Falcons Nest - March 14
Temperatures warm up along with the competition.
Varsity Boys Tennis
O’Neal vs Burlington Christian FINAL: 3-6, L
O’Neal vs Burlington Christian FINAL: 3-6, L
On Friday, March 7, the Falcons fell in a close 6-3 match against Burlington Christian Academy at the Old Forest Racket Club. The match, played before a large crowd, featured several tightly contested battles. Joseph Lucas (No. 4 singles) secured a hard-fought, three-set comeback victory, while Nathan Reifenstahl (No. 5 singles) earned a straight-sets win. Reifenstahl and Hudson Harless (No. 3 doubles) added another point for the Falcons. With three singles matches decided in tiebreakers, the overall result could have easily gone in O’Neal’s favor.
O’Neal vs St. David’s School FINAL: 1-8, L
O’Neal vs St. David’s School FINAL: 1-8, L
On Tuesday, March 11, the team faced a highly skilled St. David’s School squad, falling 8-1. Chris Walters (No. 3 singles) recorded the Falcons’ point, displaying strong composure and skill. Despite the loss, competing against such a talented opponent helped elevate the team’s level of play in preparation for the upcoming schedule.
The Falcons will travel to Carmel Christian on March 19 before returning home to face Fayetteville Christian on March 21.
MS Baseball
O’Neal vs Village Christain: FINAL 1-16, L
Despite a competitive start, the team fell to Village Christian in a tough 16-1 loss, with the game ending after four innings. Early on, they battled to keep the game within reach, trailing 4-0 after the first inning and 7-0 after the second. By the third, the deficit grew to 8-0 before they finally broke through to get on the board at 8-1.
However, Village Christian responded with an explosive fourth inning, piling on runs to push the lead to 16-1. With the margin too great to overcome, the game was called early. While the outcome was disappointing, the team will look to regroup and bounce back in their next matchup.
O’Neal vs Northwood Temple: FINAL 18-6, W
The Falcons delivered a dominant all-around performance, securing an 18-6 victory over Northwood Temple in just four innings. The offense was relentless, racking up 18 hits and an astonishing 26 stolen bases. Charlie Borland and Oliver Gabor led the charge at the plate, both going 4-for-4. Borland drove in five runs with two singles, a double, and a triple while stealing six bases. Gabor added four RBIs with multiple extra-base hits, tacking on 5 stolen bases of his own, fueling an offensive explosion that overwhelmed the opposition.
On the mound, Gabor handled business with a complete-game effort, striking out nine while allowing just three hits and four earned runs. Despite issuing five walks, he remained in control, shutting down Northwood Temple’s offense when it mattered most. This commanding win showcased the team’s aggressive approach and strong execution in all phases of the game. The Falcons are flying high coming off of a dominant victory!
Varsity Baseball:
O’Neal vs Village Christian FINAL: 2-13, L
O’Neal vs Village Christian FINAL: 2-13, L
On Tuesday, March 12, the Falcons fell 13-2 to a strong Village Christian Academy team. Despite the challenging game, Andrew Pavlovich provided a bright spot for O’Neal’s offense, going 2-for-3, including a solo home run—his first of the season— to center field. Parker Maxwell also contributed with an RBI on a fielder’s choice.
O’Neal vs Northwood Temple FINAL: 6-5, W
Two days later, on Thursday, March 14, the Falcons bounced back in dramatic fashion, securing a 6-5 walk-off victory over Northwood Temple Academy in extra innings. Max Pashley played the hero, delivering a clutch double off the left field wall to score Parker Fusonie and seal the thrilling win.
The Falcons' pitching staff was outstanding, with Parker Maxwell and Jake Shepherd combining to allow only one earned run over eight innings. Shepherd also made an impact at the plate, launching his first home run of the season while going 2-for-2 with two RBIs and two walks. Kaiden Taveras and Liam Enslin each contributed a hit, helping propel the team to victory.
