The Patton boys soccer team on Friday, Nov. 15, cleared the third-round playoff hurdle that had tripped it up the last two years.
But the following day in the fourth round, the Panthers’ second-longest postseason run all-time came to an end in a 3-1 overtime loss at No. 14 seed Lincolnton.
No. 15 Patton (19-5-3) had topped host No. 7 Forbush, 3-1, in its only non-overtime game of this year’s NCHSAA 2A state playoffs. After recording no shots for the opening 28 minutes of the match, Patton took a 1-0 lead when Jimmy Monzon scored off an assist from David Bernabe in the 29th minute.
The score remained 1-0 until the 58th minute, when Abraham Miguel scored via a Ronald Sanchez assist. Not satisfied with the multi-goal lead, PHS found the back of the net again for its final time three minutes later as Aldair Pinto blasted home a goal.
Forbush’s goal came in the 73rd minute via a penalty kick, the only shot the hosts could manage to get past Panthers senior goalkeeper Isai Jimenez, who finished with 10 saves.
“(We got) solid play in the back from Jacob Ruiz and Colsyn Queen,” Patton coach Keith Scott said. “We (only) finished the game with seven shots to Forbush’s 16. Isai (had) an amazing game between the sticks.”
Patton’s Jimmy Monzon (right) looks to get past a Lincoln Charter defender in round one of the NCHSAA 2A boys soccer state playoffs in this Nov. 9 photo.
JAMES LYNCH JR. / THE PAPERJimenez then posted 13 saves last Saturday at Lincolnton. But after a third time in four playoff matches that 80 minutes of regulation couldn’t settle the outcome, the host Wolves scored twice spanning two 10-minute OT periods to advance to the regional final (where they lost Tuesday to No. 1 seed Southwestern Randolph, who at 25-2, represents the western part of the state in the 2A title game this weekend near Charlotte.)
Senior Josue Yax had the Panthers’ lone goal in defeat.
“It’s never easy when it comes to an end too soon,” Scott added. “Proud of this team for the fight and togetherness they have shown throughout the season. Many thanks to our seniors Isai, Gabe (Batz), Josue, and Mateo (Francisco). Thank you to all of the fans, parents, students, and administrators that have supported us all season and for the awesome support tonight.”
WRESTLING
Draughn claims first three wins
Winter sports season wrapped up its second week, and all five Burke County wrestling teams have stayed busy with duals and tournaments.
Draughn (3-4) won twice in a quad match at East Henderson on Wednesday and once in an all-county tri match at the North Carolina School for the Deaf on Thursday.
The Wildcats defeated NCSD, 66-6, but lost a close 36-33 match to Patton (2-6), who topped NCSD (0-5) by a 48-12 margin.
Draughn got wins vs. NCSD via Connor Brinkley (215 pounds; forfeit), Cain Martinez (285; forfeit), Jayson Yang (113; forfeit), Paxton Brown (120; forfeit), Gaston Garrison (132; first-period pin), Carson Murdock (138; forfeit), Isaac Kirk (144; forfeit), Andres Garcia Lopez (150; forfeit), Bryson Seagle (157; first-period pin), Noah Hoyle (165; second-period pin), and Landon Clark (175; second-period pin), while the Bears’ win came via Emily Elliott (126; forfeit).
Draughn’s winners against Patton included Yang (113; forfeit), Brown (120; forfeit), Garrison (132; forfeit), Murdock (138; overtime decision), Garcia Lopez (150; forfeit), and Brinkley (215; first-period pin).
The Panthers countered with wins from German Pena Lara (285; first-period pin), Luke Parker (144; first-period pin), Nicholas Parlier (157; third-period pin), Burke Wilson (165; first-period pin), Cavan Sullivano (175; third-period pin), and Brayan Romero (190; forfeit).
Patton trailed NCSD 12-0 on forfeit wins from the Bears’ Elliott (126) and Christian Villaflor (132) before eight straight wins to end things via Cayden Marshall (138; forfeit), Parker (144; forfeit), Parlier (157; first-period pin), Wilson (165; first-period pin), Sullivano (175; second-period pin), Romero (190; forfeit), Brady Christian (215; forfeit), and Pena Lara (285; forfeit).
The day before, Draughn fell 48-36 to the host Eagles but defeated Rosman and A.C. Reynolds by matching 42-36 scores. Winning three times apiece for the Wildcats were Yang (113; three pins) and Seagle (157; pin, two forfeits).
Draughn also wrestled at the Plowboy Brawl hosted by Chase on Nov. 16, with Wade Garrison (113; two major decisions), Gaston Garrison (132; two first-period pins), and Carson Murdock (138; two second-period pins) winning twice each.
