Falcons Nest - Sept. 18
Falcons Show Growth and Grit
Varsity Girls Golf
The O’Neal Varsity Girls Golf Team competed in its third conference contest of the season at Bayonet Golf Course at Puppy Creek.
A new course, high temperatures and firmer greens presented additional challenges, but the Falcons persevered. All four O’Neal golfers either tied or improved upon their lowest scores of the season, demonstrating the team’s continued growth and determination.
Maddie Leland delivered a standout performance, improving her previous season-best score by five strokes.
The Falcons finished third overall, leaving the course with another strong performance and plenty of momentum as they continue through the season.
One date to verify: September 13, 2026, was a Sunday. If the match was Monday, the date was September 14.
A new course, high temperatures and firmer greens presented additional challenges, but the Falcons persevered. All four O’Neal golfers either tied or improved upon their lowest scores of the season, demonstrating the team’s continued growth and determination.
Maddie Leland delivered a standout performance, improving her previous season-best score by five strokes.
The Falcons finished third overall, leaving the course with another strong performance and plenty of momentum as they continue through the season.
One date to verify: September 13, 2026, was a Sunday. If the match was Monday, the date was September 14.
Varsity Cross Country
This week, O’Neal Cross Country took on a true cross-country course. It was a fast, compact sand trail winding through the woods with a few hills along the way. After a difficult first meet, the team came into this race with a mission: run smarter, pace themselves, and save something for the middle of the race instead of taking off too fast. They did exactly that, and the results were impressive—the team averaged 75 seconds faster than their first 5K of the season! That kind of improvement in just a few weeks is a testament to the hard work they’ve put in, but it also showed them how much course conditions, temperature, and race strategy can impact a runner’s time. Most importantly, they learned to trust their training, adapt, and see the payoff of their work.
This week, O’Neal Cross Country took on a true cross-country course. It was a fast, compact sand trail winding through the woods with a few hills along the way. After a difficult first meet, the team came into this race with a mission: run smarter, pace themselves, and save something for the middle of the race instead of taking off too fast. They did exactly that, and the results were impressive—the team averaged 75 seconds faster than their first 5K of the season! That kind of improvement in just a few weeks is a testament to the hard work they’ve put in, but it also showed them how much course conditions, temperature, and race strategy can impact a runner’s time. Most importantly, they learned to trust their training, adapt, and see the payoff of their work.
Middle School Cross Country
This week the Falcons battled a brutal course in the woods hosted by Village Chrisitan on Tuesday, September 15th. The course contained a few hills on a narrow 1.5 mile looped trail.
The girls' team, led by 6th graders Landis Howlerda and Nora Owsiany, had times of 12:03 and 12:10. The top five girls were less than 3 minutes from each other!
The boys' team was led by a pack of three; William Schupp, Will Chalker, and Aiden Wilcox. The front three boys were within 25 seconds of each other, with 6th graders Emerson Williams and Bentley Cummings close by with times of 13:15 and 13:20.
The Falcons are preparing for their next two meets on September 24th hosted by Fayetteville Christian and then two days later September 26th traveling to Oxford, NC at the Central Children's Home XC Festival. The Falcons wrap up their season with back-to-back home meets on October 6th and October 20th for the SEMSAC Conference Championship.
This week the Falcons battled a brutal course in the woods hosted by Village Chrisitan on Tuesday, September 15th. The course contained a few hills on a narrow 1.5 mile looped trail.
The girls' team, led by 6th graders Landis Howlerda and Nora Owsiany, had times of 12:03 and 12:10. The top five girls were less than 3 minutes from each other!
The boys' team was led by a pack of three; William Schupp, Will Chalker, and Aiden Wilcox. The front three boys were within 25 seconds of each other, with 6th graders Emerson Williams and Bentley Cummings close by with times of 13:15 and 13:20.
The Falcons are preparing for their next two meets on September 24th hosted by Fayetteville Christian and then two days later September 26th traveling to Oxford, NC at the Central Children's Home XC Festival. The Falcons wrap up their season with back-to-back home meets on October 6th and October 20th for the SEMSAC Conference Championship.
