Blue Devils Edged Out in Season Finale

Deep Run, NC - The South Lenoir Blue Devils (10-10-1) concluded their regular season with a nail-biter, ultimately falling 4-3 to the Richlands Wildcats (10-11-1) in a game that saw momentum swing multiple times.

The Wildcats drew first blood, finding the net just seven minutes into the match. South Lenoir's quick response came three minutes later, courtesy of freshman Yeshua Perez, who scored on an assist from senior Brandon Ortiz. The Blue Devils' defense then tightened up, keeping Richlands off the scoreboard for the remainder of the first half.

As the second half unfolded, both teams ratcheted up the intensity. South Lenoir took the lead early on, with Brandon Ortiz scoring on a setup from junior Ulises Carrizales. Richlands quickly responded, leveling the score two minutes later. South Lenoir regained the lead on a goal from sophomore Michael Chavez with 26 minutes remaining, only for the Wildcats to tie it again six minutes later. Ultimately, Richlands seized the advantage with a decisive goal at the 12-minute mark and managed to hold on for the win.

South Lenoir Head Coach Jody Turner reflected on the match and the season, stating, "It's been a great season; we had our ups and downs. This game wasn't on our original schedule, but we only had one game this week, so we decided to schedule this tough Richlands team to help us get ready for the playoffs."