Volleyball and boys’ soccer both split their games last week. As volleyball season comes to an end and the team prepares for a postseason run, soccer and football face their final month of regular season play.
Football
The Bucks’ losing streak hit four straight games on Friday as Hoke County fell to Richmond on the road, 44-20. The loss dropped Hoke to 1-6 on the year, 0-3 in the Sandhills. It also extended Richmond’s period of success against the Bucks. Hoke County hasn’t won in the series since 2011, although it was the second time in three years that Hoke has put up at least 20 points on the Raiders.
Senior quarterback Brandon Saunders was 12-of-24 for 149 yards, highlighted by a 62-yard touchdown pass to Tycen Vick. Junior Darius Breeden had a team-high 41 rushing yards including a touchdown.
Hoke will try to get back on the winning side of the ledger at home this week, with a Sandhills game against Southern Lee. The Bucks lost to the Cavaliers by seven last year, snapping a three-year winning streak for Hoke over Southern Lee. The Cavaliers are 2-4, 0-3 in the Sandhills and riding a three-game losing streak of their own. Last week, Southern Lee lost at home to Pinecrest, 42-13.
Hoke has just three games left in the regular season and will need to win two to match last season’s record.
Boys’ soccer
Hoke County’s boys’ team split two games last week. The Bucks snapped a two-game scoreless streak and a three-game winless streak with a 3-1 overtime win at home over Scotland.
It was the biggest scoring day for the Bucks since an 8-0 win over Scotland on Sept. 9. Senior Jose Vazquez De La Cruz scored two goals, while junior Pedro Ramos-Alejandro scored once. Goaltenders Brentley Blumer and Jose Lopez-Luna combined to make nine saves.
The Bucks were blanked in their next game, however, falling at Lee County, 3-0.
Hoke is now 8-6-2, 2-4-1 in the Sandhills. The Bucks have two more league games on the schedule over the next seven days. They host Richmond on Wednesday, then travel to Southern Lee next Monday. Richmond is tied with the Bucks at 2-4-1 in the league, while Southern Lee is a half game out of first place.
Volleyball
The volleyball team split two games last week, winning on the road at Southern Lee, 3—1, then falling at home to Union Pines, 3-0, a loss that snapped a six-game winning streak for the Bucks.
If they counted it, senior Abigail Watts probably led Hoke in it during the win over Southern Pines, she had team highs in kills (15), service aces (4) and blocks (2, tying fellow seniors Aliyah Morrisey and Priscila Machuca Sostre). Her 17 digs and 14 receptions were second on the team.
Against Union Pines, Watts tied Machuca Sostre for the team lead with 8 kills, matched senior Chayna Locklear for the top spot in aces and was second in digs, third in receptions.
At 15-4, 7-4 in the Sandhills, the Bucks are in second place by a half game. They’ll finish the regular season against Pinecrest this week, then head to the conference and NCHSAA postseason tournaments.
