No. 9 Skervenson Aphael battles for possession of the ball against the Golden Falcons’ defense. (Kareem Brown|mountolivetribune.com)
DUDLEY — When it comes to rivalries, few matchups in Wayne County bring as much intensity and excitement as the Southern Wayne Saints and the C.B. Aycock Golden Falcons. This year’s clash carried even higher stakes, with the undefeated Golden Falcons looking to defend their record against their conference rivals from just down the road. As the saying goes this country ain’t big enough for the both of them.
First Half: Golden Falcons Soar Early
Both teams came out fighting for possession in the opening minutes, setting an early tone of grit and determination. The Saints pushed forward with a strong attack, as No. 26 Lorenzo Aguilon fired a shot on goal that sailed just high. The Golden Falcons quickly answered with commanding ball movement, earning a corner kick, but the Saints’ keeper made a solid catch to keep the score even.
The Falcons maintained pressure deep in Saints territory, but the Southern Wayne defense held firm. Moments later, the Saints gained a promising opportunity after a foul, but No. 12 Jesus Giron Castillo’s shot went high above the crossbar.
At the 22:00 mark, the Golden Falcons broke through first, finding the back of the net to take a 1–0 lead. The Saints tried to respond with solid ball movement, but C.B. Aycock’s defense shut down the attack and turned the ball the other way.
The Falcons struck again at the 14:10 mark, extending their lead to 2–0, and continued to dominate the pace of play. Just minutes later, another goal at the 10:20 mark made it 3–0 in favor of the Golden Falcons.
Despite the Saints’ efforts including a strong attempt from No. 9 Skervenson Aphael and a near miss by No. 5 Anthony Giron Castillo the Falcons’ relentless offense kept rolling. Two quick goals in the final five minutes of the half, at the 4:12 and 3:47 marks, pushed the score to a commanding 5–0 lead for the Golden Falcons heading into halftime.
Second Half: Saints Show Heart, Falcons Stay Strong
The second half began with both teams trading possessions, but it was once again the Golden Falcons who struck first. At the 31:37 mark, they added another goal to make it 6–0.
The Saints continued to fight, earning several corner kicks and free kicks after fouls on the Falcons, but struggled to capitalize early. Eventually, their persistence paid off when No. 11 Angel Ramirez Cruz put Southern Wayne on the board at the 17:52 mark, cutting into the deficit.
Fueled by that momentum, the Saints found another breakthrough as No. 12 Jesus Giron Castillo scored to make it 6–2. The team’s energy picked up as they pushed for more opportunities, but despite multiple late corner kicks, the Falcons’ defense held strong to close out the match.
Final Score: Golden Falcons Remain Undefeated
The C.B. Aycock Golden Falcons showcased why they remain undefeated, displaying sharp offense, disciplined defense, and relentless energy from start to finish. Meanwhile, the Southern Wayne Saints showed heart and resilience, rallying late and refusing to back down despite the scoreline.
As the final whistle blew, the Falcons stood tall with another impressive win and this classic county rivalry reminded fans once again why local matchups like this are what high school sports are all about.