Middle School Boys Soccer
O'Neal vs. Berean Baptist Academy: 8-2, Win
The Falcons hit the road to take on Berean Baptist and delivered one of their most dominant performances of the season. From the opening whistle, O'Neal controlled possession and dictated the pace of play, keeping the ball in the attacking half for much of the match. The Falcons consistently created scoring opportunities through quick passing and relentless pressure.
William French proved to be a constant threat, using his speed to outrun defenders and create chances throughout the game. The Falcons’ offense was firing on all cylinders, finding the back of the net four times in the first half and continuing its attack after the break. The highlight of the day came in the closing seconds when Hughes Scogin launched a remarkable shot from midfield that sailed into the goal as time expired. The Falcons' complete team effort earned them an impressive 8-2 victory.
O'Neal vs. Village Christian Academy: 1-3, Loss
The Falcons returned to action against Village Christian, a team that had mercy-ruled O'Neal in their first meeting earlier this season. Determined to show their improvement, the boys came out with confidence and energy. Their hard work paid off early when a perfectly weighted through ball set up O'Neal's first goal of the match, giving the Falcons an early lead.
Despite the strong start, Village Christian responded by capitalizing on unmarked runs in the attacking third. A series of well-timed attacks allowed the visitors to erase the deficit and take control of the match. O'Neal continued to battle throughout the second half, showing resilience and determination against a talented opponent. Although the Falcons played with tremendous heart and competed until the final whistle, they fell 3-1. The performance, however, was a significant improvement from the teams' first meeting and reflected the growth the Falcons have shown throughout the season.
O'Neal vs. Berean Baptist Academy: 8-2, Win
The Falcons hit the road to take on Berean Baptist and delivered one of their most dominant performances of the season. From the opening whistle, O'Neal controlled possession and dictated the pace of play, keeping the ball in the attacking half for much of the match. The Falcons consistently created scoring opportunities through quick passing and relentless pressure.
William French proved to be a constant threat, using his speed to outrun defenders and create chances throughout the game. The Falcons’ offense was firing on all cylinders, finding the back of the net four times in the first half and continuing its attack after the break. The highlight of the day came in the closing seconds when Hughes Scogin launched a remarkable shot from midfield that sailed into the goal as time expired. The Falcons' complete team effort earned them an impressive 8-2 victory.
O'Neal vs. Village Christian Academy: 1-3, Loss
The Falcons returned to action against Village Christian, a team that had mercy-ruled O'Neal in their first meeting earlier this season. Determined to show their improvement, the boys came out with confidence and energy. Their hard work paid off early when a perfectly weighted through ball set up O'Neal's first goal of the match, giving the Falcons an early lead.
Despite the strong start, Village Christian responded by capitalizing on unmarked runs in the attacking third. A series of well-timed attacks allowed the visitors to erase the deficit and take control of the match. O'Neal continued to battle throughout the second half, showing resilience and determination against a talented opponent. Although the Falcons played with tremendous heart and competed until the final whistle, they fell 3-1. The performance, however, was a significant improvement from the teams' first meeting and reflected the growth the Falcons have shown throughout the season.
Varsity Boys Soccer:
O’Neal vs Berean Baptist Academy: 7-1, Win
The O’Neal School Boys Varsity Soccer team experienced two very different matches this week, beginning with a dominant road victory over Berean Baptist Academy before returning home to face Village Christian Academy, one of the strongest teams in the state.
The Falcons opened the week against the Berean Baptist Bulldogs and wasted little time taking control, rolling to a convincing victory. Parker Fusonie made the occasion especially memorable by celebrating his birthday with a hat trick, while Oliver Gabor reached an important milestone by scoring his first goal of the season.
O’Neal vs. Village Christian Academy: 0-2, Loss
The victory gave the Falcons momentum heading into their second match against Village Christian, currently ranked fourth among the state’s 2A teams. O’Neal matched Village throughout an intense opening half, with both teams battling for control of the midfield and remaining scoreless at halftime.
The match became increasingly heated after the break. Village was awarded a penalty kick following contact in the box, and goalkeeper Murphy Stanton nearly produced a big save. Stanton read the penalty well and got his fingertips to the shot, but could not quite keep it out as Village took a 1-0 lead. Following a fiery exchange later in the match, one player from each team was sent off, forcing both sides to finish with 10 players.
