ROCKINGHAM — Sixty minutes wasn’t enough time to decide Tuesday’s middle school boys’ soccer playoff championship at Richmond Senior High School.
Competing against one another in the title match for the second straight season, the No. 2 Hamlet Red Rams and No. 4 Rockingham Rockets saw a one-goal draw go to penalty kicks.
Clinching their second consecutive title over their rivals, the Red Rams outscored Rockingham 4-2 in the extra kicks to earn a 2-1 victory.
“It was a tough win today, our guys played good,” Hamlet head coach Blake Kelly said. “We thought we had it in the beginning, but (Rockingham) came back to score a great goal. It was a hard-fought battle all around.
“We came down with just two losses this season, and it was a long road here,” he continued. “I couldn’t be more proud of the guys.”
The Red Rams jumped out to a 1-0 halftime lead thanks to a goal from Kimahri Johnson. Earning the assist was Eric Rodriguez, who sent a cross in from the left side of the box.
Making a charge on net, Johnson connected on the volley and put the ball past goalkeeper Jake Veach.
Hamlet’s Kimhari Johnson (16) scored a goal in the first half of Tuesday’s win. (Kyle Pillar/The Richmond Observer)
The Rockets knotted the game up 1-1 with just under 20 minutes to go in regulation. Cayden Gillenwater scored on a penalty kick after Hamlet was whistled for a foul in the box.
Hamlet goalkeeper Timothy Sloan made a stop on the initial kick, but Gillenwater was afforded a second opportunity when a Red Ram moved too early.
Both teams had several chances to score the go-ahead goal in the final minutes, but neither could find the back of the net.
Rockingham’s Cayden Gillenwater (center) scored a regulation goal for the Rockets. (Kyle Pillar/The Richmond Observer)
That set up a showdown between Veach and Sloan, as well as five kickers for each team.
Memphis Jacobs gave Hamlet a 1-0 lead in the first round, sending his shot to Veach’s right, which was deflected up and into the net. Sloan maintained the lead when he stopped Jayden Hamilton’s shot on Rockingham’s first attempt.
Rodriguez and Gillenwater both missed the goal on their respective shots in the second round, and Phoenix Jacobs gave Hamlet a 2-0 advantage in the third round. His shot was a low strike that snuck inside the left post.
Cole Thrower got the Rockets on the board when his shot on frame banged off the left post and back into the net to make it a 2-1 deficit.
Tristin McLaurin answered for the Red Rams to start the fourth round, going high and to the left side of the net past Veach. Jason Medina kept Rockingham’s hopes alive when he sent a low shot past Sloan to make it 3-2.
Icing the win for the Red Rams was Dougie Dickinson in the final round, slotting his shot just inside the left post. That resulted in the Red Rams rushing the field in celebration.
Hamlet finished the season with a 9-2 record, while the Rockets registered an 8-4 mark.
Hamlet’s Dougie Dickison connects on his championship-winning PK. (Chris Larsen/Special to the Richmond Observer)
The Red Rams celebrate their 2-1 championship win over Rockingham. (Chris Larsen/Special to the Richmond Observer)
