Support Bladen County sports coverage through donation on PayPal by clicking here. For business sponsorship options, contact Charlotte Smith at BladenOnlineSales@gmail.com or 910-876-5393.
Freshman Ishaq Algozy had three goals and an assist Saturday afternoon as East Bladen shut out the Mattamuskeet Lakers 8-0 in the first round of the N.C. High School Athletic Association 1A boys’ soccer playoffs.
The Eagles, 11-6-2 and seeded No. 15 in 1A East, advance to play at No. 2 East seed Hobbton in a second round game tentatively scheduled Tuesday. Hobbton, 19-5-1, defeated East Columbus 9-0 on Saturday.
Hobbton beat the Eagles 5-4 in a regular season game Sept. 9 at East Bladen. The Wildcats eliminated East Bladen 5-0 in the second round of the 2023 playoffs.
“We played well,” East Bladen coach Jay Raynor said. “Some nerves early on. Tight game a majority of the way.
“Changed some tactics at half and things opened up. Gabril was a difference maker in the second half.”
Ishaq Algozy scored both East Bladen goals in the first half. The first off an assist from Davion Lewis off a set piece and the second two minutes later from 25 yards out.
The Eagles broke it open in the second half with six goals. Senior Gabril Algozy had a goal and three assists. Andrio Garcia had a pair of goals. Marco Ventura, Jayce Hatcher and Ishaq Algozy also scored for East Bladen.
East Bladen outshot the Lakers 24-2. Keepers Colton Daly and Fox Sutton combined for the shutout.
“Defensively we put together another solid performance,” Raynor said. “Had a couple mistakes that put us in bad situations, but we came out of them unscathed.”
East Bladen has advanced to the second round of the state playoffs in seven of the past eight seasons.
PLAYOFF SCORES
2A
Friday’s Results
Bunn 10, West Bladen 1
Clinton 6, Princeton 0
Heide Trask 1, Southwest Onslow 0
Saturday’s Results
North Lenoir 4, Midway 3 (2OT)
East Duplin 6, St. Pauls 2
1A
Saturday’s Results
East Bladen 8, Mattamuskeet 0
Pender 9, Southern Wake Academy 0
Hobbton 9, East Columbus 0
Support Bladen County sports coverage through donation on PayPal by clicking here. For business sponsorship options, contact Charlotte Smith at BladenOnlineSales@gmail.com or 910-876-5393.
Author: Sonny Jones
About Author
