Jeff Linville | The News

East Surry’s Brody Gentry (30) scored two of the Cardinals’ three goals in Saturday’s playoff win. The Cards will host the third round of the 1A playoffs on Wednesday.

slideshow

PILOT MOUNTAIN — East Surry will look to continue its run in the 1A state soccer playoffs when it hosts Lake Norman Charter Wednesday.

The game, scheduled for 6:30 p.m., will pit the 10th-ranked Cardinals (12-8-1) against the third-ranked Knights (16-3-1).

The Cards don’t care about rankings at this point in the season as anything can happen in the playoffs.

In fact, East Surry won a game many didn’t think it could win Saturday against North Moore, which went into the match with the better winning percentage at 11-4-1.

North Moore was a very good and tough team, said Coach Bill Hart.

However, the Cards drew first blood just three minutes in. Ethan Atkins centered the ball from the left side, and Brody Gentry beat the keeper for a 1-0 lead.

Atkins had a hand in the second goal as well. He lofted a ball into the 18-yard box that a couple of defenders tried to knock away, but Souli Boutis finished off the pass for a 2-0 lead.

Then the Cards added an insurance goal on a wild scramble in the box that Gentry kicked into the net.

Hart said he was very proud of how his team played the entire game. He was especially happy with the determination the guys showed in wanting to preserve the shutout.

“John Marion and Trace Simmons were keys to the defensive effort,” he said.

East Surry and Lake Norman don’t have any opponents in common. Early in the season the Knights won 5-1 over Central Academy, which knocked Mount Airy out of the playoffs 5-0.

Reach Jeff Linville at jlinville@heartlandpublications.com or at 719-1920.