Falcons Nest - December 8th
Victories for Falcon swimmers and girls basketball.
Varsity Girls Basketball:
The Lady Falcons had another very strong week, with two impressive victories over Freedom Christian and Fayetteville Christian! O’Neal caused 23 turnovers and executed their defensive and offensive duties very well to help secure the wins.
The Lady Falcons have a tough stretch of games coming up with homecoming and then a holiday tournament after Christmas. That will be followed by some tests in the New Year against 3A opponents. The girls will look to stay unified and will be determined to continue their good run over the coming weeks.
Varsity Boys Basketball:
The Falcons’ last 3 games have seen continual improvement, as the boys' team look to continue to build their program.
Falcons vs. Northwood Temple: The Falcons hosted a scrappy Northwood Temple team on Friday to open up conference play. The Falcons had some key turnovers in the first half which led to NWT going on a run. The Falcons came out the second half and competed on both ends to finish the game. The Falcons had some bright spots offensively and are looking to take that into next game. The falcons had scoring contributions from Gunnar Adams(12pts), Brennan Hodges(7pts), Andrew Pavlovich(6pts),Boyd Kenny(5pts), Jordan Cole(4pts) and Jacob Lindsey(2pts). The Falcons went on the road next to Freedom Christian Academy. Final Score 36-86 L
Falcons vs. Freedom Christian: The Falcons traveled to Fayetteville to face another conference opponent in Freedom Christian. The Falcons started the game by dominating the rebounds and letting their presence be felt inside. The Falcons had some open looks that did not fall which led to being down on the scoreboard at halftime. The Falcons went deep into the bench in the 2nd half and showed some bright spots. The Falcons had 9 players contribute to the scorebook led by senior Boyd Kenny 8pts. We also had scoring contributions from Gunnar Adams(7pts), Jacob Lindsey(5pts), Christian Lyles(4pts),Nick Joyce(2pts), Brennan Hodges(2pts), Max Pashley(2pts), Andrew Pavlovich(2pts), and Jack Manning(1pt). The Falcons Host conference opponent Fayetteville Christian on Tuesday Night. Friday night’s Tip time is 6:30 pm Final Score 30-70 L
Falcons vs. Fayetteville Christian: The Falcons hosted a Fayetteville Christian team that well-disciplined on Tuesday night. The Falcons started the game competing on both ends of the floors but could not get any shots to fall. The Falcons went into halftime down 9. The Falcons exploded for 21pts and multiple steals in the 3rd quarters which led to them taking the lead. The Falcons continued to compete but ran out of gas late in the 4th quarter. The Falcons will use this game as a building block for the rest of the season. The Falcons were led in scoring by Boyd Kenny (11pts). Six more Falcons contributed to the scorebook including Brennan Hodges(9pts), Jacob Lindsey(6pts), Gunnar Adams(5pts), Christian Lyles(4pts), Andrew Pavlovich(2pts), and Max Pashley(2pts). The Falcons Host Westminster Catawba on Friday Night. Friday night’s Tip time is 6:30 pm. Final Score 40-50 L
Middle School A Girls Basketball:
Fayetteville Christian School 17-8 Win
In the only game in December, the O'Neal Middle School girls' basketball team secured a well-earned victory against Fayetteville Christian School with a final score of 17-8! In a game that wasn't defined by high-scoring or fast-paced action, the Falcons capitalized on the opportunity to hone their skills in motion offense. Focusing on the finer details of ball movement and basket cuts to the hoop, the team exhibited notable improvement. This deliberate approach allowed the players to refine essential aspects such as keeping their heads up, making the extra pass, and crashing the boards when a shot goes up. The Falcons ended with a 17-8 win. With a commitment to continuous improvement, the Falcons aim to fine-tune their offense and steadily ascend in the right direction as the season unfolds. Conference Record: 3-0
Middle School B Girls Basketball:
Moore Montessori 10-3 Win
In a testament to their rapid progress, the Middle School Girls B Team clinched a decisive 10-3 victory in their second game of the season. Ending regulation triumphant over Moore Montessori School (MMS), the same opponent they faced in their inaugural matchup was an improvement from going into double overtime at their last encounter. The Falcon’s relentless work on the fundamentals and being a cohesive team is apparent anytime they take the floor. The Falcons were able to feed off the energy of the crowd to hold MMS to only three points the entire game. Haddie Habets and Natalia Henderson tied as lead scorers 4 points each, Vivienne Rhue also added 2 points to the total.
