It's the third consecutive trip to the 4-A Eastern section finals for Green Hope, but the team has yet to advance to the state final.

"I feel like Roy Williams at Kansas, till he finally came to Carolina," Green Hope coach Andrew Chadwick said.

Still riding a high after knocking off undefeated Durham Jordan on Thursday, Green Hope (18-2-4) took charge early when Edu Rodriguez sent a crossing pass to Andrew Wolschlag on the far side. Wolschlag sent a drive that skimmed the bottom of the crossbar and in for the goal at the seventh minute of the game.

"Actually, [Wolschlag] scored like that in practice yesterday," Chadwick said.

Riverside tried to match Green Hope in size and speed. The Pirates (17-4-1) had chances late in the first half before turning it on in the second.

"We tried to get down the flanks and behind their backs," Riverside coach Pat Roeber said. "In the first half, in the first fifteen minutes I think you can tell we were pretty tentative."

Green Hope played a bit more defensively in the second half, stacking the box with defenders late in the game.

Riverside had some opportunities late. With five minutes left in the game, a scrum developed in front of the net but the Pirates couldn't get a clean shot before Gabe Rivera's desperation bicycle-kick sailed over the crossbar. A minute later, the Pirates had another melee in front of the net before Rivera was whistled for knocking over the goalie, James Earle.

The quarterfinal round is the furthest Riverside has ever advanced. The Pirates just couldn't find a way past the Falcon 'D' and Earle.

"They were putting some passes together. Getting a few crosses in. I made a few saves. Our defense played really well, and I was just trying to keep the ball out of the back of the net," Earle said.

Green Hope advances to play at Southern Pines Pinecrest on Wednesday.