Warriors keep clicking, blank Gryphons 9-0

The early-season rise of the Hunt High boys soccer program continued at the expense of Rocky Mount again on a fall-like Tuesday evening, Sept. 3, as the Warriors claimed a 9-0 mercy-rule decision that ended a minute short of regulation.

Their second shutout victory over the Gryphons this season left the 3-A Quad County Conference Warriors 4-1-1, which equals their victory total over the last four years combined. Granted, Hunt’s five opponents have a combined 5-16-4 mark but the Warriors were those teams a few years and now they’re looking like, if not a Quad County contender then certainly as team with a shot at an NCHSAA postseason berth. That hasn’t happened for Hunt since 2017.

“I continue to be very pleased with how far we grow every week,” said head coach Harrison Lamm. “Just continue to see what areas need improving and practice addressing those areas, and then when we get to the next game, those are things that we’re executing.”

Hunt executed much better after halftime than in the first half when goals by senior Kenan Collins and freshman Talon Mayo staked the Warriors to a 2-0 lead — but it could have been more. The Warriors were a bit bedeviled by an offsides trap set by the 3-A Gryphons (0-6-1) of the 2-A/3-A Big East Conference.

“So in the first half, we had a lot of opportunities, but we just kept shooting ourselves in the foot with the offsides,” Lamm said. “The space was there due to them playing a high line; we were just a little undisciplined with staying onsides. And then at halftime, we made adjustments.”

Hunt clicked to the tune of seven second-half goals with Mayo and Collins each finishing with two. Mayo also had a pair of assists.

“In the second half, they kept their high line, and we just continued to send the ball forward and let our speed do the trick,” Lamm said “And you know, I’m very proud of the boys for kicking it up a notch in the second half and taking care of business.”

The Warriors coach said he counted 27 shots for his team while Hunt junior goalkeeper Victor Gutierrez made three saves in recording his second shutout — both against Rocky Mount.

Collins scored in the 13th minute off a pass from freshman center midfielder Santi Herrera before Mayo buried a penalty kick in the 33rd minute. Junior striker Dom Hamilton triggered a five-goal flurry over a six-minute stretch in the second half when he finished a pass from classmate Will Doll in the 48th minute.

Senior Jay Misback scored in the 49th minute and junior Isai Salgado Hernandez followed with a strike a minute later with Mayo delivering the assist. Collins drilled an accurate P.K. in the 51st minute and May completed the onslaught with his second goal on Doll’s second assist.

But the big moment for Hunt came in the 61st minute when senior Walter Hayes scored his first career goal. Hayes, who had been the student manager for Lamm-coached soccer teams going all the way to Springfield Middle four years ago, knocked in an unassisted goal that brought his teammates off the bench, whooping their praise as the ones on the field surrounded Hayes.

“We really wanted to reward him this year with bringing him on the team this year and then for him to score a goal!” said Lamm.

The Warriors had several good looks at initiating the mercy-rule ending but it wasn’t until the penultimate minute of play that sophomore center back Mark Dixon halted the contest with goal, assisted by Mayo.

The Warriors will hit the road Thursday to play at Princeton (0-4-1) of the 2-A Neuse 6 Conference on Thursday evening before traveling to 2-A Nash Central of the Big East the following Thursday, Sept. 12. Hunt kicks off Quad County play Monday, Sept. 16, at defending QCC champion C.B. Aycock.

Lamm, in his fifth year as the coach at his alma mater, said the Warriors are a much different team than the past few years with some new faces mixing in with the established players.

“Will Doll and Mark Dixon have done a very good job as a pairing in the back on defense, so they’ve anchored it down for us,” Lamm said. “Santi (Herrera) has done very well at being a creator for us. Christian Herrera, who is very smart, IQ-wise, he’s done a good job putting us in position to stabilize our midfield. And then, you’ve got players like Talon Mayo, who is both defensively and offensively a workhorse and Dom Hamilton has been on fire lately up top.

“I knew we had talent coming in, but we’ve got so many new pieces and existing pieces that just complement each other so well that everything’s firing right now. And with more practice, we just become more dangerous and stronger so I think when conference hits, as long as we can play our game and continue to improve, then, we’ll definitely be competing.”

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