wing into the left corner of the net in the 10th minute, then struck a perfect penalty kick from well outside the box in the 16th minute that again found the left side of the net.

The Wolverines then struck again moments later as Cole Huntley played a pass upfield to Luke Garrison. With Charles shouting “Go to the goal, go to the goal,” Garrison did just that, moving into the penalty area before hammering a drive that, once again, found the left side of the net.

“We were not very focused and got off to a slow start,” Charles said. “Brevard’s early goal helped refocus us.

“I was happy to see that we did not panic, and got back to work. Once we scored the confidence came back and we were a lot better.”

The goals continued at regular intervals in the second half – Huntley on a long pass from Dow in the 34th minute, Dow dribbling through the Brevard defense in the 48th minute and connecting on a low line drive, Garrison scoring in the 52nd minute on a corner kick that hit the Brevard goalkeeper’s hands and went into the goal, Grayson C taking a pass near midfield, racing down the left sideline, cutting back toward the goal and striking a low liner from almost point-blank range.

That left only the post-match celebration as the Wolverines honored the eighth graders who were playing in their final regular-season home match.

At least one more Utz Field awaits, though, as Polk Middle will be the East Division’s top seed when the conference’s postseason tournament begins next week.