Franklin Academy Shows Quality & Clinton Steam Rolls South Onslow

East Bladen Soccer

WAKE FOREST — The 12th-seeded Franklin Academy Lady Patriots defeated the East Bladen Lady Eagles for a 4-nil victory in the third round of the NCHSAA 2A state playoffs on Monday. Franklin Academy freshman midfielder Kayla Rice scored a second-half hat-trick and sophomore Lydia Rogers scored a goal from a free kick to help her team pull away from their opponents.

The Lady Eagles’ defense held firm for most of the game as the host controlled large portions of the possession and they were able to manufacture chances in the final third in the opening half but went without luck. Sophomore midfielder Olivia Olarte pulled the strings for the Lady Patriots’ offense and assisted Rice for one of her three goals in the contest. East Bladen’s game plan of packing in on the defensive end worked for the majority of the game but they eventually tired out towards the end and their opponents took full advantage.

Franklin Academy sophomore goalkeeper Griffin Coward recently returned from injury and she provided another dynamic for the Lady Patriots with her ability to use her feet to play out of the back. The Lady Patriots advance to the next round where they will face the number-one-seeded Clinton Darkhorses this Thursday for a chance to avenge their late regular-season loss and continue their run to a state title.

East Bladen’s season ended with an overall record of 15-4-1 and they finished in second place in the conference standings with an 8-2 record. The Lady Eagles will lose three seniors but will come back next season with the majority of their young core still intact. Head coach Jay Raynor and his girls improved with each game this season to help catapult them into the third round despite the disappointing result.

Clinton Soccer

CLINTON — The number-one-seeded Clinton Darkhorses defeated the ninth-seeded Southwest Onslow Stallions for a 6-1 victory on Monday in the third round of the NCHSAA 2A state playoffs. The Darkhorses’ asserted their dominance from minute one of the first half and had their opponents pinned back into their own half. The center of the park was controlled by junior midfielder Ava Williford and senior midfielder Anna Perry Sinclair; together they picked apart the Stallions’ defense by cutting through balls from right to left.

Clinton finally broke the deadlock after a flurry of chances in the opening 20 minutes with a powerful volley from midfielder Ally Sutter sent towards the roof of the net to make the score 1-nil. The Darkhorses immediately went back on the attack after the ensuing kickoff but junior forward Kenzy Yang shot was parried wide for a Clinton corner kick.

Williford sent the corner kick into a dangerous area and Sinclair connected with her right boot to make the score 2-nil after 22 minutes. Clinton had a few more chances before the conclusion of the first half but couldn’t extend their lead.

The Darkhorses’ continued their charge toward their opponent’s goal on the ref’s opening whistle of the second half. Sutter bagged her second goal of the day in the 41st minute on a rebound shot off the South Onslow keeper’s gloves for an easy tap-in to put the host up 3-nil. Williford connected another corner kick to the head of Sinclair for the Darkhorses’ fourth goal of the evening a few minutes later.

South Onslow had a moment of possession that led to their only goal of the evening with a miraculous shot from long range that snuck past the keeper to make the game 3-1. Conceding caused a ruthless response from the Darkhorses as they blasted in three more goals to put the Stallions away for good.

The Darkhorses will face the ninth-seeded Franklin Academy Lady Patriots in the next round.