O’Neal Soccer wins Conference Championship
From the Falcons
5/10/2024
James Franklin, Athletic Director
Varsity Girls Soccer and MS Baseball Crowned Conference Champs!
Varsity Girls Soccer
It’s been a relatively quiet week for the Falcons in terms of games, but a roaring week in terms of results. Since switching to a new conference that awards both a regular season champion and a tournament champion, O’Neal has had its sights set on securing both trophies before the state tournament.
O’Neal vs Fayetteville Christian School Final Score: 2-1 (overtime), W
After their win last Thursday against Freedom Christian, they hosted Fayetteville Christian in the conference championship and won. Fayetteville Christian had been the only visiting team to win on the O’Neal field this season, and their upset over VCA in the semi-finals was a sign of their upward momentum this season. They carried that momentum to a 1-0 lead partway through the first half. Charli Bunder restored the tie in her characteristic style: with a free kick from deep lofted over the keeper’s head. For the rest of the game, FCS’s defense kept its discipline, and the Falcons were close but unlucky on many chances. Not wanting to enter the state tournament as conference runners-up, O’Neal ratcheted up the intensity even further in extra time. Jaleesa Eichel and Caroline Lee passed quickly up the field, and Lee curled a highlight-worthy shot into the corner of the goal to seal the conference tournament victory.
Because of their record and strength of schedule, the Falcons were ranked 6th in the state in 2A. This earned them a double bye through the first two rounds of the state tournament. The week has been dedicated solely to practice and recovery to prepare for the push through the tournament next week. O’Neal will host a third-round playoff game this Saturday, 5/11, at 11am against Gaston Day School. Let’s make this a roaring week as well in support for the Falcons!
Varsity Baseball
The O’Neal Falcons Varsity Baseball finishes the season going 1-1 in the State 2A playoffs. Winning 6-5 over Trinity School of Durham Chapel Hill and falling short to #3 Rocky Mount Academy 8-5.
In the two-game series, the Falcons battled putting up 13 hits and 9 RBIs over 14 innings. Jacob Bates went 4 for 5 with a homerun and 4 RBIs followed by Will Slagle going 2 for 4 and scoring 4 runs. Both Bates and Slagle had .714 on-base percentage and batted .500 for the games. Jake Shepherd went 3 for 7 followed by Sam Taylor and Jackson Mullis with 1 hit each.
Jake Shepherd got the win striking out 4 in 4 inning and Joey Wade secured the save vs TSDCH. June Thomas pitched 5 innings striking out 3 before losing the lead in the late innings. Both starters worked tirelessly with high pitch counts to keep the Falcons in the game.
The Falcons closed the season with 14 games going 7-7-1 and were the runner up in conference play going 6-2. They hit .317 as a team, had 118 hits and scored 111 runs in 466 plate appearances.
Jacob Bates finished the season with 8 home runs and hit .596; second in the state in average and first in homeruns. Will Slagle led off every game hitting .500 and locking down shortstop every inning of the season with an .827 fielding percentage. Ricky Mullis finished #2 in the state with an amazing 1.000 FPCT with 77 put outs. Jacob Shepherd hit .429 and finished with 34 strike out giving up only 5 earned runs in 23 innings. June Thomas pitched 27 innings delivering 29 strike outs. Max Pashley led the team in triples and had a flawless defensive year.
This year’s team challenged one another every day to get better and every player improved throughout the year. The unique mix of middle school athletes; Sam Taylor, Jackson Mullis, and Camden Harrell progressing to the starting lineup impacted a season of success, comprised of a team lead by 4 Juniors, 2 sophomores, and 5 seniors.
Varsity Boys Golf
Wolfe Earns Medalist Honors
The Varsity Boys Golf team closed out its regular season with a victory over Westchester Country Day School at Jamestown Park Golf Club. The team shot an impressive score of one under par, 215. The depth of the program’s roster was on full display as Dylan Wolfe (7th Grade) shot 71 (-1) to earn co-medalist honors with Nick Joyce (12th Grade). Jack Halloran posted a 73 (+1) to pace the team in what turned out to be a resounding win. The match served as a bit of a warm-up as Jamestown Park is the site of the State Championship which will be held over 36 holes on May 13th and 14th. The Falcons ended the regular season ranked #1 in the NCISAA but will face stiff competition for the title from 8 other teams. Wish them well!
Varsity Boys Tennis
The boy’s tennis team demonstrated exceptional performance in the state tournament this week, securing victories in their first two rounds. In the state competition, matches conclude once a team reaches 5 wins, a feat achieved swiftly by our team. On Monday, they decisively triumphed with a 5-0 victory against Bradford Academy. Despite a rain delay spanning two days on Wednesday and Thursday, they clinched a hard-fought 5-2 win over Caldwell Academy.
Senior Owen Williams showcased his expertise with the first singles win, leading the team to success. Additionally, number 2 player Eathan Kim displayed remarkable resilience, securing a come-from-behind 3-set win, despite his injury limitations. The team's collective effort culminated in Nathan Reifenstahl winning the fifth point, while Noah Bass and Chris Walters dominated their sets.
With these victories, our team's overall record stands at an impressive 8-6. Looking ahead, the team is gearing up for an exciting match against Carolina Day School, the second-seeded team, in Asheville on Saturday. Departing on Friday, the team is poised to continue their momentum and represent our school with excellence on the court.
Contributed. Photos by Wendy Hodges.
