Falcons Best Hawks 5-1 in Non-Conference Bout
The North Lenoir Hawks hosted the C.B. Aycock Falcons Wednesday evening on the pitch, seeing the Falcons soar away with a 5-1 decision. The Hawks showed signs of promising action on the pitch but were unable to stop the Falcon press in the end.
The loss is the second this season to the Falcons and the eighth in a row. The last time the Hawks beat the Falcons was in 2019, when they won both games.
The Hawks played the first 10 minutes of the game in their own end before they were able to get past the stout Falcon defense. The Hawks managed to gain some momentum and got a clean shot off in the box that beat the keeper but didn’t beat the post, as it ricocheted back onto the pitch.
The Falcons scored their first goal with 11 minutes left in the half and added another goal on a throw-in with less than 10 seconds left in the half. The Hawks came out with a sense of urgency in the second half but saw their deficit grow to three goals 10 minutes in.
The Hawks continued to press, and #5 Maddox Smith was able to cash in on a penalty shot with 15 minutes left in the game to get the Hawks on the board. However, as the Hawks pressed to even the match, the Falcons scored two more goals in the last minute of the game to put the comeback attempt away.
“I saw a lot of inconsistency, a lot of me-ball instead of team ball. But we will regroup; these guys will bounce back. I know they will come together,” Head Coach Chris Evans said after his team’s loss.
Looking Forward:
The loss drops the Hawks to 3-4 for the season. They will not play again until Monday when they host Rosewood. They have three more non-conference games before they start their difficult conference schedule.
“Consistency! We need to get consistent with not only passing but playing team soccer,” Coach Evans said about his upcoming schedule.
Midfielders Leading the Way for Hawks
Watching the Hawks play, it is evident that the play and scoring run through the midfield. Junior #5 Maddox Smith has scored 8 goals and recorded 4 assists. Junior #7 Yahir Hernandez has 4 goals and 3 assists, while Senior #10 Christopher Romero has 3 goals and 1 assist on the season.