Knightdale — Knightdale cleared up any confusion about the relationship between itself and rival East Wake Thursday afternoon.

The bitter, own-goal, loss to the Knights the week before had the Warrior soccer team thinking payback, but Knightdale gave its opponent the “uh-uh,” routing the Warriors 5-1 on Senior Night.

Knightdale’s Allyson Feller was the only senior Knight.

The Knightdale team, comprised of Feller, 13 sophomores and five freshman, came out en fuego.

Sticking to the script, freshman Kaitlyn Eckert twinkle-toed her way to the goal on three occasions in the first half, completing the hat trick. Eckert has 27 goals on the season after the three that night.

“Number three is going off,” Warrior coach Jon Hasbrouck said just after the half. “We need someone to step up and match her physically.”

The first two goals Eckert scored were the result of following up on the ball. Warrior keeper Dalia Garcia stepped 10 feet out, going for the ball, but on both occasions Eckert made sure she never had a firm grip. The follow-ups were physical, but clean and the result was two easy, walk-in goals.

What wasn’t clean was the rest of the game. Every so often could be heard the sound of a shoulder slap or a questionable tackle from the side.

Knightdale’s other two goals came from Brooke Foil outright and Tyler LeClair on an assist from Eckert.

Another goal was walked in after the ball bounced above Garcia’s reach, but it was called back after the line referee called the ball out of bounds.

The 5-0 halftime score was one the Warriors would not overcome, but it didn’t humble them, either. The team held Knightdale scoreless in the second half, and posted a goal of its own with a monster boot from 30 yards out by junior midfielder Amanda Dean.

The second half offered little scoring, but lots of contact.

East Wake appeared beaten on the physical side of the field, and got no help from the referees until late in the game, despite lobbyists on the bench and in the stands.

The rematch became so heated at one point the referee had to approach players on his way to Knightdale coach Jeff Deal.

The Knightdale bleachers had stolen the show when a parent made a comment over the PA system that the ref said was entirely inappropriate and in violation of NCHSAA policy. The referee said he was going to report the incident.

As soccer began again, both teams looked fatigued. The ball was hoofed from one team to the other, but never made it deep into either team’s territory, and eventually time brought an end to the battle.

The win added the fourth game to Knightdale’s winning streak, with two of the wins over East Wake.

“We got out to a hot start,” Deal said. “With Eckert and Foil (last year’s leading scorer) it allows me to put one in the midfield and one at forward to catch the feeds and it works awesome.”

Hasbrouck, East Wake’s coach said Knightdale earned the win.

“Give them credit, they’re a good team, and they are going to be a really good team in the next few years,” Hasbrouck said.

The first games of the conference cup were held Tuesday on delay from Monday.

East Wake, the eight-seed, faced No. 1 Clayton on the road and No. 5 Knightdale hit the road as well to take on four-seed Holly Springs. Results were not availible at press time.

Assuming No. 6 Smithfield-Selma does not win the enitre tournament, Knightdale has likely earned its first ticket to the state playoffs.