Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

North Davie’s soccer team suffered a second straight loss at North Carolina Leadership Academy on Sept. 9, but there was nothing for North to hang its head about after taking NCLA to the wire – and then some.

The score was 3-2 in double overtime.

“It was a good way to lose,” coach Daniel Gamble said. “It was a great game. We both just pounded on each other.”

The battle was scoreless at halftime. Hunter Stephens, with an assist from Dylan Cassetta, got North on the board first. After NCLA surged to a 2-1 lead, Nathan Nuckols tied it. The score stayed 2-2 until the last minute of the second OT, when “a kid made an impossible shot,” Gamble said.

Gamble cited goalie Roger Luna and defenders Ian Patton, Andy Davis, Jaxon Cruse, Porter Spann and Cassetta.

“Roger was great,” he said. “(Those five defenders) played an awesome defensive line throughout the game.”

North’s big weapon, Ethan Christie, who has been plagued by an injury all season, reinjured himself in the first half.

Two days before traveling to NCLA, the Wildcats (3-2) lost 6-2 at Canterbury. Christie and Max Rappaport had the goals.

•••

Visiting NCLA overwhelmed Ellis 9-0 on Sept. 7.

“We had a player injured and had to play the rest of the game with only 11,” coach Susan Jones said. “We are young and haven’t got a lot of experience, so it is tough.”

Although the Jaguars fell to 0-3, Jones saw positives.

“Each of them keeps modeling the word ‘perseverance’ each game,” she said. “Branden Hernandez did all he could by playing multiple positions on offense and defense.”

•••

South Davie could not compete at Wesleyan Christian Academy on Sept. 7, losing 9-0.

The Tigers had a chance at Summit on Sept. 9, but Omar Mejia Carrillo’s two goals and Isaiah Beaty’s relentless effort were not enough in 3-2 defeat. It was a payback win for Summit, which lost 4-3 to South on Aug. 30.

Carrillo’s first goal tied the score at 1-1, and his second one cut Summit’s lead to 3-2.

“Omar and Evan Steele played their best games of the year,” coach Russell Hilton said after South slipped to 1-4. “Isaiah is the heart of the team and plays harder than anyone I have coached.”