Falcons Nest
This week was the official kick-off of the regular season for most of the spring teams. This week the Athletics Department recognizes senior athlete Andre Phan.
Senior Athlete Spotlight
The athletics department would like to extend congratulations to our senior student-athletes. The department is very proud of their accomplishments and the bright futures ahead of them. This week we honor Andrew Phan with a spotlight on his career as an O’Neal athlete.
Andrew Phan, Varsity Track and Field
Accolades from head varsity cheerleading coach Jennifer Huge: " Andrew brought something to our team that we did not know was missing. His genuine empathy and hilarious sense of humor were a true gift."
Quick Facts About Andrew
Number of years at O’Neal: 7
Sports played at O’Neal: Varsity Cross Country, Varsity Cheerleading, Varsity Track and Field
College or University he plans to or wants to attend: Appalachian State University
Major or preferred course of study: Psychology
Favorite quote: "Those who want things to always stay the same are not living in the real world"-Anna Wintour
Best O’Neal Athletics memory: My favorite memory is during my cross-country season and we still had practice in the pouring rain. All my friends and I laughed even though we were soaked.
News from Athletics
“Don’t fake it till you make it. Face it till you make it. Get up. Dress up. Show up. Do the work. Fail. Stand back up. Face it again. Do better. Fail again. Get back up. Face it again. Repeat.”
Varsity Boys Golf
The varsity boys golf team got off to a great start with their first match of the season. They traveled up to Forsyth Country Club and competed against Forsyth Country Day School. The Falcons came out victorious with a 308-331 team win. The Falcons were paced by senior Fulton Smith who had a match-low score of 72. Junior Jackson Van Paris shot a 73. Senior RJ Jackson turned in a great score of 80 and freshman Jack Morrison carded an 83. Max Martin competed in his first varsity match as a 7th grader and posted a 92. Junior Joe Dailey rounded out the scoring for the Falcons with a 99. Next week the Falcons will tee it up on Monday in a conference match with Trinity of Raleigh and Burlington Christian Academy.
Varsity Girls Soccer
The O’Neal Girls’ Soccer Program gathered Saturday afternoon to watch the US Women’s National Team take on England in the She Believes Cup. Along with the fun and fellowship, the O’Neal soccer program also witnessed a special tribute by the US National Team players (USWNT). In celebration of the start of Women’s History Month, the USWNT players donned jerseys with the name of an iconic and inspiring female figure to honor their names, in place of the players’, on the back of their jersey for the game. All in all, the afternoon was a chance for the players from 6th-12th grade to come together as a program, and continue to celebrate the power of sports in all of their lives.
On Thursday evening, the Lady Falcons had their first contest of the season facing off against Fayetteville Christian School in a 60-minute scrimmage. The team came out with energy and focus, sticking to the game plan with strong defense played by seniors Alex Dymond and Macon McIntyre and junior Bella Miller. With fantastic saves by junior goaltender Sarah Massey the Falcons worked hard to keep the strong Fayetteville Christian Warriors’ offense at bay but unfortunately dropped the match 4-0. The team shows great promise moving forward with the start of their regular season matches beginning on Tuesday, March 12th as they travel to face Freedom Christian Academy at 4:00 PM. Go Falcons!
Varsity Boys Tennis
The varsity tennis team used the first dry week of practice to prepare for their first regular season match on Thursday, March 14th as the host American Hebrew Academy at home. The match begins at 3:30 PM.
Varsity Track and Field
The varsity track and field team has been hard at work these last two weeks battling the elements in preparation for their season. This week they had a mock track meet to get in competition mode for their first contest of the season as they travel to American Hebrew Academy on Thursday, March 14th. The meet will commence at 3:30 PM.
Middle School Baseball
The middle school baseball team traveled to Village Christian on Thursday to open the 2019 season. On green grass and under blue skies the Falcons wound up on the short end of a 12-4 final score. Will Slagle performed admirably in his debut at the demanding position behind the plate; catcher. Jamieson Mansker and Phillip Hancock pitched well and Max Pashley handled his defensive responsibilities admirably at second base and in center field. The O'Neal nine host Village in a rematch this Monday.
Middle School Golf
The middle school golf team is working hard in preparation for their first match of the season on Wednesday, March 20th as they host neighboring school Saint Pope John Paul II at Longleaf Golf and Family Club. Tee off is at 3:30 PM.
Middle School Girls Soccer
The Falcons kicked off their middle school soccer season with a resounding 3-0 win against Berean Baptist. Ana Huge assisted Reese Slusher to open the scoring in the first half, and Ana later scored from outside of the 18-yard box to give O’Neal a 2-0 halftime lead. Brooklyn Adams and Reagan Daly each had one save to prevent Berean from getting on the scoreboard, and some beautiful passing between Hannah Saye and Reese Slusher led to Reese netting the final goal of the game. Amanda McFadyen and Maria White anchored a strong defense while Charlotte Renner and Emily Cates provided great energy up front.
Thursday, the O’Neal Middle School Soccer tied the Fayetteville Crusaders 1-1 in a hard-fought game. The Crusaders jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first two minutes of the game, but O’Neal played tough to turn the tide back in their favor. Tylar Pastre ‘24 and Sam Wolf ‘23 took on the difficult role of shutting down Fayetteville’s fast wings, while Alyssa Furie ‘23 played a strong game in the center of the field. Kaylee Crow ‘25 and Abbey Jones ‘25 provided a spark of energy up front for O’Neal, and Reese Slusher ‘24 blasted in the tying goal with about 10 minutes remaining in the second half. O’Neal will be seeking revenge for last year’s playoff defeat when they travel to Freedom Christian on Monday. The game will start at 3:30 PM.
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