With Chapel Hill having clinched the Big 8 Boys Soccer Championship, the race is on for the 2nd place, which is more alluring that it sounds.
A potential first-round state playoff home match could be laying in wait for the squad that finishes behind CHHS, and now it’s a three horse race on the final week of the regular season between Cedar Ridge, Southern Durham and Northwood.
After playing to a 1-1 tie against J.F. Webb last week, Cedar Ridge fell to Northwood 5-3 in Hillsborough on Monday night. Tatha Hso scored a hat trick for the Red Wolves, pushing his total to twelve goals on the season. Hso has 27 points, 2nd only to Trent Gill’s 36, who had two assists on Monday. Seth Maile also had an assist for CRHS.
Tied at the half 2-2, the Chargers scored three times in the final 40 minutes. J.R. Godwin notched his own hat trick for Northwood, while Thomas Russell scored two goals.
On Wednesday night, Cedar Ridge ends the regular season with a home match against Webb with plenty on the line. Currently, Southern Durham is in 2nd place in the Big 8 at 6-3-1. They travel to Chapel Hill next week and host Orange. The Red Wolves are 6-3-2. Northwood is 5-3-2 with a home match against Orange on Wednesday and another home game against Northern Vance next week.
The Red Wolves could finish as high as 2nd in a best case scenario. In a worst case, they’ll miss the playoffs.