Chattanooga Christian standout forward Will Patten understandably carried a set of mixed emotions with him following the Chargers' 2-0 soccer victory over visiting East Hamilton on Tuesday evening.
For Patten, the elation of scoring what proved to be the winning goal 10 minutes into the nondistrict match had been tempered by the painful realization that he will be sidelined for the next two weeks. He sustained what trainers have diagnosed as a high ankle sprain about 10 minutes into the second half.
Yet as he stood amid the heat radiating off the prescription turf of the Chargers' home field with his talented right foot securely wrapped in a protective boot, Patten was upbeat about the timing of his return and the prospects for his teammates stepping into larger roles.
"They told me it's a high ankle sprain and I'll be out for about two weeks, but I should be back by the time we start our district games," Patten said. "We've got people who can step up, and the people coming in today showed they can do a good job out there."
While most of the play was fairly even between the two teams, the Chargers' ability to rotate players into the lineup on the first unseasonably warm day of the season allowed them to control the flow of the match and a 20-5 advantage in shots.
The 4-1 Chargers' offensive pressure created the lone goal of the second half when Porter Black picked up a loose ball following a CCS corner kick and scorched the twine with a left-footed blast from 25 yards out. Meanwhile, the defensive efforts of John Love and Paul Fortmiller kept the Hurricances from mounting any dangerous scoring chances.
"It was an even game, but I think we had the advantage for much of the game in terms of possessions," CCS coach David Stanton said. "It was pretty warm today, and we had a few more rotations than they did, so that helped us. Will's a great player and you can't replace him, but the guys who came in put some pressure on them."
East Hamilton (1-4-1) kept the contest close behind the strong goalkeeping of Taylor Van Zant and Zac Thomas as well as standout defensive play from Brice Breakly and Cooper Loftin.
"I thought our guys gave a good effort today, and the opening of the season has been tough," said East Hamilton coach Patrick Daverson. "We've faced a state finalist in Baylor, a state champion in CPA and another good team today. We hope that these games will help us to get ready for our district season."
Contact Greg Thompson at sports@timesfreepress.com.