Middle School A Boys Basketball:
The Falcons were back at home to host the Fayetteville Christian Warriors this week. The Falcons came out hot in the first quarter, knocking down tough shots and playing great defense. The Falcons kept their foot on the gas while taking the lead going into halftime. However, in the third quarter, the Warriors found another gear and started fighting back. They made some big shots and forced huge turnovers to tie the game going into the final quarter of play. The Warriors continued to play solidly and made some big free throws to barely oust the Falcons. The Falcons were led in scoring by Jackson Mullis (16 Points), contributing to the bunch were Sam Taylor (11 Points), Ford Kuester (6 Points), Owen West (4 Points), and Jaxson Graves (2 Points).
As the Falcons go on break, their basketball season will continue with a Christmas tournament, which looks very promising for the boys. Go Falcons!
Middle School B Boys Basketball:
The O'Neal Falcons Middle School Boys B basketball team faced a tight match against Sandhills Montessori School, ultimately losing by just four points. Despite their best efforts, the team struggled with missed shots, and key free throws proved decisive. However, the Falcons displayed commendable sportsmanship, resilience, and a positive attitude throughout. This experience serves as motivation for the team to focus on improving free-throw accuracy and overall performance in future games, ensuring continued growth and success on the basketball court.
Middle School Swimming:
O'Neal hosted Trinity Academy and Thales of Rolesville last Thursday in their second meet of the season. The victory was the Falcons for both the Women and Men teams! Two middle school swimmers scored for the team; Colette Lovsin (2nd place) in the 500-yard Freestyle and Harrison O'Connor (5th place) in the 100-yard Backstroke. New breaststroke swimmers of note are Ella Marino, Abigail Holroyd, and Ana Bozovich all from our 6th grade class. We are excited to see how they develop their stroke over the rest of the season. Sawyer Cartwright (7th grade) also had a strong showing from the middle school in the 100-yard breaststroke. The following swimmers dropped time in the 50-yard freestyle: Julia Gamez, Heather Anton-Botengan, Sophia Graziano, Dahlia Cloninger, Harper Harless, Katharina Davis and Adrian Rodriguez. The following swimmers dropped time in the 100 yard Free: Heather Anton-Botengan, Sophia Graziano, Katharina Davis, Harrison O'Connor, and Adrian Rodriguez. We now turn our attention to butterfly this week and aim for new personal bests!
Varsity Swimming:
The Varsity Falcon Swimmers meet last week was a success as the boys’ and girls’ teams secured victories. The competition witnessed some impressive swims and the emergence of first-time State qualifiers, including Aiden Blackwell and Leo Van Etten in the 50 free, Malia Stone in the 200 free and 100 free, and Colette Lovsin in the 500 free. Among the standout performances of the week were Senior John Shepherd in the 100 backstroke, Gus Ambersley in the 100 breaststroke, and Jordin Reed in the 100 free. Looking ahead, the swimmers anticipate their third home meet of the season scheduled for Thursday, December 7th, where the Falcons will face off against Saint Thomas Moore and Village Christian.
Photos by Wendy Hodges
Photos by Wendy Hodges
Falcons Sports Next Week (12/12 – 12/29):
DAY | DATE | OPPONENT | SPORT | H/A | EVENT TIME |
TUE | 12/12/2023 | North Moore High School | GBKB | HOME | 5:00 PM |
TUE | 12/12/2023 | North Moore High School | VBBKB | HOME | 6:30 PM |
THU | 12/14/2023 | Cary Christian School | SWIM | HOME | 4:00 PM |
FRI | 12/15/2023 | Trinity School of Durham and Chapel Hill | GBKB | AWAY | 5:00 PM |
FRI | 12/15/2023 | Trinity School of Durham and Chapel Hill | VBBKB | AWAY | 6:30 PM |
SAT | 12/16/2023 | Christmas Tournament - Middle School Boys - Snow Hill | MSBKB | AWAY | 10:30 AM |
WED | 12/27/2023 | Christmas Tournament - Battle in the Bull | GBKB | AWAY | 1:00 PM |
THU | 12/28/2023 | Christmas Tournament - Battle in the Bull | GBKB | AWAY | 4:00 PM |
FRI | 12/29/2023 | Christmas Tournament - Battle in the Bull | GBKB | AWAY | 7:00 PM |
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