South Columbus eliminated West Bladen 6-2 on Wednesday in the second round of the N.C. High School Athletic Association 3A team playoffs. Each team had received a first round bye.
The featured match came in No. 1 singles when South Columbus’ Morgan Cartrette outlasted West Bladen’s Faith Wren 5-7, 6-4 (11-9) in a match that lasted over 2½ hours.
West Bladen (7-5) ended its season with three of its losses coming against South Columbus.
West Bladen’s Jeleah Purdie in singles and the doubles team of Wren and Lileigh Anderson are scheduled to compete in the NCHSAA Mideast Regional in Goldsboro on Friday.
Singles: Morgan Cartrette (SC) def. Faith Wren 5-7, 6-4 (11-9); Lileigh Anderson (WB) def. Carolina Greene 6-3, 6-1; Jeleah Purdie (WB) def. Elisabeth Stubbs 6-1, default; DaShyia Grahm (SC) def. Everlee Nance 6-2, 6-0; Devora Redondo (SC) def. Estrella Vasquez 6-1, 6-0; Bentley Hardee (SC) def. La’Naya Moore 6-3, 6-1.
Doubles: Redondo/Hardee (SC) def. Purdie/Nance 8-6; Grahm/Bayleigh Ward (SC) def. Vasquez/Moore 8-0.
Boys’ soccer: East Bladen 3, Union 3
In Rose Hill, Union scored with 2:10 remaining in regulation to tie the Eagles in a Carolina Conference match that went to double overtime.
Jayce Hatcher scored twice, Ishaq Algozy netted a goal and Davion Lewis had two assists for East Bladen (8-5-4, 5-2-2 Carolina). Fox Sutton had nine saves.
East Bladen had 21 shots on goal compared to 12 for Union (11-6-2, 6-2-2 Carolina).
“Our guys played hard, especially the second half,” East Bladen coach Jay Raynor said. “Union is a team that can score and make you pay for mistakes. They did just that.
“Overall I felt we played well enough to win,” Raynor said. “The second half we dominated and applied pressure to their backline. We forced them to make plays. The first half we seemed to be on our heels.”
The Eagles trailed 1-0 at half after yielding a goal to Union in the opening two minutes off a shot from just outside the right of the box.
East Bladen tied it early in the second half on Hatcher’s first goal off a long throw-in from Lewis. Union regained the lead a minute later from a shot from inside the box. Hatcher’s second goal was a repeat of his first as he headed the ball into the net off Lewis’ long throw-in that tied it at 2-all in the 59th minute.
The Eagles took their first lead in the 61st minute on Algozy’s penalty kick which was awarded after a Union player was called for a hand ball inside the box after East Bladen had generated scoring chances following a corner kick. However, Union netted the equalizer in the 78th minute on a shot from inside the box to tie the match at the end of regulation. The teams played a pair of 10-minute overtimes.
“Proud of the guys for getting a result,” Raynor said. “They competed and that type of effort is what it takes in this league. Any given night anyone can beat anyone.
“For 70 minutes we showed we wanted the win. However, games are 80 minutes. In key moments of the game we aren’t who we need to be. It’s frustrating because it’s on me. I have to do a better job of articulating just how important those moments are.
“From those moments though we have shown resilience and toughness. That’s the silver lining to those situations. However, when you get to the conference tournament and the playoffs moments like those send you home and finish the season. Don’t want that for these guys,” Raynor said.
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 15
HIGH SCHOOL
Boys’ Soccer
West Bladen 6, Red Springs 1
East Bladen 3, Union 3
HIGH SCHOOL
NCHSAA Girls’ Tennis Playoffs
South Columbus 6, West Bladen 2
THURSDAY, OCT. 16
HIGH SCHOOL
JV Football
Red Springs at West Bladen, 6 p.m.
East Bladen at Lakewood, 6:30 p.m.
Volleyball
NCHSAA brackets released
RECREATION
7-9-Year-Old Flag Football at Bladen County Park
Wolfpack vs. Crimson Tide, 6 p.m.
Hurricanes vs. Volunteers, 7 p.m.
FRIDAY, OCT. 17
HIGH SCHOOL
Football
Lakewood at East Bladen, 7 p.m.
West Bladen at Red Springs, 7 p.m.
Girls’ Tennis
NCHSAA individual regionals, Goldsboro