Falcons Nest - October 23
Falcons Head into State Playoffs
Varsity Cross Country
This week, O’Neal proudly hosted the Sandhills Athletic Conference Cross Country Championship on our home course! It was incredible to see our campus filled with runners from all seven conference schools and the supporters cheering them on. Going into the meet, our focus was simple: empty the tank and leave absolutely nothing out on the course. After hearing runners finish previous races feeling like they still had more to give, we challenged them to push their limits and finish knowing they had given everything. The Falcons rose to that challenge! Abigail Schupp made an impressive conference debut, running a 22:05 and earning 5th place on the girls’ side. Tre Grabos also claimed 5th place for the boys with a season-best time of 19:13, while Nate Trujillo and Jaron Gainey both recorded season-best performances on the course. Beyond the results, it was a fantastic day filled with hard racing, team support, and plenty of smiles. We’re proud of how this group continues to grow and compete, and we’re excited to close out the season at the State Championship at McAlpine Park on October 30th!
Middle School Cross Country
The Middle School Cross Country team wrapped up their season on October 19th with the South Eastern Middle School Athletic Conference Championship at O'Neal. The Falcons ran in their own backyard, battling the conference teams on the trails and hills, with great running weather!
The Middle School Cross Country team wrapped up their season on October 19th with the South Eastern Middle School Athletic Conference Championship at O'Neal. The Falcons ran in their own backyard, battling the conference teams on the trails and hills, with great running weather!
The Falcons had an amazing season filled with growth, determination, and many fun memories made along the way. As the season ended, the athletes are eager and looking forward to the next cross country season in Fall 2027!
The Girls' team was led by 6th grader Landis Holwerda, finishing 2nd overall with a personal best in the 3k with a time of 12:38 receiving All-Conference honors. Fellow 6th graders Nora Owsiany and Ava Rose Decker finished inside the top 10 with a time of 14:07 and 14:08, a personal best for Ava Rose. 7th grader finished close behind was Avery Pohlmeyer in 13th place with a time of 14:22. To round up the team scoring, 6th grader Madeleine Beckman finished 18th overall with a personal best of 14:39. Emma Globke, Jordan Caretti, and Sadie Duffy wrapped up the Falcons results with a strong finish to close out their season. The Girl's team finished 3rd overall for their Conference Championship.
The Boys' team was led by 6th grader William Schupp, who finished in 2nd place with a personal best time of 11:51, giving Schupp All-Conference honors. 8th grader Will Chalker followed closely behind Schupp in 7th places with a personal best 12:20. 7th grader Cash Davies and 8th grader Aiden Wilcox battled to the finish line within one second of each other; finishing 12th and 13th place with times of 13:02 and 13:03, a personal best for Wilcox. Rounding up the Falcons were Emerson Williams, Bentley Cummings, and Collin Ames in 32nd, 33rd, and 34th place. Bentley and Collin ran personal bests in times of 16:08 and 16:22. The Boys' team finished 3rd overall in the Conference Championship.
Varsity Boys Soccer
O’Neal vs Bradford Academy: 7-0, Win
The O’Neal School Boys Varsity Soccer team opened the NCISAA State Playoffs with a commanding performance Tuesday, defeating Bradford Academy 7-0 to advance to the state quarterfinals.
The Falcons controlled the match from the opening kickoff, dominating possession and immediately putting Bradford under pressure. O’Neal needed only three minutes to find the breakthrough when Andrew Miller unleashed a brilliant strike to give the Falcons an early 1-0 lead.
Miller struck again later in the half, sending O’Neal into halftime with a 2-0 advantage.
The Falcons turned up the pressure after the break. Miller completed his hat trick, while Oliver Gabor added a brace as O’Neal took complete control of the match. Garrett Sartor and Parker Fusonie also found the back of the net to round out the scoring.
It was a dominant postseason performance from the Falcons, who controlled possession, created chances throughout the match and never allowed Bradford an opportunity to gain a foothold in the game.
With the 7-0 victory, O’Neal advances to the NCISAA State Quarterfinals.
The Falcons will travel to Raleigh on Friday, October 23, to face Friendship Christian School. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m., with a spot in the state semifinals on the line.
O’Neal vs Bradford Academy: 7-0, Win
The O’Neal School Boys Varsity Soccer team opened the NCISAA State Playoffs with a commanding performance Tuesday, defeating Bradford Academy 7-0 to advance to the state quarterfinals.
The Falcons controlled the match from the opening kickoff, dominating possession and immediately putting Bradford under pressure. O’Neal needed only three minutes to find the breakthrough when Andrew Miller unleashed a brilliant strike to give the Falcons an early 1-0 lead.
Miller struck again later in the half, sending O’Neal into halftime with a 2-0 advantage.
The Falcons turned up the pressure after the break. Miller completed his hat trick, while Oliver Gabor added a brace as O’Neal took complete control of the match. Garrett Sartor and Parker Fusonie also found the back of the net to round out the scoring.
It was a dominant postseason performance from the Falcons, who controlled possession, created chances throughout the match and never allowed Bradford an opportunity to gain a foothold in the game.
With the 7-0 victory, O’Neal advances to the NCISAA State Quarterfinals.
The Falcons will travel to Raleigh on Friday, October 23, to face Friendship Christian School. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m., with a spot in the state semifinals on the line.