O’Neal vs Northwood Temple FINAL: 6-5, W
Two days later, on Thursday, March 14, the Falcons bounced back in dramatic fashion, securing a 6-5 walk-off victory over Northwood Temple Academy in extra innings. Max Pashley played the hero, delivering a clutch double off the left field wall to score Parker Fusonie and seal the thrilling win.
The Falcons' pitching staff was outstanding, with Parker Maxwell and Jake Shepherd combining to allow only one earned run over eight innings. Shepherd also made an impact at the plate, launching his first home run of the season while going 2-for-2 with two RBIs and two walks. Kaiden Taveras and Liam Enslin each contributed a hit, helping propel the team to victory.
O’Neal looks to carry this momentum into their upcoming games, as they travel to Freedom Christian Academy on Friday, March 14, at 6:00 PM before facing Village Christian Academy again on Tuesday, March 18, at 5:30 PM.
Varsity Track & Field:
The O’Neal track and field team kicked off the season with an awesome first meet! It was the first real taste of spring with sunny skies and 80-degree weather—perfect for a day of competition. The Falcon’s middle school relay teams crushed it with smooth hand-offs and great teamwork, and our upper school athletes stepped up as leaders, showing the younger runners the ropes. Out of the 22 athletes who competed, eight took on their first-ever track meet, and nine of the remaining 14 started the season with a new personal best! The highlight of the day? Gavin Rabon set a new school record in shot put with a huge throw of 42 feet, 11 inches. Safe to say, this season is off to an incredible start, and there is a lot of anticipation for what’s next!
Varsity Boys Golf:
North State High School Boys Championship
The O’Neal Varsity Boys golf team traveled to the Country Club of Salisbury on March 7-8 to compete in the North State High School Boys Championship. Traveling for the team were Andrew Hobbs (82-84), Dylan Wolfe (81-80—161), Zeyu Zhao (81-83—164), and Jack Manning (92-99—191). The Falcons finished 16th. Scores can be viewed at https://cga.golfgenius.com/pages/5122089
O’Neal vs Grace Christian Sanford: FINAL 160-177, W
On Monday, March 10, six golfers traveled to Quail Ridge Golf Course in Sanford, NC to compete head-to-head against Grace Christian School in a scheduled 18-hole match. Due to rain, the match was shortened to 9 holes with O’Neal beating Grace by 17 strokes. The format counted the low four scores out of six. The athletes scores were: Andrew Hobbs 36, Dylan Wolfe 40, Jacob Shepherd 40, Zeyu Zhao 44, Jack Manning 48, Max Pashley 51.
Practices were held on Tuesday and Thursday.
On March 17, the boys will travel to Cape Fear CC in Wilmington, NC to compete against seven other teams in the Azalea High School Invitational.
Middle School Golf:
O’Neal vs Trinity of D&CH FINAL: 216-258, W
O’Neal vs Trinity of D&CH FINAL: 216-258, W
Match number two is officially in the books and the Falcons' dominated as they beat their opponents The Trinity School of Durham and Chapel Hill by a total of 42 strokes with a combined score of 216 to 258! Luke Valkovics shot 3 under par for a score of 32 through 9 holes while Will Simmons exemplified his consistency shooting 9-over through 9 holes. Gabe Ballesteros started the match off strong, driving the ball close to the green and finishing the first hole with a par. Ford Kuester came through in the clutch within his group, sinking a 20-foot putt for Birdie; while Will Simmons chipped off the green and stuck the ball right next to the hole to save par. The Falcons' will be entering their bye week before hosting St. Davids school on Tuesday, March 25th at Longleaf Country Club.
