Hawks strike early, ease past Blue Devils in regular-season finale for both teams

North Lenoir’s Taiwan Hines waits to throw the ball into play during second-half action against South Lenoir on Wednesday evening. Photo by Rudy Coggins/NeuseNews

DEEP RUN - First touch.

Possession.

Set pieces.

North Lenoir executed each phase to near perfection, particularly in the first half, during its 4-1 conquest of Eastern Carolina 2-A rival South Lenoir on Wednesday evening.

Junior varsity call-up Yahir Villagran provided two goals for the playoff-bound Hawks, who collected their sixth consecutive victory over the Blue Devils. Senior Taiwan Hines supplied one goal and one assist.

"We work hard in practice on our set pieces, save the last 20 minutes of practice each day for those," fourth-year NL head coach Chris Evans said.

The Hawks (12-6-1 overall, 9-3 EC 2A) seized command in the fifth minute.

Hines corraled a loose ball in the midfield circle and delivered a pass to fellow senior Luis Hernandez, who split two defenders to gain possession. Hernandez ripped a low liner that settled into the net past Blue Devils keeper Diego Rodriguez, who tried to take away the near post.

"[The early goal] was very critical because it was only 4-1," Evans said. "It was a good game. They were battling hard all night. It's good to get up on top because with a 4-1 game, you don't know what's going to happen."

Hines' throw-in during the 26th minute clanged off the back post and dropped behind the goal line. Six minutes later, his free kick bounced off the post. Villagran cleaned up on the play with his initial goal of the night.

"They're a very aggressive team, they're well coached and their throw-ins are better than a corner kick," SL head coach David Whaley said. "They put in a great spot. [Hines] does a great job of putting that ball in the middle and they practice that a lot, you can tell, because they don't throw it where the goalie can get it.

"They put it a little bit farther out, that in-between land and we struggled with that tonight."

Villagran scored again in the 40th minute on Jose Sanchez's assist.

South Lenoir (9-11-0, 5-7-0) adjusted its scheme at the break and leveled the playing field in the second half. The teams played back and forth on the pitch and Rodriguez, one of seven seniors honored before kickoff, kept the Hawks scoreless.

Rodriguez logged nine saves.

"He did a good job, has done well all year long," Whaley said. "We hate to see him go, but he's done really good on help training these underclassmen to take his spot."

Steven Rodriguez tallied the Blue Devils' lone goal in the 42nd minute.