Asheboro’s Cristisn Ortiz Benitez goes airborne in a game against Ledford that helped clinch the Mid-Piedmont Conference title in the final week of the regular season. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record)
ASHEBORO – Asheboro was the only boys’ soccer team in Randolph County to make it through the first two rounds of the state playoffs.
The Blue Comets, who are the top seed in the Class 3-A West Region, turned back No. 17 seed West Henderson 2-1 in Thursday night’s home game.
Brandon Santos and Cristisn Ortiz Benitez scored in the first half for Asheboro (21-1-2), which was slated for a third-round home game Monday night vs. West Iredell.
West Henderson (11-9-4) scored in the second half on a goal by Logan Jones.
Asheboro opened with a 9-0 victory against No. 32 seed West Mecklenburg with three goals by Benitez. Santos had a goal and an assist in that game.
Class 2-A
Wheatmore’s first loss of the season came in a second-round home loss to No. 15 seed Patton.
The second-seeded Warriors fell 2-0
The shutout defeat came after Wheatmore (19-1-4) averaged 4.7 goals per game for its first 23 outings of the season. The only other time the Warriors didn’t score this season came in a deadlock with visiting Kernersville Glenn on Aug. 24.
Wheatmore defeated No. 31 seed Monroe 5-2 in the first round with Riley Queen and Anakin Leister both posting two goals and Collin Burgess scoring the other. Leister and Burgess also each had an assist.
In the first round, No. 12 seed Trinity was a 3-0 upset loser at home to No. 21 seed Brevard. Trinity ended with a 15-5-2 record. The Bulldogs and Wheatmore tied for the Piedmont Athletic Conference regular-season title with 10-0-2 marks.
No. 26 seed Randleman (7-12-1) fell 4-0 at No. 7 seed Robinson, while No. 29 seed Southwestern Randolph (7-12-2) stumbled by a 7-0 count at No. 4 seed Hendersonville.
Class 1-A
Eastern Randolph was ousted with a 6-3 second-round home loss to No. 11 seed Bradford Prep.
The sixth-seeded Wildcats (11-6) trailed 3-1 at halftime.
Eastern Randolph made it out of the first round by stopping No. 27 seed Hayesville 5-0.
Uwharrie Charter Academy’s first-round game was delayed a day and then the No. 19 seed Eagles dropped a 1-0 decision at No. 14 seed South Stokes. UCA finished with a 7-10 record.
