Patton soccer reaches 3rd round for 3rd straight year

The Patton boys soccer team used a pair of 2-1 wins in extra time over the past week to advance to the third round of the NCHSAA 2A state playoffs for a third consecutive season.

The No. 15 seed Panthers (18-4-3) beat visiting No. 18 Lincoln Charter on Saturday, Nov. 9, in round one before a second-round payback road win over No. 2 Brevard on Tuesday.

Patton was scheduled to visit No. 7 Forbush (21-3-2) on Thursday in the third round, but that contest was postponed until Friday evening due to inclement weather.

After a penalty-kick goal, the Panthers found themselves down 1-0 just 3 minutes in against a Brevard team that was 1-0-1 versus them this fall in unseating last year’s Mountain Foothills 7 1A/2A Conference champions.

But Jimmy Monzon scored the tying goal in the 13th minute off an assist from David Bernabe, and the teams then played 67 minutes of scoreless soccer to end regulation before another 30 scoreless minutes spanning four overtime periods.

With the teams still knotted after five PKs apiece, the sudden-death action continued into the eighth kick, when Brevard missed and Monzon found the back of the net to start a PHS celebration.

PHS goalkeeper Isai Jimenez posted nine saves in the victory, described by Patton coach Keith Scott as a “well-played game throughout.”

Patton had similarly found itself trailing 1-0 early in the first round as Lincoln Charter scored a 6th-minute goal. Bernabe’s first postseason assist connected with Abraham Miguel in the 36th minute for the equalizer.

Neither team scored in the second half, and Patton’s Noah Krogel scored the winning goal in the 6th minute in the first of two 10-minute OTs. Keeper Colsyn Queen recorded five saves for Patton.

“(That was) one of the toughest games we have played all season, but we were prepared,” Scott said. “We didn’t drop our heads (after their early goal) but really dug deep. We outplayed them the last 20 minutes of the first half. It was back-and-forth in the second half with good opportunities that just fell short.

“Aldair Pinto, Bernabe, Krogel, and Josue Yax did a fantastic job of controlling the middle throughout the game. Gabe Batz, Jacob Ruiz, and Allen Morales kept (Lincoln Charter’s) center forward in check the entire game and the OT period. Jacob Batz and Gabino Vasquez played outstanding and kept pushing us up and getting crosses in while also locking down (Lincoln Charter’s) attacks on the wing. Up top, we had several combinations with Tony Vicente, Trevin Lavoie, Monzon, Romny Lopez, Ronald Sanchez and Miguel that kept them on their heels.”

The Patton-Forbush third-round winner will next meet either No. 6 Pine Lake Prep (15-3-4) or No. 14 Lincolnton (18-5-1) on Saturday in the fourth round. Regional finals are Tuesday (Nov. 19) at higher seeds, and the state finals are slated for Nov. 22-23 at Mecklenburg County Sportsplex at Matthews.

Two other Burke County teams reached the 1A playoffs and lost in the first round. No. 30 seed Draughn (4-7-1) fell by a 3-1 score at No. 3 Avery County on Nov. 9 despite Andres Garcia Lopez’ goal.

And No. 26 seed NCSSM-Morganton (7-7-1) was shut out 7-0 at No. 7 Elkin in a contest that was 4-0 by halftime.

JV FOOTBALL

Freedom, Patton end with wins

The JV Patriots defeated Hibriten, 32-14, in a Thursday, Nov. 7 contest at Patton High School to end the season, while Patton the same day captured a one-sided 67-32 road triumph at Hendersonville.

Freedom (7-3, 3-2 Northwestern 3A/4A Conf.) got two touchdown passes from Joe Tate, while Christian Chapman rushed for TDs of 11 and 15 yards. Tate’s TD passes went to Daegan Smith (35 yards) and Izaiah Thomas (45 yards), and Jusian Perkins added a 66-yard TD run early on, with Trenton Davis tacking on a two-point conversion.

