The varsity boys’ soccer team took home the Devil’s Cup for the second consecutive year Sept. 18.

The Cougars defeated Rolesville 4-0 to secure the trophy. The win was made more significant by the fact that Aug. 20 the two teams tied 2-2.

Junior midfielder Ryan Klose accounted for the difference in results.

“The first time we came in pretty cocky, and we didn’t play our best,” Klose said. “The second time, we came out hungry, and demolished them 4-0, and we played amazing.”

Junior defenseman Jake Petrillo credited increased on-field unity with the victory.

“We worked better as a team, and we moved the ball. We possessed strong, and we moved up the field together,” Petrillo said.

Former boys’ coach and varsity girls’ coach Jeremiah Mattingly created the trophy last season to further the rivalry between the two schools. In the past, before they merged as WFR high, the two separate schools had mascots that were devils.

In addition to fostering the rivalry, Mattingly hoped the game, which is played annually during the football bye week, would help raise money and awareness for the fight against cancer.

Mattingly created the game, “To raise money for cancer patients as I lost an aunt to breast cancer and my father is a prostate cancer survivor.”

He ran a similar benefit game in Fayetteville and raised over $50,000 in charitable contributions.

“I saw the positive impact it had on the survivors and on my players, and I wanted to bring that to WF,” Mattingly said.

He hopes to expand the game to the girls’ season and to invite local club soccer teams and offer additional activities to boost attendance and support for the charities.

Hosting the game on a Friday night during the bye week also allows for the band to play and for more spectators to attend the event than the soccer players usually have at their games.

The players noticed the enhanced atmosphere.

“It was more fun, and when you scored, they actually cheered for you, “ said junior defenseman and midfielder Jack Spreen.

Klose also enjoyed the enhanced atmosphere and increased fans.

“It felt good to just know that most people actually care somewhat,” Klose said. Petrillo felt the same.

“It was a lot more exciting. I felt more involved in the game, and it was good to have the experience.”

Last year’s event raised $5,000 for cancer charities. This year’s even took in over $2,000 .

The victory, after the earlier tie, boosted the confidence of the team before their match the next Monday against Wakefield, even more so since that week the team had dropped the first two conference matches 5-2 to Broughton and a 3-2 overtime loss at home to Millbrook.

“It gave us confidence that we could actually win,” Spreen  said.

And win they did, in exciting fashion 4-3 in overtime.