West Noble overcame a halftime deficit with a huge second-half performance to defeat Lakeland 6-1 in the semifinals of the NECC Boys Soccer Tournament. Despite the final margin, the match was extremely competitive throughout much of the evening. Lakeland struck first and took a 1-0 lead into halftime, putting the Chargers in the unfamiliar position of having to chase the game. West Noble responded in impressive fashion. The Chargers erupted for six unanswered goals in the second half, completely changing the complexion of the match. Leo Lopez, Joel Moreno(2), Emanuel Gutierrez(2) and Cesar Munoz were among the Chargers finding the back of the net. West Noble also received contributions in the buildup from Leo Lopez, Doyan Romero, Angel Recendiz, Micah Sprague and Santiago Gutierrez, who recorded assists on the Charger stat sheet. The Chargers continually pressured the Lakeland defense, generating numerous scoring opportunities and earning 10 corner kicks. Goalkeeper Ramiro Pedroza recorded three saves for West Noble. While the Chargers eventually pulled away, Lakeland made West Noble work for everything. The Lakers' first-half goal gave them the advantage at the break, and the intensity of an NECC Tournament elimination match was evident throughout the contest. West Noble's second-half response proved to be the difference. The Chargers remained aggressive, found the equalizer and then continued to apply pressure as the goals began to come. What started as a 1-0 halftime deficit eventually became a 6-1 Charger victory and a trip to the conference championship. West Noble will now travel to Westview on Saturday for the NECC Tournament Championship. The Chargers and Warriors are scheduled to kick off at 5 p.m. at Westview. Good luck, Chargers!