ROCKINGHAM — Alexis Gonzalez and Carlos Alcocer got the Richmond boys soccer team, which was celebrating Senior Night, off to a fast and fitting start against conference foe Seventy-First on Monday.
Gonzalez, senior midfielder, comfortably punched one into the back of the net 48 seconds into the match, and then Alcocer, senior striker, followed with a goal of his own 37 seconds later — from nearly the same spot.
Those pair of scores, from two of the eight seniors honored before the game, sparked the Raiders (7-8, 5-4 SAC) in a dominant 9-0 mercy-rule victory over the visiting Falcons (5-10, 2-8 SAC).
Alcocer and Gonzalez are joined in this year’s senior class by teammates Nolan Allen, Evyn Brower, Jose Fonseca, Kyle Goodwin, Jackson Haley and Evan Hudson — who were all in the starting lineup on Monday.
Goodwin, senior striker, recorded a score and an assist in the win, Hudson, senior midfielder, scored with a little more than two minutes left in the opening half, and Haley, senior goalkeeper, kept the Falcons off the scoreboard in the first half.
Juniors Luke Hawks, Noah Jordan and Steven Morales were responsible for the other four goals scored by the Raiders. Hawks put the home team ahead 3-0 on Goodwin’s assist, Jordan tallied back-to-back goals in the first 40 minutes of play, and Morales scored the goal that ended the match with 13:08 left on the clock.
The Falcons scored an own goal with 10 seconds left in the first half.
Richmond and Seventy-First aren’t done just yet. The two programs are set for a rematch in Fayetteville on Tuesday.
NOTE: The full version of this story can be found in the print and e-editions of the Daily Journal on Tuesday, Oct. 16.
Richmond’s Evan Hudson (20) smiles and jogs away from the goal after scoring in 38th minute of Monday night’s game against Seventy-First. Hudson, senior midfielder, helped the Raiders to a 9-0 mercy-rule victory on Senior Night.
The Richmond boys soccer team’s eight seniors pose for a photo prior to Monday’s match. Pictured above from left to right are Alexis Gonzalez, Kyle Goodwin, Nolan Allen, Evyn Brower, Jackson Haley, Evan Hudson, Jose Fonseca and Carlos Alcocer.