O’Neal pushed more players forward in search of an equalizer, opening additional space on the field. Village eventually capitalized on an errant Falcon pass and scored its second goal to secure the 2-0 victory. Despite the loss, the performance showed significant growth from the teams’ first meeting earlier in the season. The Falcons held the fourth-ranked team scoreless throughout the first half and remained within one goal until the closing stages. Stanton’s performance in goal kept O’Neal in the contest, while the entire Falcon side showed its willingness to compete throughout a physical, emotional and hard-fought match.
O’Neal vs Berean Baptist Academy: 7-1, Win
The O’Neal School Boys Varsity Soccer team experienced two very different matches this week, beginning with a dominant road victory over Berean Baptist Academy before returning home to face Village Christian Academy, one of the strongest teams in the state.
The Falcons opened the week against the Berean Baptist Bulldogs and wasted little time taking control, rolling to a convincing victory. Parker Fusonie made the occasion especially memorable by celebrating his birthday with a hat trick, while Oliver Gabor reached an important milestone by scoring his first goal of the season.
O’Neal vs. Village Christian Academy: 0-2, Loss
The victory gave the Falcons momentum heading into their second match against Village Christian, currently ranked fourth among the state’s 2A teams. O’Neal matched Village throughout an intense opening half, with both teams battling for control of the midfield and remaining scoreless at halftime.
The match became increasingly heated after the break. Village was awarded a penalty kick following contact in the box, and goalkeeper Murphy Stanton nearly produced a big save. Stanton read the penalty well and got his fingertips to the shot, but could not quite keep it out as Village took a 1-0 lead. Following a fiery exchange later in the match, one player from each team was sent off, forcing both sides to finish with 10 players.
O’Neal pushed more players forward in search of an equalizer, opening additional space on the field. Village eventually capitalized on an errant Falcon pass and scored its second goal to secure the 2-0 victory. Despite the loss, the performance showed significant growth from the teams’ first meeting earlier in the season. The Falcons held the fourth-ranked team scoreless throughout the first half and remained within one goal until the closing stages. Stanton’s performance in goal kept O’Neal in the contest, while the entire Falcon side showed its willingness to compete throughout a physical, emotional and hard-fought match.
Varsity Volleyball:
O'Neal at Berean Baptist Academy: 1-3, Loss (16-25, 8-25, 28-26, 14-25)
The Falcons traveled to Berean Baptist Academy on Tuesday, September 15th and pushed a strong opponent to four sets, the first four-set match of O'Neal's season. After an opening set that was closer than the final score suggested, the Falcons fell behind early in the second and were unable to recover. O'Neal answered in the third with the best volleyball of their season: tied at 20-20, the two teams traded points down the stretch before the Falcons closed it out 28-26 to take the set. Berean opened the fourth with a scoring run, and O'Neal battled back and kept competing to the final whistle.
Lily Austin turned in an excellent all-around match, staying aggressive from the service line with three aces on 15 attempts while also leading the Falcons in serve receive rating and adding 12 digs. Myer Johnson anchored the back row, handling a team-high 38 serve receive attempts and recording a team-best 13 digs. Emma Garrison was O'Neal's most efficient server on the night with four aces, and Stella McPeake, Hadden Habets and Reagan Lowth each contributed three kills. The Falcons served aggressively as a team, totaling 12 aces, and passed better than their season average — continuing the steady improvement they've shown with contributions from across the roster.
O'Neal at Village Christian Academy: 1-3, Loss (8-25, 25-20, 9-25, 15-25)
The Falcons hosted Village Christian Academy on Thursday, September 17th and took a set from the top team in the conference — the first set O'Neal has won against Village Christian in more than two years. After dropping a lopsided opening set, the Falcons came out and controlled the second from start to finish, serving and passing with confidence on their way to a 25-20 win. Village Christian answered in the third, and O'Neal regrouped once more in the fourth, battling to a 15-25 finish. The Falcons passed the ball better than they have all season, receiving serve at their highest team rating of the year and consistently giving their setters something to work with.
