Southern Wayne’s Aracely Perez-Barrera, right, wins the ball against Spring Creek’s Gabriella Sutton during opening-half play Thursday afternoon. Perez-Barrera tallied the Saints’ lone goal in a 1-1 draw against the Gators. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)
DUDLEY — Non-conference girls’ soccer rivals Southern Wayne and Spring Creek dueled to a 1-1 draw on the Doyle Whitfield Athletic Complex pitch Thursday evening.
Junior Aracely Perez-Barrera notched the Saints’ lone goal around the 31st minute in the opening half.
Lucero Velasquez collected the second-half equalizer for the Gators.
“It was a hard-fought game towards the end with a lot of unexpected things happening from injuries to the actual game itself,” SC head coach Rileigh Tullis said. “My girls definitely needed to show up today and it was only during certain points. We finished strong, so as a coach that gave me a better ending for it.
“We needed the toughness and the will to want it more.”
The Saints owned a 5-4 edge in shots on goal.
SW goalie Amya Smith collected 14 saves between the pipes.
“A nail-biter of a game … exchanged shots on goals and [had] amazing defensive stops,” SW head coach Feliciano Luciano said. “Finishing the game 1-1, leaving the people [in the stands] clamoring for an overtime, but alas, being non-conference we will be left to wonder ‘what if’”.
Weather permitting, Southern Wayne (3-4-1 overall) is the guest of Quad County 3A member South Johnston today. Spring Creek (1-5-1) starts its Neuse Six 2A campaign next Tuesday at North Johnston.
Gators squeeze out road win
DUDLEY — Spring Creek threw out the game-tying run at the plate and escaped Southern Wayne, 4-3, in non-conference softball battle Thursday evening.
Saints senior Laura Summerlin closed the gap to 4-3 with an RBI single that scored Regan Stribble in the bottom of the seventh inning. Teammate Mylee Wiggs reached on an error and Summerlin attempted to score on the play, but was tagged out to end the game.
The Gators (4-2 overall) earned their second consecutive regular-season sweep over the Saints.
Heather Alexander, Vanessa Duruttya and Jasmine Valentine each provided an RBI hit for Spring Creek. Gianna Evans provided the eventual game-winning RBI – a sixth-inning groundout that plated Emalia West, who connected on a lead-off double.
Alexander and Duruytta paced the Gators with two hits apiece.
Mckenzie Strickland scored on a second-inning passed ball for the Saints. Wiggs drove home Stribble with an RBI single in the fifth inning.
Jocelyn Bond batted 1-for-2.
Sarah Kirby emerged victorious inside the circle. The right-hander tossed three innings of two-hit, five-strikeout relief. Emily Williams started and gave up an unearned run on three hits and collected three strikeouts in three innings.
Stribble went the distance for Southern Wayne. The sophomore right-hander permitted four runs on eight hits, walked three and struck out four batters.
Spring Creek launches its Neuse Six 2A campaign Tuesday at North Johnston. Weather permitting, Southern Wayne (0-7) is the guest of Quad County 3A rival South Johnston today.
Saint track competes
La GRANGE — Four Southern Wayne athletes combined for seven individual victories during a three-team, non-conference outdoor track recently held at North Lenoir.
Jy’Asha Cousins bested the competition in the 100-meter hurdles (15.8 seconds) and 300 hurdles (51.2).
Xavier Boone, Jr., captured first in the 110 hurdles (15.9) and 300 hurdles (44.5). Naeem Longmire claimed top times in the 100 dash (10.9) and 200 dash (22.4).
Sophomore Gage Brewer won the 800 in 2:22.2.
Southern Wayne’s boys crossed the line first in the 4×4 relay.
Saints who earned third-place finishes were Azariah Jordan (100 dash), Kyren Strong (400), Ameya Randolph (300 hurdles), Angel Harmon (200), Chasten Johnson (110 hurdles) and Jeremy Jimenez (300 hurdles).
Rebels dominate Leopards
SALEMBURG — North Duplin pushed across 11 runs during its first team at-bat and pounded Lakewood, 13-1, on the Carolina 1A baseball scene Thursday evening.
The Rebels collected five hits, six earned runs and drew four walks against Lakewood starter Rylan Godbold in the first inning.
Austin Duff (two RBI), Hunt Pate and Holden Williams (two RBI) cranked out two hits apiece during the Rebels’ road triumph. Tanner Kornegay (RBI), Wesley Holmes (two RBI) and Esteban Santos Clark (two RBI) each contributed one hit.
Duff paced the defense with nine putouts and one assist.
Garris Warren earned the mound win. He allowed an earned run on three hits, walked three and retired seven Lakewood batters on strikeouts during his four-inning stint.
Pate yielded two walks and posted two strikeouts in relief.
North Duplin (5-3 overall, 2-0 Carolina) returns home Tuesday against conference foe Union. Game time is 6 p.m.
Saints net road win
WENDELL — Southern Wayne snapped a six-match skid with a 9-0 conquest of Quad County 3A boys’ tennis rival East Wake.
Senior captain Aaron Whiting earned player-of-the-match recognition from head coach David Van Dyke. Whiting posted a straight-set shutout (6-0, 6-0) at No. 1 singles and teamed with Bryan Lopez for an 8-0 victory at No. 1 doubles.
Sophomore Cameron Jones collected a 6-0, 6-0 decision at No. 2 singles. Senior Matt Blizzard, Lopez and sophomore Tyshawn Melvin each logged a straight-set win in singles.
Sixth-seeded freshman Austin Sampsell bounced back from an opening-set loss to Tyler Henry 5-7, 6-1, 1-0 (10).
Jones-Sampsell and Blizzard-Ricardo Gabriel Lopez each prevailed in their respective doubles match.
Southern Wayne (2-6 overall, 2-6 QCC) hits the road Monday at QCC foe West Johnston.