Patton lost all three parts of a quad at Lincolnton on Wednesday, falling 54-24 to Cherryville, 61-15 to South Caldwell, and 63-18 to the host Wolves. The Panthers had no 3-0 wrestlers on the evening, though Parlier, Wilson, and Parker each won twice via pinfall.
Patton also participated in Cherryville’s Ironman Open on Nov. 16, led by a second-place finish from Parlier at 157 as he won by first-period pin but lost a narrow 12-11 decision in the finals. Wilson (165; first-period pin, major decision) and Sullivano (175; decision, tech fall) both placed fourth at the tournament.
NCSD was also in action Wednesday night, falling 30-18 at home against Southlake Christian despite wins from Villaflor (132; forfeit), Jay Rodriguez (157; forfeit), and Jaidon Johnson (175; pin).
Freedom (2-2) split two matches at an East Rutherford tri match Tuesday, beating East by a 48-27 margin but falling to West Henderson, 51-22. Winning twice apiece for the Patriots were Xander Vue (113; decision, forfeit), Christian Lawhon (126; two pins), and Enrique Gonzalez (150; decision, forfeit).
And East Burke (1-2) fell to Lincoln Charter, 60-24, at a tri hosted by Shelby on Tuesday. Cavalier winners were Tucker Chapman (120; pin), Benjamin Bolynn (132; pin), Daniel Cook (165; pin), and Joshua Hess (285; pin). EB results versus Shelby were not available.
The Cavs also wrestled in the Dekota Smith Invitational at South Caldwell on Nov. 16, led by third-place finishes via Patrick Hernandez (215; two first-period pins, second-period pin) and Alexander Leal-Hernandez (285; three first-period pins). Chapman (120; two second-period pins) and Cook (165; first- and second-period pins, decision, major decision) both placed fourth.
SWIMMING
Wildcat boys win five-team meet
The Draughn boys (130 points) won Wednesday’s five-team meet at the Morganton Aquatics Center, with East Burke placing third (105) and Patton fourth (81), while the Draughn girls placed third (127, two points out of second), ahead of Patton (33) in fourth and EB (25) in fifth. Brevard and Hendersonville rounded out the field.
Draughn gained six wins on the evening, coming via: William Abernathy, Tate Jensen, Abdiel Gonzalez, and Griffin Stephens in the boys 200 medley relay (1:58.41); Jensen (boys 50 freestyle; 24.42), Abernathy (boys 100 butterfly, 1:06.25; 100 backstroke, 1:09.29), Saylor Watson (girls 500 free, 5:50.73), and Ava Aldridge (girls 100 breaststroke, 1:36.46).
In addition, Draughn added four automatic regional qualifying times to go with its eight from the previous week’s season opener.
The list of DHS qualifiers to date includes: Abernathy (boys 200 individual medley), Watson (girls 200 free, 500 free), Jensen (boys 50 free), Lilah Johnson (girls 100 fly, 100 breast, 200 IM), and the girls’ 200 medley, 200 free, and 400 free and boys’ 200 medley and free relays.
EB got wins Wednesday from the boys 400 free relay of Taylor Lennex, Gage Allen, Noah Ramsey,and Haiden Dale (4:09.48) plus Dale (100 breast, 1:14.23) and Allen (200 free, 2:23.92) individually. And Patton’s lone win came via Carter Phillips (boys 500 free, 6:47.74).
Freedom hosted South Caldwell at the Morganton Aquatics Center on Nov. 14, falling 50-44 in dual boys action and by a 69-25 margin in girls races.
The Patriots’ wins came via the boys 200 medley relay and 400 free relays of Sean Causby, Brayden Cullen, Nicholas Chiota, and Nathaniel Carswell (1:58.45 and 3:55.75) plus Carswell (50 free; 24.88) and Cullen (100 breast; 1:16.39) individually.
INDOOR TRACK
Three county teams in early action
East Burke and Patton participated in Wednesday’s polar bear meet at West Iredell after EB and Freedom had competed at the Fleet Feet Dash for Doobie 3200-meter race hosted by Reagan High School in Pfafftown on Nov. 16.
The Panthers collected four wins at West Iredell, led by freshman Elisabeth Sawdy’s sweep of the girls 1600 meters (5:56.69) and 3200 meters (12:40.50). PHS’ Layla McGuire won the girls 1000 meters (3:29.53) and Will Evans claimed the boys 3200 meters (11:43.19), while EB’s Kolby Byrd won the boys shot put (50’1½”).
In the Fleet Feet Dash, EB’s Cadence Willis placed 128th (12:41.07) on the girls side, while Freedom’s Frank Harrelson was 306th (11:58.93) and Eric Francisco 325th in the boys race.
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