ROCKINGHAM — The Hamlet Middle School boys’ soccer team and head coach Earl Nicholson completed their perfect season on Thursday.
The top-seeded Red Rams faced off against No. 2 Rockingham Middle School in the county championship, played on Richmond Senior High School’s soccer field.
Using a goal from Junior Lopez with less than 10 minutes to go in regulation, the Red Rams earned a 1-0 win.
Hamlet completed the shortened season with a 7-0 record, and picked up its third win against the Rockets. Rockingham and head coach Amanda Gainey wrapped up a 4-3 spring slate.
“I told the guys that beating the same team three times is really hard to do,” Nicholson said. “We found that out with our boys’ basketball team and girls’ soccer team. Our guys battled and they trusted me.
“Defense wins championships, and when you don’t let the other team score, something good is going to happen,” he added. “It’s remarkable to play Rockingham three times and never give up a goal. I’m really proud of all of our guys.”
The Red Rams and Rockets played an even first half with both teams collecting three shots on goal. Rockingham’s center back Joe Parsons, made several sweeping clears in the opening 30 minutes to keep Hamlet off the board.
Rockingham’s Joe Parsons (left) clears a ball out of the Rockets’ defensive zone in Thursday’s championship game. (Kyle Pillar)
In the second half, Hamlet put six shots on frame, with the eventual game-winning tally coming with 8:45 left to play.
Lopez, who had taken several shots in the second half, connected in space to put the Red Rams ahead for good. His strike sailed into the back of the net from 30 yards out.
Rockingham wouldn’t go away quietly, turning up the pressure in the game’s final moments.
Landon Summerlin lasered a tight-angled shot from the left side of the box with four minutes left, but Hamlet’s goalkeeper Kalub Williams made the save.
Hamlet’s Junior Lopez (right) scored the championship-winning goal over Rockingham. (Kyle Pillar)
“We have a lot of players who sacrifice scoring so they can balance the middle of the field,” Nicholson said. “And Junior was rewarded with a really nice goal.
“This is my and Coach Buie’s last season coaching,” he closed. “We painted ‘OLD’ on the field, which means ‘one last dance’. This was a great way to end it and it was the second time we had both teams win the championship.”
Hamlet has won several in-county championships this school year, including: football, boys’ basketball, boys’ and girls’ cross country, golf and now boys’ and girls’ soccer.