Jet Chatman rushed for four TDs and also returned an interception for a TD to lead Patton (5-3, 2-1 MF7). The Panthers’ Urijah Rhoda had a pair of pick-sixes, River McCrary returned an interception for a TD, Lane Charlet returned a kickoff for a TD, and Alex Ryan had a receiving TD.

Colsyn Queen made six extra-point kicks, Mynor Lopez-Gomez added one, and PHS’ kickers notched eight touchbacks in the victory.

“Best overall game played this season in all three phases,” Patton coach Billy Whisenant said. “Everyone contributed to the win, and (I’m) proud of them for overcoming adversity this week.”

East Burke (3-7, 2-5 Catawba Valley 2A Conf.) concluded its season the following day with a 35-8 road loss to Bandys. No more details were available.

WRESTLING

Freedom, EB earn a win apiece

Freedom (1-1) went to Patton and defeated the Panthers by a 43-30 margin on Thursday night, one day after East Burke (1-1) opened the season by stealing a 42-35 nonconference road win from rival Draughn.

The Patriots also lost to Wilkes Central, 41-30. Freedom got two wins apiece from Xander Vue (113; pin, forfeit), Christian Lawhon (126; pin, decision), Aiden Piscopo (150; major decision, decision), and Alan Vicente Perez (190; pin, forfeit), while Taylor Skylar, Blake Miller, Jameson Toner, Carson Hackett, Enrique Gonzalez, and Kayden Bowman picked up one win each.

The Panthers (0-3) also lost 71-0 to South Caldwell and 61-12 to Wilkes Central. PHS double winners were Nicholas Parlier (157; pin, forfeit) and Burke Wilson (165; two pins), while Sam Coffey, Brady Christian, and German Pena Lara each won vs. Freedom opponents.

EB, who also lost 50-26 to Hibriten on Wednesday, got its wins vs. Draughn from Jason Gates (106; forfeit), Tucker Chapman (120; pin), Benjamin Bolynn (132; decision), Zachary Ward (138; pin), Christian Crisp (157; decision), Daniel Cook (165; pin), Aden Mull (175; forfeit), and Kua Yang (190; pin).

The Wildcats (0-2) countered with wins from Wade Garrison (113; forfeit), Isaac Yang (126; pin), Isaac Kirk (144; pin), Diamond Vazquez (150; pin), Zayne Walton (2125; pin), and Connor Brinkley (285; pin), while in a 65-15 loss to Hibriten, Garrison (pin), Kirk (pin), and Brinkley (decision) won to cap 2-0 opening nights on the mat.

And also Wednesday, North Carolina School for the Deaf (0-2) hosted a tri match, falling 23-12 to Bessemer City despite wins via Emily Elliott (126) and Jay Rodriguez (150) by forfeit and losing 60-6 to Corvian Community with the only win via Daniel Mendoza (165) by forfeit.

BASKETBALL

NCSSM-Morganton boys top NCSD

The Dragons (1-1) defeated host North Carolina School for the Deaf at Underhill Gym on Tuesday evening, 72-28, after having lost their opener on Nov. 8 at Jackson Day, 67-23.

NCSSM-Morganton’s boys were led Tuesday by Bransen Pittman’s 17 points, while Nate Gutschall joined him in double figures with 12, Marveen Santiago added eight points and Nash Taylor six.

The Bears (0-1) picked up a team-high 12 points from Jaidon Johnson.

The NCSSM-M girls (0-1) opened the season with a 79-3 loss to Jackson Day, scoring one point in each quarter except the second. No more details were available.

SWIMMING

Wildcats open season in Boone

Draughn’s swimmers took to the pool for Wednesday’s four-team, season-opening meet hosted by Watauga as the Lady Wildcats placed second and the boys team took third.

DHS swimmers swept the 100 breaststroke event, with Tate Jensen winning on the boys side and Lilah Johnson on the girls side.

The Wildcats also got runner-up showings from Saylor Watson (girls 200 freestyle) and William Abernathy (boys 100 breast) as well as Abernathy, Jensen, Abdiel Gonzalez Tomas, and Griffin Stephens (boys 200 free relay).