BARBOURVILLE — The Oneida Baptist Mountaineers continued their reign over the 13th Region, defeating North Laurel, 3-1, to claim their second straight regional championship.
With the win, Oneida Baptist improves to 18-3 on the season, while North Laurel’s impressive run ends with an 11-9-2 record.
The Jaguars struck first, taking a 1-0 lead into halftime after a goal from Malik Turner. But the Mountaineers roared back in the second half, finding their rhythm and showcasing why they remain one of the most dangerous teams in the region.
Hero Khajohnsupawatchara, Henrique Gabardo, and Nahom Yuna each found the back of the net for Oneida Baptist, turning a one-goal deficit into a commanding 3-1 victory. The Mountaineers took a 2-1 lead with 28:46 remaining in regulation before sealing the match with their third goal at the 11:30 mark.
“Just so proud of this group,” Oneida Baptist coach Hunter House said. “North punched us in the face late in the first half and we came out second half ready to play. I’m just so proud of this group. They deserve all the credit in the world. All season they have battled to be the best and I believe we proved that tonight. It is an honor to be around this group every day. We go again next week in the state tournament.”
