High school roundup: Conley girls' soccer in dominant form

The D.H. Conley girls’ soccer team stumbled out of the gate this season, losing three of its first four games.

Things have looked completely different ever since. In fact, heading into Thursday night’s clash with a struggling 2-8-1 Havelock team, the Vikings had not lost a match since, reeling off seven straight wins.

What’s more impressive is that Conley (8-3, 5-0 Big Carolina Conference) allowed just a single goal in those seven games, outscoring opponents by a staggering 46-1 in that span. The streak includes wins over Clinton (7-0), Northside Jacksonville (3-0), Havelock (9-0), J.H. Rose (1-0), New Bern (8-0), Holmes (10-1) and Northside Jacksonville again (8-0).

Conley bagged five first-half goals in the most recent win and got another hat trick from Marissa Sutton, two goals from Annelise Black and single tallies from Rebekah Ochoa, Jahniyah Augustus and Sadie Southern. Keepers Madison Hopkins and Raegan Dixon combined on the shutout.

Against Holmes, Grace Gaskins scored three goals, Hopkins added two and Augustus, Meredith Rupp, Ochoa, Sutton and Mallory Richardson added one apiece.

Against New Bern, Richardson led the charge with two goals, followed by single tallies by Augustus, Rupp, Ochoa, Gaskins, Aubrey Mayberry and Hopkins, who also combined with Dixon and Carter Loch to earn the clean sheet.

After Havelock, the Vikings host South Central on Friday.

J.H. Rose 4, South Central 0

Rose dominated the Big Carolina clash on Tuesday with four second-half goals to complete a season sweep of the Falcons.

The Rampants claimed the previous meeting, 6-0.

South Central (4-9-1, 0-6) travels to Conley on Friday.

J.H. Rose 2, Fike 2

The Rampants settled for a draw on Wednesday night but remained unbeaten in four straight matches.

All four goals came in the second half.

Rose (9-2-1, 5-2) played at Northside Jacksonville on Thursday.

North Pitt 2, Farmville Central 1

The Panthers claimed a key Eastern Plains Conference win on Tuesday night, riding two first half goals to the finish line to end Farmville’s winning streak at four and deal the Jags their first loss of the season.

It marked the third straight win for North Pitt. The teams won’t see each other again until May 2.

FC (4-1, 2-1) faced 10-0 Washington on Thursday night, while North Pitt (4-7, 3-1) plays at West Craven on Monday.

West Craven 4, Greene Central 2 (OT)

The Rams dropped their sixth in a row, surrendering two goals in extra time to the Eagles on Tuesday night.

The setback spoiled a two-goal performance by Greene Central sophomore Suriel Arevalo.

The Rams (1-11, 0-4) played at SouthWest Edgecombe on Thursday night.

Coastal Christian 3, John Paul II 0

The Saints could not make it two wins in a row, dropping a shutout to Coastal on Tuesday night.

Hannah Shoemaker made seven saves for JPII (5-6, 1-2), but the team in front of her could not make a dent.

The Saints traveled to Kinston to take on Parrott Academy on Thursday.

GOLF

Conley takes 2nd

D.H. Conley placed second in a Big Carolina Conference match on Monday at Greenville Country Club, shooting 312 (+28) as a team.

It’s the best team score posted by the Vikings since the 2022 season and included four players finishing in the top 10. Senior Coleton DuRant carded another even-par outing (71), followed by junior Wilson McCann who posted back-to-back scores in the 70s.

The Vikings were back on the course at Treyburn Country Club for the TYGA North Carolina Invitational this week.

Last week, Conley placed first in non-conference action at Lane Tree Golf Club in the team’s Senior Match.

DuRant led the Vikings with a bogey-free, 3-under 69, while Jerry Barajas-Nunez shot 86 in his first match of the season. Zac Price made his high school debut and shot a 92.

Also last week, the Vikings finished second in a Big Carolina Conference match at Jacksonville Country Club, with DuRant firing an even-par 72 and McCann a 78.