Varsity Girls Tennis
O’Neal vs Kerr-Vance Academy 5-0, Win
The Lady Falcons opened the NCISAA 1A State Tournament with a dominant 5-0 sweep of Kerr-Vance Academy on Wednesday! The first-round contest was delayed due to Kerr-Vance’s fall break, but the Falcons wasted no time once play began. With state tournament matches decided by the first team to reach five points, O’Neal secured the victory with ease.
The Falcons now face Wayne Country Day in the second round on Friday, October 23, at 3:30 p.m. Go Falcons!
O’Neal vs Kerr-Vance Academy 5-0, Win
The Lady Falcons opened the NCISAA 1A State Tournament with a dominant 5-0 sweep of Kerr-Vance Academy on Wednesday! The first-round contest was delayed due to Kerr-Vance’s fall break, but the Falcons wasted no time once play began. With state tournament matches decided by the first team to reach five points, O’Neal secured the victory with ease.
The Falcons now face Wayne Country Day in the second round on Friday, October 23, at 3:30 p.m. Go Falcons!
Varsity Volleyball
O'Neal vs. Bradford Academy 1-3, Loss (10-25, 25-23, 17-25, 19-25)
The Falcons’ season came to a close on Tuesday at home, falling to Bradford Academy in the opening round of the NCISAA Class 1A State Championship. Bradford took control early in the first set, but O’Neal answered in the second with its best volleyball of the night, riding a strong service run and steady passing to a win that evened the match. The Archers regained the edge in the third, and although the Falcons stayed within striking distance through much of the fourth, Bradford closed it out to end O’Neal’s run.
Emma Garrison led the Falcons from the service line with five aces to go with 10 assists, while Myer Johnson added four aces and anchored the back row with six digs and a team-high 18 serve-receive attempts. Lily Austin was O’Neal’s most efficient attacker, hitting .333 with five kills on 12 swings, and she served six times without an error. Mallory McPeake turned in one of her strongest matches of the season, swinging aggressively from the right side and adding two aces from the service line. As a team, the Falcons served 81 percent with 12 aces — a marked step forward from earlier in the season and a fitting note to finish on. The Falcons close the year having competed in a tough conference and earned a spot in the state tournament field, with a young roster that returns the bulk of its contributors next fall.
O'Neal vs. Bradford Academy 1-3, Loss (10-25, 25-23, 17-25, 19-25)
The Falcons’ season came to a close on Tuesday at home, falling to Bradford Academy in the opening round of the NCISAA Class 1A State Championship. Bradford took control early in the first set, but O’Neal answered in the second with its best volleyball of the night, riding a strong service run and steady passing to a win that evened the match. The Archers regained the edge in the third, and although the Falcons stayed within striking distance through much of the fourth, Bradford closed it out to end O’Neal’s run.
Emma Garrison led the Falcons from the service line with five aces to go with 10 assists, while Myer Johnson added four aces and anchored the back row with six digs and a team-high 18 serve-receive attempts. Lily Austin was O’Neal’s most efficient attacker, hitting .333 with five kills on 12 swings, and she served six times without an error. Mallory McPeake turned in one of her strongest matches of the season, swinging aggressively from the right side and adding two aces from the service line. As a team, the Falcons served 81 percent with 12 aces — a marked step forward from earlier in the season and a fitting note to finish on. The Falcons close the year having competed in a tough conference and earned a spot in the state tournament field, with a young roster that returns the bulk of its contributors next fall.
Varsity Girls Golf
The O'Neal School Varsity Girls Golf team officially wrapped up a impressive regular season on Tuesday, October 20th, with a strong second-place finish against Sandhills Classical Christian and the Highlanders. Leading the charge for the Falcons was Charlie Higashi, who recorded the low score for O'Neal after a sharp, disciplined performance on the course. Throughout the autumn campaign, the team’s identity has been rooted in steady progress, grit, and building a strong foundation for the future, proving that the trajectory of the program is remarkably bright. While the team schedule has come to a close, the postseason journey continues for Higashi, who qualified for the NCISAA State Golf Tournament following her standout fall performance. She will represent O'Neal in a challenging two-round championship match on October 26th and 27th, competing against the top independent school golfers in North Carolina to close out a successful year for Falcon golf.
Photos by Wendy Hodges | The Pines Media
For High Res photos, email Kathy Taylor, Director of Communications
The O'Neal School Varsity Girls Golf team officially wrapped up a impressive regular season on Tuesday, October 20th, with a strong second-place finish against Sandhills Classical Christian and the Highlanders. Leading the charge for the Falcons was Charlie Higashi, who recorded the low score for O'Neal after a sharp, disciplined performance on the course. Throughout the autumn campaign, the team’s identity has been rooted in steady progress, grit, and building a strong foundation for the future, proving that the trajectory of the program is remarkably bright. While the team schedule has come to a close, the postseason journey continues for Higashi, who qualified for the NCISAA State Golf Tournament following her standout fall performance. She will represent O'Neal in a challenging two-round championship match on October 26th and 27th, competing against the top independent school golfers in North Carolina to close out a successful year for Falcon golf.
Photos by Wendy Hodges | The Pines Media
For High Res photos, email Kathy Taylor, Director of Communications
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