Warriors survive Dixon, 3rd round on walk-off PK

The Hunt High girls soccer team, boosted by timely words of motivation from head coach Richard Frazier, needed 109 minutes and 18 seconds (80 minutes of regulation, two 10-minute overtimes, a five-minute overtime and four minutes and 18 seconds into the second five-minute overtime) a 29-10 margin in shots,  two hours, 35 minutes, an anxiety-filled evening and an unexpected match-ending play to get it done Monday evening on the Hunt pitch.

The long evening ended with Hunt, the No. 4 seed among 32 East Region qualifiers, advancing into the fourth round of the NCHSAA 3-A playoffs for a third consecutive year with a tense 3-2 walk-off triumph against Dixon, the No. 12 seed. The teams were only 42 seconds away from deciding the thriller with penalty kicks.

Hunt senior Cappa Bunn nailed a penalty kick with 42 seconds showing in the second five-minute overtime to snap the 2-2 deadlock that occurred when the Bulldogs struck for the tying goal with 1:51 remaining in regulation.

Frazier’s Warriors, again the 3-A Quad County Conference champions, earned a berth against top-seeded Western Alamance on Thursday night. Western Alamance ousted Cape Fear, 2-0, Monday. Hunt (18-4-1) will be traveling for the first time in the 2024 playoffs.

Dixon, No. 2 from the Coastal Conference, exited with a 16-4-1 record. The Bulldogs of head coach Josh King reached the third round in 2023.

“The girls played their hearts out,” Frazier praised. “Unfortunately, we didn’t quite finish in regulation. We were the better team throughout. I am glad for the girls that we were able to pull out the win.”

Hunt players and coaches immediately recognized the foul in the box when junior Mariah Polk was pushed from behind by a Dixon player that resulted in the penalty kick.

Bunn said she usually gets the nod to take Hunt’s penalty kicks and added of Dixon’s standout sophomore goalkeeper Avah Burns: “She is really good and we knew that coming in.

“I just had to keep it cool, not worry about the pressure, stick to my penalty-kick routine and kick it. I sent it to the bottom right corner. Not to be overconfident, but I was sure it was good.”

Understandably, the game-ending situation prompted complaints from the Bulldogs.

“That was a bad way to end the game,” King carefully said.

Frazier responded: “That’s why we play until the last whistle.”

After a scoreless first half, Dixon struck first with some two minutes elapsed in the second half. Freshman Eva Dykes flicked in a shot from close range after taking a pass from sophomore Emma Davis, a top Dixon threat along with freshman midfielder Lily Getman, who was all over the pitch.

Hunt then turned to senior captain Kate Conoley, who tied the score when her corner kick sailed over Burns’ head and into the net with 30:36 left in regulation. With slightly over 14 minutes showing, junior Kamryn Graybeal worked the ball to junior Natalie Capps. Capps fired a shot that was stopped, but Conoley cleaned up for a 2-1 Hunt edge.

But the Warriors’ taste for victory soured. Dixon attacked the Hunt goal in force. Davis cranked the first shot and freshman Hunt keeper Callie Roundtree responded with a sensational save. The ball rolled away and the Bulldogs attempted a rebound; Roundree managed the save. But the third attempt by sophomore Alexa Cole found the mark for the 2-2 tie.

The first 10-minute overtime did not produce any dangerous shots as the Warriors notched a 11-3 edge behind Conoley, Polk and Natalie Capps.

Bunn’s free kick proved to be Hunt’s best opportunity in the second 10-minute overtime, while Dixon’s best chance came on Cole’s attempt.

The first five-minute overtime was uneventful and the weariness showed on players from both team. Hunt used only 12 players and the Bulldogs, without a senior, started five freshmen, four sophomores and two juniors.

In the second five-minute overtime, Dixon’s Burns made a diving save of a Hunt free kick, but she had no shot at Cappa Bunn’s rocket of a penalty kick.

The first half saw Hunt possess the ball in dominating fashion, but couldn’t capitalize. The 40 minutes were a tribute to the defenses — Hunt’s Roundtree, senior captain Katie Davis, junior Valeria Zarate and freshman Emory Honeycutt, and Dixon’s Burns, freshman Kennedy Neighbors, Elizabeth Capps and Dayna Sumner and sophomore Tiana Greene.

“We thought Dixon would be  very defensive-minded — and they were,” Frazier noted. “But this is the third round and we anticipated a tough match. We left quite a few goals on the table. But as long as we can play good soccer and create opportunities, we have a chance.”

Commented Bunn: “We knew they were very physical. It was definitely good competition for the third round.

“We came out a little slow (to start the second half) and they capitalized. It was just unfortunate on that second goal. We were still working hard and Callie played great.”

Of overtime, Bunn expressed: “We have been in it plenty of times, and we had the right mentality. It was very intense out there. But we all played for each other and that helped us come through.”

Dixon had Hunt scrambling to defend its turf with its aggressive start to the second half.

“In the first half, we were just trying to sit back and figure out Hunt. We did not attack. We were not oriented to do so.

“In the second half, we tried to get our girls on the outside a little higher. We moved No. 16 (Davis) from center forward to the wing sometimes.

“But Hunt played a great game. Hunt is a very good team and we wish them the best the rest of the way.”

The Bulldogs were just bitter about a great match’s conclusion.

“That was thrilling,” Bunn described the exhausting 109-plus minutes. “It had my heart racing a little bit.”

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