Falcons Nest (updated)
The Falcons return to play after an energizing spring break. The athletics department recognizes senior athlete Alexandra Dymond and Student-Athlete for the month of March, George Casey.
March Student-Athlete of the Month
George Casey, Varsity Tennis
“He has been a great competitor for us as a freshman. He has competed vs some of the best teams in the state and has played very well. His growth has been great over the first couple of games and then his game vs. Lee Christian was the best he has played. He is averaging about 9 pts a game and about 3 assists per game. He will continue to grow as a player and a leader.” - Lauren Davis, Assistant Varsity Tennis Coach
Interview with George Casey
LJ: What are your goals?
GC: I would like to go into either medicine or engineering. My family has had to deal with a lot of medical issues. My father’s father passed away from Alzheimer’s disease and my mother’s mother has frontotemporal dementia. My mother’s father was hit by a car 3 years ago and suffered severe brain damage. These medical issues have had a huge impact on our family and have really inspired me to want to study neuroscience and maybe one day help find cures for brain injuries and diseases. I also plan to continue playing tennis, both in college and afterward for fun with my own family.
LJ: What are you most proud of?
GC: I am most proud of my family. Their accomplishments have inspired and motivated me to always do my best in school and on the court. I am also really proud of my volunteer work at St. Joseph of the Pines. I am President of the O’Neal for St. Josephs Club, and I have enjoyed bringing my fellow classmates over to the facility to visit with the elderly residents. We entertain the residents with conversation, reading, singing, board game playing and Bingo, and we transport them to and from the facility chapel. This volunteer work makes me extremely proud and happy because the residents know me by name and are really excited when they see me. I know I am making a difference by brightening their lives.
LJ: What do you listen to get ready for your event?
GC: In preparation for my both my O’Neal tennis matches and my tournaments I like to listen to Green Day or Queen. They are really great bands and their music pumps me up and gets my adrenaline going.
LJ: Who is your role model?
GC: My role model is my father. He is a great orthopedic surgeon and an even better dad. He always gives all of himself, at work and at home. He is not afraid of being challenged and he encourages me in everything I do. He also is quite funny and enjoys playing a variety of sports just for fun. He occasionally shows me a random x-ray of a horrible fracture and asks me how I would fix it. He is really good at explaining things. He is also a Veteran, and I am very proud that he deployed several times to fix our soldiers who were hurt defending our country.
LJ: Favorite pre-game meal?
GC: My pre-game meal just before a tennis match is usually a granola bar or a protein bar and water. If I have time between matches at a tournament I usually go to Panera Bread to get a Caesar Salad with Chicken. I also like to have mandarin oranges in their own juice for some quick energy.
LJ: What are your Hobbies?
GC: My hobbies are playing tennis, working out with my dad, fishing with my friends, watching Criminal Minds or the Office with my parents, playing basketball with family or friends, playing roller hockey at Rassie Wicker Park, golfing with my dad and brothers, going to the beach with my family, and learning new card tricks to amaze my mom!
LJ: What is your philosophy when it comes to life/sports?
GC: I believe that getting out of bed in the morning is so much easier when you make time every day to do the things that make you most happy in life. For me, that would be doing fun things with my family, being with my friends, and playing tennis. I also think it’s smart to give your best effort the first time because anything worth doing is worth doing right.
LJ: What's your favorite quote?
GC: My favorite quote is, “You miss 100% of the shots you never take,” by Michael Jordan, because it applies to everything in life, not just sports.
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 Alexandra Dymond with a spotlight on her career as an O’Neal athlete.
Alex Dymond, Varsity Girls Soccer
Accolades from assistant Girls Soccer Coach Lulu Brase: “Alex has been a staple of O’Neal Athletics since her freshmen year. Beyond the trails and fields, Alex brings tremendous leadership and experience to our teams. Her willingness to reach out to underclassmen and make them feel welcome has allowed our programs to continue to build their community/family feeling. Alex has truly left her “shirts” better than she found them, and we will greatly miss the enthusiasm, passion, and competitiveness she brings to our athletic teams.”
Quick Facts About Alex
Number of years at O’Neal: 6
Sports played at O’Neal: Varsity Cross Country, Varsity Soccer
College or University she plans to or wants to attend: University North Carolina Chapel Hill
Major or preferred course of study: Double Major in International Business and Spanish
Favorite quote: "Go after what you really love and find a way to make that work for you, and then you’ll be a happy person." -Tom Petty
Best O’Neal Athletics memory: My best O’Neal athletics memory happened during my senior cross-country season. It was the state championship and we had to run in the rain in 40-degree weather. It was more like a mud run through puddles, but I ended up somehow running my season-best time. I will never forget it.
