GATESVILLE – Gates County High School is off to an excellent start in soccer.

The Red Barons won their first three matches of the season and sit undefeated in 2011.

The first contest of the year saw the Red Barons blank Pasquotank County High School 3-0. Gates scored once in the first half and then added a pair of insurance goals in the second.

Deon Arline scored a pair of goals for Gates County, including a breakaway goal and finding the back of the net on a corner kick.

Lule Lolies added a goal on a penalty kick.

Kyle Badgett and Carter Askew combined for the shutout in goal.

In the second match of the season, Gates County topped rival Hertford County High School 6-1 thanks to another pair of goals from Arline along with scores from Clay Stewart, Lolies, Nathaniel Simpson and Latron Norfleet.

Lolies scored the first goal of the game on a penalty kick and then, minutes later, he added a corner kick that Simpson converted for a 2-0 lead.

Arline added two goals early in the second half to give Gates a 4-0 lead and then Norfleet scored when he put a  header past the keeper.

Badgett kept the Bears scoreless through 60 minutes, but Hertford County found the net late in the contest.

Stewart, however, bounced back for a score to provide the final.

The third match of the season saw Gates County defeat Pasquotank for the second time. The Red Barons tallied twice in the first half and held on for a 2- 1victory.

Arline scored the first goal of the day on a corner kick from Lolies and then Lolies added a score on a free kick from 30 yards out.

“We were able to hang on for the win thanks in large part to the play of Kyle Badgett in goal,” Red Barons’ Head Coach Jonathan Hayes said.