Asheboro soccer reaches third round of playoffs

MIKE DUPREZ

Randolph Hub

SOCCER

Cristian Ortiz Benitez scored a hat trick as top-seeded Asheboro walloped No. 32 West Mecklenburg 9-0 in the first round of the 3-A state playoffs in a game stopped early because of the score. Diego Bustamante and Brandon Santos each had a goal along with an assist.

*Riley Queen and Anakin Leister both scored two goals in No. 2 Wheatmore’s 5-2 win over No. 31 Monroe in the first round of the 2-A state playoffs. They both also had an assist. The Warriors held a slim 1-0 lead at halftime before pulling away. Warriors keeper Nick Galloway made 15 saves.

*Trinity, the No. 12 seed, fell 3-0 to No. 21 Brevard in the first round of the 2-A state playoffs. The Bulldogs ended their season with a 15-5-2 record.

*Randleman, the No. 26 seed, fell 4-0 to No. 7 Robinson in the first round of the 2-A state playoffs, ending the Tigers’ season. The Tigers had a 7-12-1 record.

*Southwestern Randolph, seeded No. 29, lost 7-0 to No. 4 Hendersonville in the first round of the 2-A state playoffs. The Cougars had a 7-12-2 record.

*Eastern Randolph, seeded No. 6 in 1-A, blanked No. 27 Hayesville 5-0 in the first round of the 1-A state playoffs.

*Uwharrie Charter fell 1-0 to South Stokes in the first round of the 1-A state playoffs. The 19th-seeded Eagles ended the season with a 7-10 record.

*Brandon Santos and Benitez scored the goals in Asheboro’s 2-1 win over No. 17 West Henderson in the second round of the 3-A state playoffs played in Asheboro. The top-seeded Blue Comets (21-1-2) advanced to a third-round match at home against No. 25 West Iredell on Monday, Nov. 7. West Iredell upset two higher-ranked teams to get to the third round.

*Wheatmore fell 2-0 to No. 15 Patton in the second round of the 2-A state playoffs. It was the Warriors’ first loss of the season. The second-seeded Warriors ended their season with a 19-1-4 record. Patton improved to 18-4-1.

*Eastern Randolph dropped a 6-3 decision to No. 11 Bradford Prep in the second round of the 1-A state playoffs. The sixth-seeded Wildcats ended up with an 11-6 record. Bradford Prep improved to 12-7-3.

CROSS COUNTRY

*Eastern Randolph’s Brecken Snotherly finished eighth in the girls’ 1-A state championship meet at the Ivy Redmon Sports Complex in Kernersville.

SCHEDULES

FOOTBALL

Nov. 11

State playoffs, second round

1-A

No. 17 Mountain Heritage at No. 1 Eastern Randolph

2-A

No. 17 Providence Grove at No. 1 Reidsville

SOCCER

Monday, Nov. 7

State playoffs, third round

3-A

No. 25 West Iredell at No. 1 Asheboro