Sep 29

Sep 29 Week 6 Soccer Roundup: Area scorers heating up as league play tightens

Week 6 Soccer Roundup: Area scorers heating up as league play tightens

Greene Central surges, North Lenoir’s Smith stays hot, Jones Senior climbs the 1A RPI

Greene Central (5-4-2) — momentum building
Rams have won three straight and sit No. 13 in 3A RPI. Miguel Zavala (Sr.) is carrying the attack with 22 goals; Josh Osorio (Sr.) adds 7. Erick Rodriguez (Sr.) has 72 saves and 1 clean sheet in 11 matches. League table: GC is 2nd in Eastern Plains play behind Ayden-Grifton on goal difference; conference slate resumes Wednesday vs. Ayden-Grifton.

South Lenoir (5-4-2) — balanced attack keeps Devils in the mix
Blue Devils are No. 21 in 3A RPI with a defense-first profile (24 GA in 11). Scoring by committee: Emilio Flores Salinas (Jr.) 7, Alonzo Lopez (Fr.) 7, Michael Chavez (Sr.) 4 (in one appearance). East Central race is tight with Clinton/East Duplin up next; Clinton at South Lenoir on Wednesday.

North Lenoir (5-9, 2-2 TRC) — star form from Smith, tough schedule shows
Hawks sit No. 27 in state RPI after a front-loaded run against top-25 opponents. Maddox Smith (Sr.) is on a tear: 28 goals, 8 assists in 14. Nery Aguilar (Sr.) is the table-setter (18 assists, 5 goals). Evan Smith (So.) has faced volume (110 saves); keeping NL in matches as TRC heats up. Next up: West Craven at North Lenoir (Tue), North Johnston at NL (Thu).

Jones Senior (5-7) — Sanchez leads Trojans into 1A hunt
Trojans check in at No. 23 in 1A RPI and 3rd in the Coastal Plains behind unbeaten Lejeune. Kevin Sanchez (Jr.) is one of the state’s most productive scorers: 22 goals in 12. Support crew: Joseph Sanchez (So.) 11G/5A, Angel Salinas (Jr.) 7G, Tony Villalobos (Sr.) 3G/5A. Freshman Jesstin Crump and Brodie Stevens (Sr.) have split time in goal (combined 18 saves, 2 SO). This week: at Pamlico (Mon), Lejeune to Trenton (Wed).

Kinston (0-1) — early days
Vikings just underway (0-1, 9 GA). Rivalry week: Greene Central at Kinston (Mon), then at Farmville Central (Wed).

Bethel Christian (2-6-1) — chasing WCA in NCCSA AA D4
District table: Wilmington Christian 7-0, Living Water 2-4, Bethel 1-4, Scotland Christian 0-7. Key stretch: Living Water at Bethel (Tue), Southside Christian at Bethel (Fri); chance to climb before October push.

Conference standings

Eastern Plains 2A/3A

Ayden-Grifton (2-5-1)
Greene Central (5-4-2)
Beddingfield (2-3)
Farmville Central (0-1-1)
Tarboro (1-6-2)
Kinston (0-1)

East Central 3A/4A

Clinton (10-2)
South Lenoir (5-4-2)
East Duplin (6-5-1)
Pender (3-7-2)
Heide Trask (2-6-2)
Southwest Onslow (1-7)

Three Rivers 4A

North Pitt (11-1-2, 4-0 conf)
Washington (7-1-1, 3-0 conf)
North Lenoir (5-9, 2-2 conf)
Eastern Wayne (3-4-2, 1-1-1 conf)
North Johnston (1-11-2, 0-2-1 conf)
West Craven (2-9, 0-2 conf)
SouthWest Edgecombe (4-6, 0-3 conf)

Coastal Plains 1A/2A

Lejeune (8-0-1)
Southside (6-7-1)
Jones Senior (5-7)
East Carteret (0-6)
Pamlico County (0-7)

NCCSA AA D4

Wilmington Christian (7-0)
Living Water (2-4)
Bethel Christian (1-4)
Scotland Christian (0-7)

This week’s slate (Sept 29–Oct 4)
Monday (Sept 29) — Greene Central at Kinston; Heide Trask at South Lenoir; Jones Senior at Pamlico.
Tuesday (Sept 30) — West Craven at North Lenoir; Living Water at Bethel Christian.
Wednesday (Oct 1) — Ayden-Grifton at Greene Central; Kinston at Farmville Central; Clinton at South Lenoir; Lejeune at Jones Senior.
Thursday (Oct 2) — North Johnston at North Lenoir.
Friday (Oct 3) — Southside Christian at Bethel Christian.

Stat leaders (area)

Goals