News from Athletics
“When life knocks you down try to land on your back because if you can look up, you can get up.” - Les Brown
Varsity Boys Golf
The Falcons Golf team resumed their spring season after spring break competing in the TYGA event at Wedgewood Country Club in Wilson, NC. The team finished third against a field made up of public schools. Sophomore Jackson Van Paris won the event by 2 shots by carding a 67 (-5). Senior Fulton Smith shot 73, Freshman Jack Morrison turned in his best performance as a Falcon with a 76 and senior Bennett Moore and RJ Jackson rounded out the scoring with 81's.
The Falcons get right back at it on Monday as they travel to Durham and compete at Treyburn CC. This will be another great test for the Falcons. Also, next week we will take on the Patriots of Pinecrest High School in a dual match at Pinehurst CC.
Varsity Girls Soccer
The Lady Falcons faced top Tri-tac Conference opponent Burlington Christian Academy at home yesterday. High-intensity play, grit, and determination were not enough to hold the offensive pursuit of the Burlington Royals as they were defeated 8-0. Today, the Falcons host Salem Baptist Christian School at 4:00 PM. Go Falcons!
Varsity Boys Tennis
Spring Break did not throw off the Falcon tennis team! They came out swinging Thursday and defeated Burlington Christian Academy 9-0, not dropping a single set! Their match Friday was canceled, but they are excited and ready to keep their undefeated season rolling into next week where they will travel to the American Hebrew Academy on Monday, April 8th and then to Trinity School of Durham and Chapel Hill on Tuesday, April 9th. Both matches will begin at 4:00 PM.
Varsity Track and Field (Updated)
On Saturday, April 6th, the Track and Field team competed in the Pepsi Invitational hosted by Southern Lee High School in Sanford.
Reflections from Head Coach Matt McMurry:
"Weekends like this are why I love this sport. Amidst the top performances and incredible improvement demonstrated yesterday by our team at Southern Lee High School, it's the acts of heart that impress me the most. Watching Davis Lincicome, a 7th grader, in a 200m heat with boys 3-5 years older and 80lbs. bigger, and seeing him dig with every piece of himself from gun to tape - that's what it's all about. Watching Andrew Phan, a senior, whose commitment to this sport since fall 2017 led to him breaking the 8:00 barrier yesterday as he clocked a 7:55.72 1600m PR - there are few better feelings. And seeing Taz Ahmed, Jaden Bozovich, and Sarah Elmore, though not competing, choosing to be out and supporting their teammates at the meet - that's what builds a family."
On Saturday, April 6th, the Track and Field team competed in the Pepsi Invitational hosted by Southern Lee High School in Sanford.
Reflections from Head Coach Matt McMurry:
"Weekends like this are why I love this sport. Amidst the top performances and incredible improvement demonstrated yesterday by our team at Southern Lee High School, it's the acts of heart that impress me the most. Watching Davis Lincicome, a 7th grader, in a 200m heat with boys 3-5 years older and 80lbs. bigger, and seeing him dig with every piece of himself from gun to tape - that's what it's all about. Watching Andrew Phan, a senior, whose commitment to this sport since fall 2017 led to him breaking the 8:00 barrier yesterday as he clocked a 7:55.72 1600m PR - there are few better feelings. And seeing Taz Ahmed, Jaden Bozovich, and Sarah Elmore, though not competing, choosing to be out and supporting their teammates at the meet - that's what builds a family."
Team and Individual Highlights:
- 28 - the number of Personal or Season Bests set by our team
- Molly Kuzma, a sophomore, won the 3200m in a season-best time of 11:35.75. That time currently ranks Molly 1st in NCISAA Div. III and 2nd All-NCISAA.
- Bryce Samples, a senior, finished 2nd in the 3200m in a personal-best time of 10:12.22. That time currently ranks Bryce 1st in NCISAA Div. III and 6th All-NCISAA.
- Ralayah McRae, a senior, finished 4th in the shot put. Ralayah's season-best mark of 30-7 currently ranks her 2nd in NCISAA Div. III and 6th All-NCISAA.
- For full meet results visit: https://nc.milesplit.com/meets/327418/results/638609/formatted#.XKtPTBNKiuV
Middle School Baseball
Due to inclement weather, the Middle School Baseball team had both of their games canceled this week. Hopefully, the skies will clear up for their rescheduled game next week versus Village Christian Academy on Wednesday, April 10th.
Middle School Golf
Middle School Golf got off to a strong start in their 1st match of the season. Braving cool temperatures and a pesky rain, O’Neal’s young golfers, consisting of 6th and 7th graders, beat St. John Paul II in a close contest. The final team’s score of 202 was 2 shots better than SJPII of 204. Jake Shepard (48), Lauren Kuhn (50), Joanna Hu (50) and Harrison Franklin(54) lead the way for the Falcons.
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 (Updated)
The girls lost 2-0 against Fayetteville Christian Academy. Alyssa Furie and Abbey Jones played a good game, their efforts never wavering and Amanda McFadyen was critical in the defense.
Monday, April 8th, the Falcons will travel to Fayetteville to face off against Village Christian Academy. Kick off is at 4:00 PM. Go Falcons!
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