Staff report

SPENCER — North Rowan’s boys soccer program had never won a playoff match.

Challenge accepted.

The eight-seeded Cavaliers had a breakthrough win on Monday. They beat No. 25 seed South Stokes 4-3 in the first round of the 1A state playoffs.

Jonathan Reyes scored two goals for the Cavaliers. Douglas Perdomo and Allan Baquedano scored one each.

North (11-7-1) is in the playoffs for the fourth time and for the first time since 2007.

South Stokes finished 8-10-2.

North is home again on Thursday against ninth-seeded Polk County. Polk won 3-0 against Triad Math & Science.

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SALISBURY — You couldn’t blame Salisbury for being confident against a team the Hornets already had beaten 3-0 during the regular season.

But the unbeaten Hornets (21-0-2) were a little too confident. They got in a dogfight with West Stanly on Monday and had to come back to win 2-1 in the first round of the 2A playoffs.

“We came out slow, came out sloppy and came out too relaxed,” Salisbury coach Matt Parrish said.

West Stanly (9-14-1) only got a few shots in the match, but made one of them count. They knocked in a loose ball after a shot hit the cross bar.

Late in the first half, Salisbury’s leading scorer Abdul Eliwa suffered a shoulder injury.

The physical play that injured Eliwa triggered a brief fracas. Both teams received yellow cards.

Still down 1-0 at the half and without the player who had scored all three goals in the regular season win against West Stanly, the Hornets had to regroup.

A handball in the box provided a penalty kick, and Carlos Henriquez converted to level the match at 1-all.

Salisbury coach Matt Parrish made a lineup change and inserted Steven Rivas for the stretch run, and he came through with the winning goal.

Hines Busy had the assist.

Rivas scored the winner with only 27 seconds left in regulation.

“Rivas gave us a spark and he played strong those last 10 minutes,” Parrish said. “He knocked it in from 8 or 9 yards out.”

Parrish was at the hospital with Eliwa last night and wasn’t sure how long he’ll be sidelined.

Trinty (14-5-3) will be next for the third-seeded Hornets. Trinity got past West Stokes on Monday. That was a scoreless match that was decided by a penalty kick shootout.

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WINSTON-SALEM — Carson (10-10-3) ended the season with a loss at Atkins.

It was another scoreless match, as Carson keeper Kevin Guerrero played very well.

The Camels (14-4-2) advanced via a penalty kicks shootout.