Varsity Girls Soccer
O'Neal vs Village Christian: FINAL 1-2, L
O'Neal vs Village Christian: FINAL 1-2, L
On Tuesday, March 11, the Falcons, short on players and substitutions due to illness and injury, fought with relentless determination against Village Christian. Despite the setbacks, the team challenged every ball and gave maximum effort until the final whistle. Keelie Bosworth delivered O’Neal’s lone goal, skillfully finishing off a beautifully placed cross from Victoria York. The Falcons created several other scoring opportunities, but Village Christian’s goalkeeper managed to keep them out. Even with limited numbers, O’Neal played with unwavering heart from start to finish.
O’Neal vs Northwood Temple: FINAL 9-0, W
Two days later, on Thursday, March 13, the Falcons came out strong, securing a 9-0 mercy-rule victory over Northwood Temple Academy with 19 minutes left in regulation. Still missing two players and managing several injuries, the team controlled the game from the opening whistle. Brielle Wolfe opened the scoring after capitalizing on a high cross from Victoria York, which the opposing keeper misjudged. Wolfe quickly added a second goal, taking advantage of chaos in the box. Charli Bunder extended the lead with a powerful strike from the top of the 18-yard box.
The offensive momentum continued with a stunning volley from Christina Acker at the back post, assisted by Caroline Lee. Wolfe then secured her first hat-trick of the season, smashing home a rebound off a Bunder shot. Joelle Cole added to the tally, finishing a loose ball after a Bunder free kick. Bunder later scored her second goal from deep in the field, making it 7-0. A handball in the box led to a penalty kick, confidently converted by Kennedi Hamner, who buried it in the right corner. The game concluded with Elizabeth Cordero finishing a back-post cross from Wolfe to seal the dominant victory. The Falcons will look to carry this momentum into their next match against Freedom Christian Academy on Friday, March 14.
Middle School Girls Soccer:
O’Neal vs Village Christian Academy: Final 0-3, L
Tuesday's game faced an unexpected setback early on during the fifth minute of the game. One of the falcon players received a red card, leaving the Falcons with a numerical disadvantage for the remainder of the match.
Despite being a player down, the team worked hard to try and equalize the score. They demonstrated resilience and determination in their efforts to get back into the game.
Unfortunately, their efforts did not yield the desired result, and the game did not go in their favor. The team faced a challenging situation and fought hard, but ultimately fell short of securing a positive outcome.
O’Neal vs Northwood Temple Academy: Final 0-3, L
In Thursday's game, the Falcons were defeated 3-0. Despite the score, there were positive aspects to the game. The team created chances and at times looked as though they might take the lead.
The final result does not accurately reflect the quality of the Falcons' play or the effort they put forth. The players demonstrated skill and determination throughout the match. It was a display of their capabilities, even in defeat.
Although the ball did not find the back of the net, the progress made by the girls is evident. This progress bodes well for the Falcons' future games. The team's development is ongoing and promising.
Falcon Athletics Looking Ahead – 3/17/25 - 3/22/25:
DAY | DATE | OPPONENT | SPORT | H/A | EVENT TIME |
MON | 3/17/2025 | Azaela High School Invitational | BGOLF | AWAY | 12:00PM |
MON | 3/17/2025 | Fayetteville Christian School | MSGSOC | HOME | 3:00PM |
MON | 3/17/2025 | Fayetteville Christian School | MSBASE | HOME | 3:30PM |
TUE | 3/18/2025 | Village Chirstian Academy | BASE | AWAY | 5:30PM |
TUE | 3/18/2025 | Village Chirstian Academy | GSOC | AWAY | 6:00PM |
WED | 3/19/2025 | Carmel Christian | BTN | AWAY | 3:30 PM |
FRI | 3/21/2025 | Fayetteville Christian School | BTN | HOME | 3:30 PM |
FRI | 3/21/2025 | Fayetteville Christian School | BASE | HOME | 4:00PM |
FRI | 3/21/2025 | Fayetteville Christian School | GSOC | AWAY | 5:00PM |
SAT | 3/22/2025 | UP Relays | T&F | AWAY | 9:00AM |
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