A six-game win streak has the Clinton Dark Horses (6-1-1) riding high after two victories this week against James Kenan and C.B. Aycock.
First, the Dark Horses took down the JK Tigers 3-2 on Tuesday, Sept. 8. In the first half, both teams were knotted 2-2; in the second half, Clinton, however, found the game-winner to hold James Kenan at bay. Dark Horses Nick Rivera, Marlon Munigua and Emilson Molina contributed goals to the win, while Brody Gunnells and Alven Ramirez assisted on two of the three goals.
Thursday, as Clinton played its next game against C.B. Ayock, it was a different story. The Dark Horses unleashed four of their five goals against the Falcons in the first half to take a commanding 4-0 lead into halftime. The Horses were able to bag one more score before conceding a goal to Aycock and securing the 5-1 win. Ramirez and Molina led the way for the Dark Horses with two braces each, while sophomore Xavi Guzman scored the fifth goal. Rivera, Molina, Brandon Montes, Chris Zelaya, and Gunnells all assisted on each of the five goals.
So far this year, Molina leads the Dark Horses in goals at 13 in eight games. The junior attacker averages 1.6 goals per game. Behind Molina is Munigua, who has a six-goal tally in the six games that he’s played. The assist crown belongs to Zelaya and his efforts with six credits to his name, while Molina and Gunnells trail behind him with four and three, respectively.
The Dark Horse attack has been a key component of the success the team has had overall as they average 3.3 goals per match and 2.8 assists per match. Over the course of the six-game win stretch, Clinton has scored three or more goals in every game except one, the team’s 2-1 victory on the road against North Pitt.
The next matchup for the Dark Horses sees them back on the road against county rival Hobbton (5-4). The Wildcats are coming into this game off the back of a 5-1 win over East Bladen. Before the win against the Eagles, Hobbton had been on a four-game losing streak, with the most recent loss at the hands of Lakewood (7-2), 4-2. Clinton faces a Wildcat squad that averages 2.1 goals per game and 1.6 assists per match, 1.2 goals and 1.2 assists less than the Dark Horses average.
Following the matchup against the Wildcats, Clinton will embark on a three-game road stretch against Hoke County, Union (2-7), and Pender.