Falcons swoop in to take Tri 9 title

Green Hope faced off in a home game against long time rival Apex on Wed., Oct. 21 during the Tri 9 conference playoffs. The Falcons won a 3-2 victory thanks in large part to a last minute goal by Ryan Konrad.

“He was on the bench for 95 percent of the game and he came out the hero,” said Green Hope Men’s Soccer Coach Andrew Chadwick.

The Falcons gave up an early goal and at one point kicked the ball in their own goal, but Green Hope came back in the second half to tie the game at 2-2.

“We were creating a lot of chances to score, but we couldn’t find the back of the net,” said Chadwick.

As time was running out, Chadwick put Konrad in the game to play left back. Konrad got the ball 30 yards from the goal and scored in the upper top corner of the net with only nine seconds remaining in the game. Five hundred Falcon fans went wild after Konrad’s score and rushed the field to carry him off. Jared Girard scored the other two goals for Green Hope that night.

Green Hope sealed their Tri 9 conference title after defeating Holly Springs on Monday, 2-1. Omar Shazly and Nader Jaibat both scored for Green Hope. The Falcons will play next Wednesday in the first round of NCHSAA state playoffs.