Middle school spring sports officially got underway on Monday afternoon as the Hobbton Wildcats traveled to take on the Union Spartans.
When the dust settled, it was Hobbton sweeping the day across all three contests — earning a 2-0 victory in girls soccer, a 10-0 win in baseball and a 19-9 triumph on the softball diamond.
Girls Soccer
Hobbton 2, Union 0
Despite the final score, Union head coach Doug Burley walked away encouraged by his group’s effort in the season opener.
“I feel we’re gonna get better,” Burley said afterward. “We’ve got to get in shape. First game, non-conference, we’ll get it right. It’s my job to get them in shape. I gotta run them.”
Burley acknowledged the quick turnaround with conference play looming later this week, including a matchup against Clinton, but remained optimistic.
“I got to turn it around quick, ’cause we got a conference game Thursday,” he said. “But yeah, we’ll get right. We’ll be competitive. I want them to be aggressive. Win or lose, I want them to be aggressive when they play. Don’t be timid. Good things will happen.”
One bright spot for Union came between the posts. With a first-time goalkeeper stepping into the role, Burley was pleased with her performance.
“I thought she did really well, being the first time she’s ever played goalie,” he said. “She punted the ball to half field sometimes. I was really, really proud of her.”
As for the team’s ultimate goal?
“I have to win everything,” Burley said with a smile. “Win it all.”
On the other sideline, Hobbton head coach Damon Burnett used the non-conference matchup as a valuable teaching moment.
“I like to take advantage of these games that don’t count and get everybody some playing time,” Burnett explained. “Got a lot of girls every year who’ve never played or they’ve just kicked the ball around in the yard. Soccer takes time.”
What stood out most to Burnett was how quickly the team began to mesh.
“I was really impressed with this group, where a lot of them have never played,” he said. “They played together and they did things I was not expecting. I was very, very proud of what they accomplished.”
Burnett also praised the traveling support behind his squad.
“What I appreciate about our crowd is they come and they come to cheer for us,” he noted. “That just shows you the character of our families. They understand what’s important — that their daughter is being successful.”
That buy-in, he added, goes beyond wins and losses.
“They trust me to mold and shape their child not only into a soccer player, but a contributing member of society when they get older and move on to high school.”
Baseball
Hobbton 10, Union 0
On the baseball diamond, the Wildcats produced a balanced effort in their opener.
“We played well for our first game of the year,” Hobbton head coach Jackson Temple said. “We made a lot of good hustle plays on the bases that got us some runs.”
Sawyer Warren and Brady Daughtry split time on the mound, combining for a strong showing in the shutout victory.
“They both did great for their first game,” Temple shared.
Offensively, Vann Williams led the charge, finishing 3-for-3 while handling duties behind the plate at catcher. Willie Espino, Isaias Espino, Brady Daughtry, and Sawyer Warren each added hits in the 10-run performance.
For Union, first-year head coach Matt Adams saw encouraging signs despite the scoreline.
“There are always things to build on,” Adams reflected. “I think they played their hearts out. They had good hustle on the base paths. They did really well.”
While pitching experienced a few early hiccups, Adams praised the way his staff settled in.
“There were a couple of shaky spots, but they were able to settle down and get the outs,” he said. “My main focus for our next practice will be hitting — making sure we get good contact on the bat. But other than that, I’m extremely proud of this team.”
Adams emphasized growth over the final tally.
“It may not have been the score that we were looking for, but I’m definitely proud of this team,” he added. “This is my first year coaching, so I’m gonna take this loss, learn from it, and hopefully improve to have a win come Thursday.”
With multiple games on the weekly schedule, Adams stressed the importance of recovery and academics.
“They need proper rest,” he said. “Plus, they’re in school. They need to be mentally there so they can excel in their grades and then be ready to play. That takes good rest and good recovery after games.”
Softball
Hobbton 19, Union 9
In the final matchup of the afternoon, the Lady Wildcats outlasted Union in a high-scoring softball contest, completing the three-game sweep for Hobbton and officially launching the middle school spring season in Sampson County.