Myer Johnson was everywhere in the back row, leading the team with 15 digs while handling a team-high 29 serve receive attempts. Lily Austin was excellent on both sides of the ball, passing at a team-best rating, adding 8 digs, and serving 11 times without a single error. Stella McPeake led the Falcons with four kills, and Layla Duffy added two kills and five digs. Emma Garrison ran the offense with eight assists, while Mallory McPeake handled the bulk of the setting workload across four sets. Reagan Lowth, Lilly Hobson and Lizzie Gomlak each contributed kills, and Mallory McPeake served a team-best 2.43 rating with two aces. It was the Falcons' most complete performance of the season against their toughest opponent.
The Falcons return home Tuesday, September 22nd to host Northwood Temple at 5:00pm.
O'Neal at Berean Baptist Academy: 1-3, Loss (16-25, 8-25, 28-26, 14-25)
The Falcons traveled to Berean Baptist Academy on Tuesday, September 15th and pushed a strong opponent to four sets, the first four-set match of O'Neal's season. After an opening set that was closer than the final score suggested, the Falcons fell behind early in the second and were unable to recover. O'Neal answered in the third with the best volleyball of their season: tied at 20-20, the two teams traded points down the stretch before the Falcons closed it out 28-26 to take the set. Berean opened the fourth with a scoring run, and O'Neal battled back and kept competing to the final whistle.
Lily Austin turned in an excellent all-around match, staying aggressive from the service line with three aces on 15 attempts while also leading the Falcons in serve receive rating and adding 12 digs. Myer Johnson anchored the back row, handling a team-high 38 serve receive attempts and recording a team-best 13 digs. Emma Garrison was O'Neal's most efficient server on the night with four aces, and Stella McPeake, Hadden Habets and Reagan Lowth each contributed three kills. The Falcons served aggressively as a team, totaling 12 aces, and passed better than their season average — continuing the steady improvement they've shown with contributions from across the roster.
O'Neal at Village Christian Academy: 1-3, Loss (8-25, 25-20, 9-25, 15-25)
The Falcons hosted Village Christian Academy on Thursday, September 17th and took a set from the top team in the conference — the first set O'Neal has won against Village Christian in more than two years. After dropping a lopsided opening set, the Falcons came out and controlled the second from start to finish, serving and passing with confidence on their way to a 25-20 win. Village Christian answered in the third, and O'Neal regrouped once more in the fourth, battling to a 15-25 finish. The Falcons passed the ball better than they have all season, receiving serve at their highest team rating of the year and consistently giving their setters something to work with.
Myer Johnson was everywhere in the back row, leading the team with 15 digs while handling a team-high 29 serve receive attempts. Lily Austin was excellent on both sides of the ball, passing at a team-best rating, adding 8 digs, and serving 11 times without a single error. Stella McPeake led the Falcons with four kills, and Layla Duffy added two kills and five digs. Emma Garrison ran the offense with eight assists, while Mallory McPeake handled the bulk of the setting workload across four sets. Reagan Lowth, Lilly Hobson and Lizzie Gomlak each contributed kills, and Mallory McPeake served a team-best 2.43 rating with two aces. It was the Falcons' most complete performance of the season against their toughest opponent.
The Falcons return home Tuesday, September 22nd to host Northwood Temple at 5:00pm.
Varsity Girls Tennis
O'Neal vs. Village Christian Academy: 6-3, W
The Lady Falcons faced Village Christian Academy on Thursday and earned a hard-fought victory against a strong opponent.
In singles play, Vivienne Rhue battled through an exciting three-set match that came down to a match tiebreaker. After splitting the first two sets, she fell just short, 6-4, 4-6, 8-10, showcasing tremendous determination and resilience throughout the match. Beth Cordero also found herself in a tightly contested battle, pushing her opponent to a match tiebreaker before narrowly falling, 6-6, 4-6, 9-11. The Falcons were dominant across the remainder of the lineup, securing four singles victories to give the team an advantage heading into doubles.
The doubles teams continued the momentum with excellent performances across the board. At Line 1 doubles, Sydney Davis and Valentina Roberts teamed up for a dominant 8-3 victory, displaying strong chemistry and consistency throughout the match. At Line 2 doubles, Beth Cordero and Izzy Grotzke showed incredible resilience, rallying from a 5-3 deficit to earn an 8-5 victory. At Line 3 doubles, Kennedy Aytes and Olivia Hostler battled hard in a competitive match and helped cap off another strong team performance for the Falcons.
