HAMLET — During Monday’s second round of the Southeastern Middle School Athletic Conference playoffs, the Rockingham Middle School boys’ and girls’ soccer teams avenged earlier losses to rival Hamlet Middle School.
WIth a chance to play in the title game on the line, it was the No. 3 Rockets and No. 3 Lady Rockets who swept Hamlet. Earlier in the season, the No. 2 Red Rams and No. 2 Lady Red Rams managed to take care of business against their biggest rival.
Rockets end Red Rams’ season with road upset
The Rockingham boys and head coach Daniel Webb punched their ticket to the championship game with a 3-1 win over the Red Rams.
Seventh grader Andrew Conyers opened the game’s scoring in the 10th minute, and that score would hold until halftime.
In the second half, eighth grader Chris Lopez scored the eventual game-winning goal, getting some help from teammate Logan Icovone. A long pass threaded through traffic by Icovone found Lopez in front of the net, who squeezed his shot along the near post between it and Hamlet’s keeper.
Rockingham’s final goal of the afternoon came from sixth grader Jeremiah Ritter, who connected on a corner kick, lacing the ball to the back post side netting. During the Rockets’ 3-1 penalty kick win over West Hoke Middle School in the first round, both Conyers and Lopez scored.
As the clock wound down and with the Rockets up 3-0, Hamlet’s Carson Dixon would score his team’s final goal of the season with around five minutes remaining.
Hamlet head coach Earl Nicholson said his team “had several good opportunities to score, but did not execute.” He added that the Red Rams (7-3) “got outplayed when it came to simple basics of good passees and quality finishes.”
Rockingham (9-2) will await to see if it plays No. 1 Ellerbe or No. 4 East Hoke. The Wildcats and Eagles play their semifinal game Tuesday.
Lady Rockets’ defense helps eliminate Lady Red Rams
In the girls’ soccer game, the No. 2 Lady Rockets used solid defense for the second-straight game to defeat No. 3 Hamlet 2-1.
During the first-round game against Spring Hill Middle School, Rockingham shutout the Lady Spartans. In the low-scoring playoff affair Monday, it was Evie Rae Howell and Allie Rodgers who netted the pair of goals for Rockingham.
Like the boys’ team, Hamlet’s girls couldn’t take advantage of a first-round bye. Head coach Ashleigh Buie’s team won the 2018 SEMSAC title, but won’t have a chance to defend it this season.
The Lady Rockets (9-2) will also await the completion of No. 1 Ellerbe (8-1) and No. 5 Carver’s game on Tuesday to see who they’ll play in the title game.
Scoring information for Hamlet girls’ game was not provided. Game details provided by Daniel Webb and Earl Nicholson.
