Falcons Nest - March 22nd
A week of victories and growth for the spring athletes.
Varsity Girls Soccer
O’Neal vs Village Christian Academy – Final Score: 2-1, W
There’s been a chill back in the air this week, but it hasn’t cooled off the hot streak that the varsity girls soccer team has continued. They’ve improved to 3-1 overall with their first two conference wins of the season, and they’re looking to repeat last year’s feat of going undefeated in conference play.
The Falcons had their home opener on Tuesday against Village Christian, and the defense logged their first clean sheet of the season. They scored twice in the first half from Charli Bunder’s free kicks. The first was blocked by the keeper but tapped in by Jordin Reed, and the second found the upper right corner just before halftime.
O’Neal @ Fayetteville Christian School – Final Score: 4-1, W
On Thursday the ladies traveled to Fayetteville Christian and again won handily thanks to a stalwart defense and excellent goalkeeping from Ava Vonderkall. There were, of course, four goals too: Bunder scored twice from open play, Reed scored another from close range, and Jaleesa Eichel logged her first goal of the season on a corner kick.
Next week is a short week in school but a busy week on the field. The Falcons face Berean Baptist twice in a row, first at home on Monday 3/25, and then away on Tuesday 3/26. They’ll travel to Freedom Christian Academy on Thursday 2/38 and hope to carry the hot streak all the way into spring break.
Middle School Girls Soccer
O’Neal vs Fayetteville Christian School – Final Score: 2-2 PKs: 3-2
The Middle School Girls Soccer Team had a fantastic week, knocking off the top team in our conference with an amazing victory! The girls practiced hard all week preparing for their game Thursday against the Warriors, who were previously undefeated and had been winning their games easily. As soon as the game started the determination was clear on the players’ faces. They embraced the challenge of defending against talented, physical players, and then throwing everything into a counterattack. Four minutes into the game the Falcons got their first chance as they won the ball in midfield and passed it behind Fayetteville Christian’s defenders, creating a breakaway opportunity and a goal. That lead lasted until just before the end of the first half when a 20-yard strike from Fayetteville Christian found the top corner and leveled the game at 1-1. O’Neal responded with another breakaway goal in the beginning of the second half to retake the lead, and then furiously competed to prevent Fayetteville Christian from equalizing. With 1 minute left, another Fayetteville Christian shot from outside the 18-yard box found the back of the net and tied the game just before the final whistle. In the penalty kick shootout, a terrific save gave O’Neal a chance to win on their 6th penalty shot, and the ball found the back of the net for a 3-2 victory. After a physical game, the girls have earned some weekend rest before returning to the field on both Monday and Tuesday for games.
The Middle School Girls Soccer Team had a fantastic week, knocking off the top team in our conference with an amazing victory! The girls practiced hard all week preparing for their game Thursday against the Warriors, who were previously undefeated and had been winning their games easily. As soon as the game started the determination was clear on the players’ faces. They embraced the challenge of defending against talented, physical players, and then throwing everything into a counterattack. Four minutes into the game the Falcons got their first chance as they won the ball in midfield and passed it behind Fayetteville Christian’s defenders, creating a breakaway opportunity and a goal. That lead lasted until just before the end of the first half when a 20-yard strike from Fayetteville Christian found the top corner and leveled the game at 1-1. O’Neal responded with another breakaway goal in the beginning of the second half to retake the lead, and then furiously competed to prevent Fayetteville Christian from equalizing. With 1 minute left, another Fayetteville Christian shot from outside the 18-yard box found the back of the net and tied the game just before the final whistle. In the penalty kick shootout, a terrific save gave O’Neal a chance to win on their 6th penalty shot, and the ball found the back of the net for a 3-2 victory. After a physical game, the girls have earned some weekend rest before returning to the field on both Monday and Tuesday for games.
