James Kenan’s Kierra Williams sets the ball to a teammate in a match earlier this season. The Tigers earned a three-set road sweep at Kinston on Tuesday. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)

James Kenan’s Kierra Williams sets the ball to a teammate in a match earlier this season. The Tigers earned a three-set road sweep at Kinston on Tuesday. (Rudy Coggins|mountolivetribune.com)

KINSTON — James Kenan turned in a balanced offensive attack Tuesday evening during its 25-7, 25-21, 25-11 romp over East Central 2A volleyball foe Kinston.

Jourdan Joe paced the Tigers with six kills. Ava Jones and Shylah Sloan pounded out four kills apiece. Alayjah Wright contributed three kills.

Kenadi Giddeons and Y’Anna Rivers each had two kills and two digs. Kierra Williams also posted two digs.

James Kenan (7-1o overall, 1-7 ECC) snapped a five-game skid and returns home Thursday against ECC rival North Lenoir.

SC soccer blanks Bruins

SEVEN SPRINGS — Spring Creek continued its march through Neuse Six 2A Conference play with a 3-0 shutout over Wilson Beddingfield on Tuesday evening.

The Gators recorded their fifth consecutive shutout – a streak of 420 consecutive scoreless minutes. They’ve logged seven clean sheets (shutouts) overall this season.

Goalie Edgar Avila earned the victory between the pipes.

Senior Jeheili Velasquez Sanchez, Diego Lopez Morales and Aiden Yovani provided one goal apiece.

Alejandro Antunez Flores, Yoimar Carias Sequeira and Yonatan Gonzalez Morales each recorded one assist.

Spring Creek (8-7-2 overall, 4-0-0 Neuse Six) returns home Thursday against North Johnston. Kickoff is 6 p.m. in “The Swamp.”

Rebels’ Aviles takes first

GOLDSBORO — North Duplin’s Luis Aviles Gonzalez and Neuse Charter’s Bella Strickland emerged as first-place finishers during a Carolina 1A cross country meet contested Tuesday afternoon at Rosewood High School.

Gonzalez claimed the boys’ race in 18 minutes, 54 seconds.

Rosewood’s duo of Gage Lewis (19:28) and Noah Fishman (20:09) ended up second and third, respectively. Neuse Charter senior Noah Highfil (20:33) and Hobbton’s Nate Miller (21:17) rounded out the top five.

The Rebels’ Lucas Gregory claimed sixth in 22:12. Teammate Sam Carr (25:08) and Miquaes Hernandez crossed the line 22nd overall in 30:38.

Neuse defeated Rosewood, 26-32, in team competition.

On the girls’ side, Strickland completed the 3.12-mile course in 22:28. Rosewood’s Dylan Jinks (23:40) claimed second. Hobbton’s tandem of Andrea Sada-Romero (24:47) and Analiza West (24:51) took third and fourth, respectively.

Rosewood’s Abigail Rowe completed the top five with a time of 25:12.

North Duplin’s top four runners were sophomore Roselin Orozco (11th, 26:52), sophomore Gabriella Zamudio (12th, 27:09), Madeline Lines (13th, 27:29) and Abby Rose (14th, 27:46) each finished among the top 15.

Rosewood edged Hobbton, 34-39, in the team portion of the event. North Duplin scored 66 points, followed by Neuse Charter with 77.

The teams return to action Oct. 15 for the Carolina 1A Conference championship meet at Cliffs of the Neuse State Park. Start time is 4:30 p.m.

Fike escapes Saints

DUDLEY — Mylee Wiggs, Jy’Asha Cousins and Taylor Lee each logged a double-double as Southern Wayne took Wilson Fike to the distance in their Quad County 3A volleyball marathon Tuesday afternoon.

Wiggs delivered 18 digs, 13 kills and three aces during the Saints’ 15-25, 25-21, 22-25, 25-23, 16-18 loss to the Golden Demons.

Before the first serve, Saints head coach Hannah Walker recognized three seniors – Taylor Lee, Jy’Asha Cousins and Alysa Craft. Cousins concluded the match with 15 kills and 10 blocks. Lee contributed 25 assists, 11 digs and three aces.

Craft served an ace.

Morgan Brimberry supplied 13 digs and four kills. Libero Jacey Hargrove picked up 15 digs and recorded two aces in the scorebook.

The Saints had 62 digs as a team.

Southern Wayne (4-17 overall, 1-12 QCC) concludes regular-season play Thursday at county rival Charles B. Aycock.

Rosewood defeats N. Duplin

GOLDSBORO — Lilly Fulghum led the offense and Marissa Bernal paced the defense during North Duplin’s 11-25, 25-23, 9-25, 22-25 loss to Rosewood in Carolina 1A volleyball play Tuesday evening.

Fulghum stuffed her stat sheet with 22 assists, six digs, two aces and one block. Bernal contributed 20 digs, three aces and one kill.

Carrly Strickland collected six digs and one ace, while Iala Overton picked up five digs. Abigeal Norris Brown registered four kills and two blocks, while sister Maggie contributed seven kills and one block.

Tateyawna Faison posted five kills and five blocks. Melany Sanchez logged five digs, one block and two kills. Ady Spence served an ace.

Averi Cuddeback distributed 46 assists for the Eagles (19-2 overall, 9-0 Carolina), who clinched the outright regular-season championship and automatic bid to the NC High School Athletic Association playoffs.

Senior Jessica Fones and middle hitter Avery Ramsey pounded out 25 and 13 kills, respectively. Khiry Reese had 20 digs on defense.

North Duplin (10-7 overall, 5-4 Carolina) returns home Thursday for its regular-season finale against Hobbton. The JV match begins at 4:30 p.m. inside Kaleel Gymnasium.

You may reach sports writer Rudy Coggins at prepswriter2@gmail.com or call/text 919-709-9257.