RAEFORD — Jace Ward scored a game-winning goal with 16 minutes left to give Lumberton High School a 1-0 victory over Hoke County in a Southeastern Conference boys soccer game Tuesday night in Raeford.

With 16 minutes left in regulation, Lumberton’s Miguel Bello sailed a corner kick in front of the Bucks’ net where Ward knifed in with the finishing header to give Pirates a 1-0 edge they held the rest of the way.

“It’s a big win,” Lumberton head coach Kenny Simmons said. “The guys played well last night. It was probably one of the most complete games we’ve played all year.”

Lumberton got a stout defensive effort, led by goalkeeper Pablo Lazano who made seven saves in the shutout.

Hoke goalie Austin Crowder collected five saves.

Lumberton improves to 10-7 overall with a 5-2 SEC mark, while Hoke drops to 10-6-1 with a 3-3-1 league record.

In junior varsity action, Lumberton put a 7-0 rout on Hoke.

Swett sweeps tri-meet

LUMBERTON — The Purnell Swett High School boys and girls cross-country teams each placed a pair of runners in the top three, leading to first-place finishes at a Southeastern Conference tri-meet Tuesday afternoon at Luther Britt Park.

The Rams, who finished with 26 points, boasted the No. 1 and 2 finishers on the boys side, as Josh Oxendine and Kaelin Bird clocked in first- and second-place times of 18 minutes, 29 seconds and 19:08.

Lumberton followed in second place as a team at 29 points while Hoke took third with 75.

On the girls side, the Lady Rams’ 27-point finish was paced by Jacquelyn DuBoif’s first-place time of 22:29. Lumberton finished second with 35, led by Kikki Hansen’s runner-up time of 22:39. Swett’s Chloe Wariax finished third at 24:40.

Hoke failed to score.