Aleyah Wilson (23) of James Kenan maneuvers past the South Lenoir goalkeeper, sprinting up to the edge of the goal line to score a critical goal in the second half. (Robert Taylor|mountolivetribune.com)
WARSAW — The James Kenan Tigers delivered a thrilling 2-1 home victory over the South Lenoir Blue Devils Wednesday night in a hard-fought conference match that tested every layer of their defensive resolve, attacking creativity, and team chemistry. Senior standouts Katherine Enamorado and Karla Diaz combined for the two goals that pushed the Tigers past a physical and tactically sharp South Lenoir squad on a cool, breezy evening in Warsaw.
From the opening whistle, the tone was clear: this would be a physical and strategic match, not a free-flowing goal fest. Both teams came out with fire, pushing hard for early possession dominance. James Kenan’s attack led by Enamorado and freshman striker Yaneidi Cruz immediately tested the Blue Devils’ backline. Cruz and Enamorado applied high pressure, charging toward defenders and forcing quick clearances, setting the pace for an aggressive first half.
Behind them, junior Arely Patino and sophomore Keyla Diaz served as anchors in the midfield. Patino, in particular, excelled at reading passing lanes and stepping in to disrupt South Lenoir’s forward progression. Diaz, with her calm ball control, was instrumental in linking defense to attack.
The first major moment of the match came just over a minute into play, as South Lenoir earned a free kick just outside the box. But Karla Diaz intercepted the initial pass and pushed forward with purpose, finding Aleyah Wilson at the top of the box. Wilson and Enamorado worked a quick one-two, nearly opening the scoring with a low-driven shot that missed just wide.
South Lenoir continued to challenge, pressing high and drawing contact in midfield. The visitors earned another penalty kick at the 31-minute mark after a foul near the sideline, but the attempt curved wide right, sparing James Kenan’s goalkeeper from action.
Enamorado answered quickly, weaving past two defenders before unleashing a driven shot from the edge of the penalty arc. The Blue Devils’ goalkeeper was alert and collected the attempt, but the effort sparked momentum for the Tigers.
South Lenoir’s defensive strategy became clear as they began double-teaming Cruz every time she approached the top third. Despite that, James Kenan created space by switching the point of attack and using the flanks. Patino played with smart urgency, timing her challenges well and often clearing the ball forward into dangerous spaces.
In the 20th minute, the Tigers nearly fell behind when South Lenoir earned another free kick deep in James Kenan territory. The shot deflected off the goalkeeper’s fingertips and fell to the ground, only for a South Lenoir forward to push the rebound wide left.
The visitors kept the pressure on, earning another chance just two minutes later, but again the finish drifted wide of goal. The Tigers absorbed the wave and countered. In the 6th minute, Enamorado drew defenders before dishing to Wilson, who took a sharp touch and buried a low shot just inside the near post to break the deadlock. The crowd erupted as James Kenan took a 1-0 lead with 1:25 left in the first half.
Still, South Lenoir didn’t let up. With just 10 seconds remaining, Wilson charged forward again on a solo run, evading one defender and firing a shot that just missed the far corner. The Tigers entered halftime with the narrow lead intact, knowing they’d have to withstand more pressure in the second half.
After the break, South Lenoir emerged re-energized. They pushed forward immediately, forcing James Kenan into several hurried clearances. Within the first two minutes of the half, the Blue Devils capitalized on a defensive lapse and slotted home a goal to level the match 1-1.
James Kenan didn’t panic. Instead, they leaned into their structure. Genesis Urbina and Ashley Licona Osorio stepped up at midfield, stifling the central passing lanes. Patino continued to shine with well-timed throw-ins and smart positioning, and Josselyn Gomez, just a freshman, showed poise beyond her years on the backline.
Karla Diaz, as usual, dictated tempo with intelligent movement and precise distribution. Enamorado remained the heartbeat of the attack, drawing multiple defenders but still finding ways to create for teammates. At the 32-minute mark, she linked up again with Wilson and Noilin Rodriguez to drive upfield, nearly recreating the first-half goal.
Midway through the second half, James Kenan earned a golden opportunity when Enamorado was fouled just outside the box. She stepped up and drilled a powerful penalty shot, but the goalkeeper made a diving save to deny the lead. Minutes later, Karla Diaz lined up for another set piece—this time aiming for the bottom corner—but again was denied.
The turning point came in the 13th minute. South Lenoir began to triple-team Enamorado every time she touched the ball. This opened space for Diaz, who made a savvy off-ball run. Enamorado slipped her the ball, and Diaz found herself one-on-one with the goalkeeper. With clinical composure, she slotted the shot low and to the left to give the Tigers a 2-1 advantage.
The final 10 minutes became a defensive showcase. Gomez continued to shut down South Lenoir’s wingers, and Shania Jones provided consistent throw-ins that helped relieve pressure. On several occasions, Diaz, Duenas, and Licona Osorio came together to clear dangerous balls from the box, sacrificing their bodies to preserve the lead.
With four minutes left, Patino nearly added a third for James Kenan with a curling shot that forced the South Lenoir goalkeeper into a full-stretch save. On the following play, Duenas sent a long clearance to Rodriguez to push the action upfield and kill more clock.
In the final seconds, Licona Osorio and Diaz worked tirelessly to close down South Lenoir’s last-ditch efforts. A final long ball fell inside the box, but the Tigers quickly swarmed and cleared it away as the final whistle blew.
