CHAPEL HILL – The North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA) finalized and released the playoff brackets for the 2017 Men’s Soccer Championships. The tournament will have four classifications of play with six playoff rounds each. The 1A and 4A brackets will field a complement of 48 teams each with 2A and 3A brackets fielding 64 teams each.
Play is scheduled to begin with games at the higher seed through the first five rounds beginning with first round contests on November 1st. Second round is scheduled for November 4th, the third round is slated for November 8th, fourth round games are set for November 11th and the Regional Finals are planned for November 14th.
The State Championship Matches will be contested on Saturday, November 18th in Raleigh at NC State University’s Dail Soccer Field. Play is scheduled to begin at 11:00 a.m. Tickets to the Championships are $8.00 at the gate, or digital tickets can be purchased in advance through the NCHSAA’s partnership with GoFan.
The 2017 NCHSAA Men’s Soccer Championships will be broadcast live via web stream on the NFHS Network. The NFHS Network is a subscription-based service. Fans can pay $9.95 per month for a monthly, recurring subscription with the ability to cancel at any time. You can find more information on upcoming events and subscriptions by visiting NFHSNetwork.com.
Media seeking to cover the 2017 NCHSAA Men’s Soccer State Championships will need to have credentials. Those outlets with individuals who hold NCHSAA year-long photo identification credentials must let James Alverson (james@nchsaa.org) know how many individuals will attend from their outlet by Thursday, November 16th at noon to have access to media accommodations and materials on the day of the championship. Individuals without year-long credentials must apply for single event credentials during the application window which will be open from Friday, November 10 – Friday, November 17 at noon. Applications can be submitted through at www.NCHSAA.org by clicking on the media tab and credentials at the top of the home page.
1A Men’s Soccer First Round Pairings:
EAST
#1 – Franklin Academy (19-0-1) vs. #32 – BYE
#16 – Oxford Prep (12-9-0) vs #17 – Camden County (10-10-2)
#8 – Cape Hatteras (6-7-0) vs #25 – BYE
#9 – East Columbus (4-12-1) vs #24 – Lejeune (3-18-0)
#5 – Hobbton (17-4-2) vs #28 – BYE
#12 – Holmes (12-9-1) vs #21 – Rosewood (11-11-0)
#13 – Lakewood (10-11-0) vs #20 – Perquimans (9-11-0)
#4 – Research Triangle (20-3-0) vs #29 – BYE
#3 – Manteo (17-3-1) vs #30 – BYE
#14 – Woods Charter (10-8-0) vs #19 – North Duplin (10-7-1)
#6 – Southside (18-5-0) vs #27 – BYE
#11 – Voyager Acad. (18-8-0) vs #22 – Chatham Charter (7-11-0)
#7 – East Carteret (4-13-0) vs #26 – BYE
#10 – Raleigh Charter (11-5-3) vs #23 – Pender (5-14-0)
#15 – Riverside (13-3-2) vs #18 – Louisburg (9-11-0)
#2 – Granville Central (19-1-1) vs #31 – BYE
WEST
#1 – Pine Lake Prep. (17-1-1) vs #32 – BYE
#16 – West Montgomery (10-5-0) vs #17 – Blue Ridge Early College (10-7-0)
#8 – Community School of Davidson (15-3-0) vs #25 – BYE
#9 – North Moore (17-2-1) vs #24 – Bradford Prep (5-13-0)
#5 – Lincoln Charter (13-5-0) vs #28 – BYE
#12 – Mount Airy (19-1-1) vs #21 – Alleghany (6-10-2)
#13 – Queens Grant (12-7-0) vs #20 – Highland School of Technology (6-11-0)
#4 – Gray Stone Day (18-1-1) vs #29 – BYE
#3 – Starmount (18-1-2) vs #30 – BYE
#14 – Union Acad. (8-9-0) vs #19 – East Surry (5-10-1)
#6 – Highlands (14-8-2) vs #27 – BYE
#11 – Hayesville (11-5-1) vs #22 – Uwharrie Charter Acad. (8-8-0)
#7 – Avery County (9-6-0) vs #26 – BYE
#10 – