NHS Alum Marcus Tracy, Wake Forest Defending Title
NHS Alum Marcus Tracy, Wake Forest Defending Title
Newtown High Schoolâs all-time leading scorer Marcus Tracy and the Wake Forest menâs soccer team began defense of their NCAA title this week.
The 2007 champion Wake Forest University Demon Deacons earned the top seed in the tourney, which was slated to kick off on Tuesday (after The Bee sports section went to press). The Demon Deacons earned a first-round bye and will host the winner of William & Mary and Winthrop in the second round. Tracy and his teammates will remain on their home field through the quarterfinal round if they stay alive in tourney play.
Tracy, who registered 100 tallies during his high school career and helped the 2004 Newtown Nighthawks to a state title, has been a key member of the Deacs. The senior forward is second on the team with 31 points (12 goals and 7 assists) in 20 games. He also has three game-winning goals and has helped his team outscore opponents 68-16.
Wake Forest is trying to not only retain its hold on the NCAA title (the first in the programâs history) but also bounce back from a loss in the semifinals of the ACC Tournament. Wake Forest was the top seed in that tourney and fell to No. 4 Virginia on a penalty kick in double overtime on November 14. The ACC semifinal loss ended a 24-game winning streak.
The Deacs have an all-time record of 14-9-2 in the NCAA Tournament. Wake Forest is unbeaten in its last nine NCAA Tournament games, with its last loss coming on November 24, 2005, a 3-2 double overtime setback at California.
The NCAA Tournament features the top 48 teams in the country, with the top 16 teams receiving first round byes.
The tournament culminates with the 2008 College Cup in Texas on December 12 and 14. Visit WakeForestSports.com for more information and to follow Tracy and the Deacs in the postseason.