Valentina Roberts delivered a standout performance for the Lady Falcons. In addition to contributing to the team’s strong singles showing, she partnered with Sydney Davis to earn an impressive 8-3 victory at Line 1 doubles and played a key role in O’Neal’s successful showing.
Photos by Wendy Hodges | The PInes Media.
Media Outlets: For High Res Photos, Email Kathy Taylor, Director of Communications
The Lady Falcons faced Village Christian Academy on Thursday and earned a hard-fought victory against a strong opponent.
In singles play, Vivienne Rhue battled through an exciting three-set match that came down to a match tiebreaker. After splitting the first two sets, she fell just short, 6-4, 4-6, 8-10, showcasing tremendous determination and resilience throughout the match. Beth Cordero also found herself in a tightly contested battle, pushing her opponent to a match tiebreaker before narrowly falling, 6-6, 4-6, 9-11. The Falcons were dominant across the remainder of the lineup, securing four singles victories to give the team an advantage heading into doubles.
The doubles teams continued the momentum with excellent performances across the board. At Line 1 doubles, Sydney Davis and Valentina Roberts teamed up for a dominant 8-3 victory, displaying strong chemistry and consistency throughout the match. At Line 2 doubles, Beth Cordero and Izzy Grotzke showed incredible resilience, rallying from a 5-3 deficit to earn an 8-5 victory. At Line 3 doubles, Kennedy Aytes and Olivia Hostler battled hard in a competitive match and helped cap off another strong team performance for the Falcons.
Valentina Roberts delivered a standout performance for the Lady Falcons. In addition to contributing to the team’s strong singles showing, she partnered with Sydney Davis to earn an impressive 8-3 victory at Line 1 doubles and played a key role in O’Neal’s successful showing.
Photos by Wendy Hodges | The PInes Media.
Media Outlets: For High Res Photos, Email Kathy Taylor, Director of Communications
Falcon Athletics Next Week 9/21/26 - 9/25/26
DAY | DATE | OPPONENT | SPORT | H/A | EVENT TIME |
MON | 9/21/2026 | Freedom Gates Four | GGOLF | Away | 1:00pm |
MON | 9/21/2026 | Fayetteville Christian School | GTN | Away | 4:00pm |
MON | 9/21/2026 | Fayetteville Christian School | MSVB | Away | 4:00pm |
MON | 9/21/2026 | Fayetteville Christian School | VB | Away | 5:15pm |
TUE | 9/22/2026 | Northwood Temple Academy | MSBSOC | Home | 3:30pm |
TUE | 9/22/2026 | Northwood Temple Academy | MSVB | Home | 3:30pm |
TUE | 9/22/2026 | Northwood Temple Academy | BSOC | Home | 5:00pm |
TUE | 9/22/2026 | Northwood Temple Academy | VB | Home | 5:00pm |
WED | 9/23/2026 | Fayetteville Academy | MSBSOC | Home | 3:00pm |
WED | 9/23/2026 | Fayetteville Academy | GTN | Home | 3:30pm |
WED | 9/23/2026 | Fayetteville Academy | MSVB | Home | 3:30pm |
WED | 9/23/2026 | Fayetteville Academy | BSOC | Home | 5:00pm |
WED | 9/23/2026 | Fayetteville Academy | VB | Home | 5:00pm |
THU | 9/24/2026 | Fayetteville Christian School | MSXC | Away | 3:30/4:00pm |
THU | 9/24/2026 | Fayetteville Christian School | XC | Away | 4:30/5:00pm |
FRI | 9/25/2026 | Fayetteville Christian School | MSBSOC | Away | 4:00pm |
FRI | 9/25/2026 | Fayetteville Christian School | BSOC | Away | 6:00pm |
SAT | 9/25/2026 | Youth Sports Clinic | VB | Home | 9:00-11:00am |
SAT | 9/26/2026 | Central Carolina XC Fest | MSXC | Away | 11:50am |
SAT | 9/26/2026 | Central Carolina XC Fest | XC | Away | 11:50am |
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