Soccer playoffs start with mixed results for area teams

Uwharrie Charter Academy’s Max DeNamur scores a goal against Avery County during the first round of the Class 1-A state playoffs at Asheboro. PJ WARD-BROWN/NORTH STATE JOURNAL

ASHEBORO — For all the good that Asheboro and Eastern Randolph did during the regular season in boys’ soccer, it was gone in a flash.

Asheboro’s Julio Ruiz Enciso, front, and Diego Gutierrez cover their faces after an emotional loss to North Lincoln in the first round of the Class 3-A state playoffs at Lee J. Stone Stadium in Asheboro on November 1, 2021. Asheboro lost 2-1 in overtime. PJ WARD-BROWN/NORTH STATE JOURNAL

Both teams were upset in the first round of the state playoffs Monday night.

There was better news for Trinity and Uwharrie Charter Academy as both teams moved to the second round.

In Class 3-A, Asheboro fell 2-1 in double-overtime to visiting No. 29 North Lincoln in the West Region.

The Blue Comets entered the postseason as the No. 4 seed. They finished the season with a 14-2-3 record.

Asheboro scored in the first half on Daniel Gutierrez Resendez’s goal. North Lincoln (10-12) tied the game on a penalty kick in the second half.

Asheboro gained the top spot for seeding out of the Mid-Piedmont Conference after it tied with Ledford in the regular season. Both teams had 8-0-2 records, though the Blue Comets won a postgame shootout after last week’s tie to determine a seeding tiebreaker should one be necessary. It turned out to be necessary after each team completed its regular season by winning again.

Asheboro and Ledford tied 1-1 in two overtimes last week with each team scoring second-half goals. Jose Cortes scored for the Blue Comets, who then won the next night.

Asheboro defeated visiting Montgomery Central 5-0 in last Wednesday’s regular-season finale, with two goals from Diego Valdez Plata and one each from Julio Ruiz, Gutierrez Resendez and Cortes. That put the Blue Comets at 8-0-2 in league play.

 In Class 2-A, No. 9 seed Trinity topped visiting North Surry 1-0 to open the state playoffs.

Trinity improved to 12-6-1.

No. 28 seed Wheatmore’s season ended with a 6-1 loss at North Forsyth. The Bulldogs ended up with a 9-9 record.

In Class 1-A, No. 6 seed UCA wiped out No. 27 seed Avery County 5-0 behind two goals from Danny Palma. Brady Mowers, Max DeNamur and Carlos Parroquin also scored for the Eagles. Mowers had two assists.

Uwharrie Charter Academy’s Danny Palma shoots on goal and scores against Avery County during the first round of the Class 1-A state playoffs at Asheboro on November 1, 2021. PJ WARD-BROWN/NORTH STATE JOURNAL

UCA (11-3-1) and Eastern Randolph tied in Piedmont Athletic Conference play, splitting two meetings. Eastern Randolph won 3-1 and UCA claimed the rematch by 5-1.

But No. 12 seed Eastern Randolph didn’t follow that success in the postseason. The Wildcats suffered a home upset to Cornerstone Charter, falling 5-4 in double overtime.

Despite the setback, Eastern Randolph (10-5-2) reached the four-goal mark for the 10th time in its last 12 games.

Eastern Randolph lost for the first time this season in a home game after a 6-0-1 mark in the regular season.

NCCSA

At Walkertown, Faith Christian suffered a 3-1 loss to host Gospel Light on Oct. 22 in the first round of the state playoffs in the North Carolina Christian School Association.

That outcome snapped a two-game winning streak for the Eagles (7-7-1).

Faith Christian had completed a NCCSA AA District 2-West Region season with a second-place season with a 6-4 league mark.

After the NCCSA loss, the Eagles took part in the NCSSA national tournament in Xenia, Ojio. They fell 4-0 to Life Center Academy of Burlington, N.J.

By Moore County Staff

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