State playoffs- golf
The South Brunswick golf team finished in sixth place at the 3A state tournament last weekend. The Cougars combined for a 36-hole total of 558 (279-279). Ledford took the 3A state championship with a score of 506 (255-251). The event was at the Longleaf Pine and Country Club in Southern Pines.
Ashley Sloup, Jordan Saunders and Janzen Jones represented the South Brunswick team. Sloup finished in third place as an individual player, just five strokes off the leader. C.B. Aycock’s Tara Simmons won her second consecutive state title in the NCHSAA 3A State Championship. Sloup had a two-day score of 159 (76-83). Saunders finished with a 199 (99-100) and Jones totaled a 200 (104-96). West Brunswick’s Cameryn Smith also shot a pair of 90s on the scorecard for a total of 180.
Click here for the complete leaderboard of the 3A women’s golf championship.
State playoffs- boys soccer
4A-Laney 8 W. Johnston 1
The Bucs scored two quick goals to start the first half and never looked back in a first-round win over West Johnston 8-1. Brian Pinder recorded a hat trick. Kevin Bell finished with two goals on the night.
“Our passing and movement off the ball were excellent tonight, and we were really able to open them up by knocking the ball around and attacking with numbers,” said Laney coach Jamie Noble. “We were clicking on all cylinders, created tons of chances and were able to execute our chances when we created them.”
Laney (15-4-1) will play a familiar foe in the second round as the Bucs travel to play the Ashley Eagles (16-3-1). Laney and Ashley split the season series with the Bucs winning the regular-season finale last week.
“Ashley is a quality side, and we have a lot of respect for them because they won the conference, but in the post season and in a rivalry game, we can’t worry about what happened in the regular season. We just need to make sure we’ve got our A game with us Friday. It shapes up to be a great game, but the good thing is for us now that we’re getting healthy and hot at the right time,” Noble said.
Goals– Laney, Brian Pinder (assist Noe Banales), Brian Pinder, Kevin Bell, Kevin Bell, Brian Pinder (assist Ryan Kawczynski), Noe Banales (assist Travis Batts), JA Cone (assist Noe Banales), Aiden Kautz
4A-Hoggard 4 Jack Britt 2
The Vikings (11-8-1) travel to South View (15-8) for the second round of the 4A playoffs.
3A- South Brunswick 3 Southern Wayne 2 (OT)
Trailing 2-1 with five minutes to play in regulation, South Brunswick’s Matt Clifton sent a ball into the box that was misplayed by the opposing keeper, which resulted in the tying goal. Dustin Jones scored the game-winner in overtime for the Cougars. South Brunswick (12-5-1) heads to Southern Nash (16-4-1) out of the Big East Conference for the second round of the 3A tournament.
3A- West Brunswick 8 Hertford 0
The Trojans (12-9-2) will play at No. 1 seed Jacksonville (21-1) later this week.
2A- East Duplin 2 North Brunswick 0
The Scorpions missed a few early opportunities and East Duplin scored in the 39th minute on a goal by Ian Wickline to close out the half. Wickline drilled a 20-yard shot off a deflection from a free kick. The best chance for North Brunswick came on a ball that sailed just over the crossbar off a header by Christian Lancaster.
North Brunswick hung tough through the next 20 minutes of play as keeper Garrett Hillbourn kept the match within a goal with his four second-half saves. Following a yellow card issued in the 63rd minute to the Scorps’ back defender Tyree Oliver, Seth Russ crashed the net on a free kick as Jario Herrera sent a cross into the box to extend the East Duplin lead 2-0.
“It was a tough game. We had several opportunities but couldn’t capitalize,” said North Brunswick coach Shane Miller. “My hat goes off to East Duplin for their hard work.”
North Brunswick finished the season with a 15-6-1 record as the top 2A team from the Waccamaw Conference.
“We had our ups and down, but overall had a good season. With five seniors on the team, they gave me a lot of help when I needed it. I hope we can build on this as a program and come back next year stronger and try to make a run in the playoffs,” Miller said.
North Brunswick-East Duplin game statistics
Goals– E. Duplin, Ian Wickline, 39th minute; Seth Russ, (Jario Herrera) 63rd minute
Shots on goal- E. Duplin, 10; N. Brunswick, 10
Corner kicks– E. Duplin, 3; N. Brunswick, 2
Fouls– E. Duplin, 12; N. Brunswick 7
Yellow cards– N. Brunswick, Tyree Oliver, 63rd minute
2A- Topsail 2 Ern Randolph 1
The Pirates (12-6-4) will play the winner of the East Bladen-Reidsville match in the second round of the 2A playoffs.
