Rocky Mount High soccer runs past Northern Nash

The Rocky Mount High boys soccer team needed less than 30 seconds to put a Big East Conference match on Monday against visiting Northern Nash out of reach.

The Gryphons scored a pair of goals in 23 seconds, and the Knights never made up the deficit in a 5-1 win for RMH.

Demetrius Morton opened the scoring with a goal with 29:49 left in the first half. The Gryphons won the ball right back at midfield, and Gustavo Velazquez found the back of the net at the 29:26 mark.

“I think it took us a little while to adapt to our new roles on the field,” Morton said. “I used to be a striker, now I’m more of a midfielder. We’ve been at these positions for a couple games, and now I think we’re clicking.”

The Gryphons (4-4-1, 2-3) had trouble scoring goals over the first eight games. The team found the back of the net 10 times and allowed 20 goals in that span. The scoring output includes a five-goal outburst against Nash Central.

That offensive showing wasn’t sustainable as the Gryphons scored one goal over the past three games, all losses. But an aggressive approach, coupled with crisp centering passes, proved to be the answer on Monday.

Velazquez (3 goals) and Morton (2) combined to score all five goals against the Knights, highlighting their ability to play on the attack.

“I think it was the changing, too,” Velazquez said. “We were trying to figure some things out, and I think we got it. Me and (Morton) have a good partnership. We work together, and are at the point where we can trust that the other guy is going to be in the right spot.”

Northern Nash (4-6-1, 0-5) held RMH in check for the next 23 minutes, before cutting the deficit to 2-1 when Jason Michaels ripped a long shot past Gryphons keeper Sam Phillips. Michaels, a senior captain, is a player first-year coach Stephanie Summerlin wants to run the offense through.

Summerlin describes Michaels as a player who she can trust at just about any spot on the field. His six goals are second on the team to Evan Sanford (7).

“He’s a real player,” Summerlin said of Michaels. “He’s real aggressive, looks to make the plays, and wants to play at a high level. I think if the right people come out to see him, they’ll like what they see and will want to scoop him up to play at the next level.”

Michaels and Sanford orchestrated several attacks in the second half, but the Knights couldn’t put another ball past Phillips, who made five saves.

Morton and Velazquez each scored another goal before the first half ended, as the pair was able to get down near the net with ease. By halftime, the Gryphons led 4-1, and Velazquez would score his third goal of the match and cap the scoring with 26:26 remaining.

“We’re going to try to keep this going,” Gryphons coach Richard Oxendine said. “This was the first game where we did what we wanted to do, and we’re hoping we can keep this style of play going.”