Tired Hawks top Saints
By Andrew Stevens
Published in Sports on September 30, 2011 1:48 PM
DUDLEY -- North Lenoir continues to assert itself as a legitimate contender in the Eastern Carolina 3-A Conference boys' soccer title chase.
The Hawks scored two goals in the first six minutes and held on for a 4-2 win Thursday night at ECC foe Southern Wayne.
Landon Letchworth's header off Doerico Sutton's cross in the second minute gave North Lenoir a quick 1-0 lead. Oscar Avila's blast from 25 yards out in the sixth minute extended the lead to 2-0.
"This our third conference game this week and early we were just pushing hard to do what we need to do," North Lenoir head coach Donnell Garris said.
Sutton won the ball from a pair of defenders inside the 18-yard box and beat Saints' keeper Luis Castaneda to increase the lead to 3-0 in the 34th minute.
Chama Rodriguez pulled Southern Wayne to within 3-1 with his goal from just outside the 18-yard box. Rodriguez struck again in the 61st minute.
"My guys continued to play hard and they competed well," Saints' head coach Mario Aguilar said. "Our kids were aggressive and we're going to continue to work hard and improve."
Rodriguez nearly tied the game in the 72nd minute when his shot missed just high.
Chastin Radford's goal in the 75th minute secured the Hawks' fifth consecutive win.
"Southern Wayne was pushing hard on us and that fourth goal really knocked the wind out of their sails and really helped carry us," Garris said.
Southern Wayne (1-9-1 overall, 1-4 ECC) entertains Triton on Monday, while North Lenoir (11-2, 6-1) travels to Triton on Wednesday.