Boys Varsity Golf
The Falcons golf team placed 5th in the Azalea High School Championship this week at the Donald Ross-designed Cape Fear CC in Wilmington, NC. The team posted a score of one under par (287), finishing closely behind state powerhouses New Hanover, Pinecrest, Broughton and Cardinal Gibbons. Nick Joyce and Andrew Hobbs led the team posting scores of -1 (71). Jack Halloran, William Huntley, and Max Martin rounded things out with scores of 72, 73 and 75 respectively. The Falcons continue to improve every time they tee it up and look to be coming into form as they prepare for the Palmetto High School Championship in Pawley’s Island next week, where they will compete against 47 other teams from across the country.
Middle School Golf
O’Neal vs TSDCH and Sandhills Highlanders – Final Score: 168-171-186-207, W
In a thrilling display of skill and camaraderie, the O'Neal Middle School golf team hosted the Sandhills Highlanders and Trinity School of Durham & Chapel Hill (TSDCH), capturing victory on a picturesque afternoon. The Navy Team emerged triumphant with a stellar team score of 168, narrowly edging out the Sandhills Highlanders who finished with 171. The White team followed closely behind with 186, while TSDCH posted a respectable score of 207. A standout performance came from Charlotte Schroen, whose remarkable round not only secured the low score for the day but also marked the team's first under-par round of the year, finishing at an impressive -1 par for a total of 36. With an upcoming White team away match on the horizon before the Spring break, anticipation runs high as the team continues to showcase their talent and determination on the greens.
Varsity Boys Tennis
Despite encountering setbacks in their recent matches, the boys tennis team has been resilient and continues to demonstrate their dedication to improvement. Last week, they faced tough opponents, including Ravenscroft and Durham Academy, resulting in two losses. However, amidst these challenges, Owen Williams and Noah Bass emerged victorious in a doubles match against Durham Academy, showcasing the team's potential.
It's worth noting that all key members from last year's successful team have returned, bringing experience and determination to the court. Despite the tough schedule this year, with matches against higher-ranked 3 & 4 A teams while being a 2 A team themselves, the team has shown remarkable progress in their skills.
While the current record stands at 0-4, the team remains undeterred. The competitive matches against top-tier opponents have provided valuable learning opportunities, contributing to the overall growth and development of the players. Looking ahead, the team anticipates upcoming matches against opponents of similar caliber, where they can truly showcase their talents and compete at their own level.
Varsity Baseball
RUNS | HITS | RBIs | BB | SO | ||
W | O’Neal | 11 | 11 | 9 | 3 | 7 |
L | Village Christian | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 7 |
The O'Neal Falcons baseball trounced the visiting Village Christian Academy Knights, 11-1 in Tuesday's league contest. Jacob Bates hit two home runs and a single while driving in seven sending the Falcons flying high with every swing. The Nest collected 11 hits in 5 innings. June Thomas went 3 for 4 on the day with a double and Will Slagle collected 2 hits on the day. Pashley came through with a double in the 5th inning and Pavlovich and Shephard both had singles. Jake Shephard dealt 7Ks on the day allowing only 3 hits in a 5inning masterpiece. The Falcons are clicking on the diamond to start the season.
RUNS | HITS | RBIs | BB | SO | ||
W | O’Neal | 9 | 6 | 6 | 11 | 7 |
L | Fayetteville Christian School | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 7 |
The O’Neal Falcons easily dispatched Fayetteville Christian on Thursday winning 9-0. June Thomas pitched brilliantly, allowing three hits in a seven-inning shutout. June delivered 7Ks and 1BB on the day to help the Falcons win two in a row.
Defense was the word of the day as the Falcons were flawless in the field. Will Slagle and Ricky Mullis held their spots with a combined 11 put outs two include a big-time double play from Slagle in the 6th inning. The bats stayed hot with 6 hits and 6 RBIs in the seven-inning shutout. The Falcons travel to Cary Christian on Monday for a 4:30 pm first pitch.
Middle School Baseball
RUNS | HITS | RBIs | BB | SO | ||
W | O’Neal | 23 | 15 | 19 | 7 | 3 |
L | Fayetteville Christian School | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 6 |
O’Neal Falcons defeated Fayetteville Christian School on Monday, 23-1. Parker Maxwell had plenty of offensive support against the Warriors, earning the win for the Falcons and his second of the season. He held the opposition to one earned run in his two-inning pitching performance. He struck out three and walked two. He was followed by Christian Baker, who closed the event by striking out the side.
