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LA GRANGE — Needing a win to solidify their spot in the playoffs, James Kenan junior Katherine Chirinos stepped up for her team in a big way by scoring three goals in the Tigers 5-1 win over North Lenoir on April 30.
It took Chirinos just 10 minutes to score the opening goal of the game on Monday night, a goal which seemed to fire up her team’s offense as just 12 minutes later, James Kenan junior Karla Diaz also found the back of the net to put the Tigers up 2-0. Chirinos then scored her team’s third goal of the half when she found the back of the net again in the 24th minute to put her team up 3-0.
In the second half, Diaz also earned her second goal of the game when she scored in the 50th minute to put the Tigers up 4-0.
Four minutes later, Chirinos got her hat trick when she scored what would be the Tigers final goal of the game in the 54th minute to put James Kenan up 5-0. The goal was also Chirinos 25th goal of the season which puts her in first place in the North Carolina High School Athletic Association 2A East Central Conference for most goals scored.
With just five minutes left in the game, North Lenoir finally scored their first goal, but it was too little and far too late as they fell by a final score of 5-1.
James Kenan head coach Kenny Williams said, after the game, that he was pleased with the way his young team took control of the game early and never relented.
“We are really young. We are starting six freshmen … and a couple other sophomores. So ... sometimes those young ones can give you nervous fits, but overall, I was pleased. They showed a little bit of maturity in coming out and just kind of getting control.”
Williams also said that, with the win, he feels like his team is now a good position to earn a place in the playoffs.
“We’re in a firm spot. That pretty much should lock us in,” James Kenan head coach Kenny Williams said. “It’s just a matter of finding out kind of where we are going to fall (seeding wise).”
With the win, James Kenan finished the season with a 9-7-1 overall record and 3-6-1 in conference play. With the loss, North Lenoir fell to 4-11-2 overall and 0-9 in conference play with two games left to go.
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