The name of the game was offense. Christian Baker and Jordan Cole both batted in four runs for the Falcons. Baker connected two home runs and a double. Cole connected two triples and a single. Jacob Bullock and Parker Maxwell connected two hits each. The offensive assault did not stop there. Maxwell, Kaiden Taveras, Ford Kuester, and Jackson Booth each drove in two runs. Charles Borland, Kuester, Parker Fusonie, Taveras, and Liam Enslin each connected a single. The Falcons totaled 38 plate appearances in the three-inning contest.
Track & Field
Meet Madness- 3 Meets in 7 days.
When the O'Neal Track & Field team sets their mind to something, nothing can get in their way. The Falcons received their schedule to see they had to run to 3 meets in 7 days and they not only stepped up, but they did it with the anticipation to compete. On March 16th, the Falcons headed down the street to Pinecrest High School to compete against 14 other schools in the Mid-South Relays. The Falcons were in good company as they competed in such a large competition. Competing in a relay-focused meet helped build the communication skills of the student-athletes, while also increasing the desire to push harder than they have before for their fellow teammates.
Moving on to March 22nd the Track & Field team headed back up to Durham County to host another Track meet along with 5 other schools including Faith Christian, Trinity Academy of Raleigh, Trinity School of Durham & Chapel Hill, Burlington Christian Academy, and Cristo Rey. The Falcons brought 34 student-athletes to compete in a multitude of different events. Running on tired legs is no easy feat; however, it did not stop the student-athletes from running personal records (PR). Amongst the PR's were Gunnar Adams (1600m), Jack Browning (800m), Lauren Hobbs (100hurdles), Brennan Hodges (200m), Jacob Koprowski (1600m), and Javien (Christian) Lyles (Shot put and Discus). Grace Simpson added another state qualifying time under her belt with her 1600m race. The O'Neal School showed themselves to be a united front as they cheered on their teammates even as they warmed up for their own races. That's the kind of team the Falcons Track & Field strives to be.
Events Next Week 3/25 - 3/28:
All events are subject to change.
check our website for the most up to date information.
DAY | DATE | OPPONENT | SPORT | H/A | EVENT TIME | DISMISS | DEPART |
MON | 3/25/2024 | Berean Baptist Academy | GSOC | HOME | 4:00 PM | 2:45 PM | NA |
MON | 3/25/2024 | Cary Christian School | BASE | AWAY | 4:30 PM | 1:45 PM | 2:00 PM |
MON | 3/25/2024 | St. Patrick's School | MSGSOC | AWAY | 4:00 PM | 1:45 PM | 2:00 PM |
TUE | 3/26/2024 | Berean Baptist Academy | GSOC | AWAY | 5:30 PM | 3:00 PM | 3:15 PM |
TUE | 3/26/2024 | Freedom Christian | MSBASE | HOME | 3:30 PM | 2:00 PM | NA |
THU | 3/26/2024 | Freedom Christian | MSGSOC | HOME | 3:30 PM | NA | NA |
TUE | 3/26/2024 | Trinity School of Durham and Chapel Hill | BTN | HOME | 3:30 PM | 2:00 PM | NA |
WED | 3/27/2024 | Fayetteville Christian School | BTN | HOME | 3:30 PM | 2:00 PM | NA |
WED | 3/27/2024 | Thales Academy Apex at Knightsplay (White Team) | MSGOLF | AWAY | 3:30 PM | 12:00 PM | 12:15 PM |
THU | 3/28/2024 | Durham Academy | Track and Field | AWAY | 3:00 PM | 11:45 AM | 12:00 PM |
THU | 3/28/2024 | Durham Academy | Track and Field | AWAY | 3:00 PM | 11:45 AM | 12:00 PM |
THU | 3/28/2024 | Freedom Christian Academy | GSOC | AWAY | 4:00 PM | 1:30 PM | 1:45 PM |
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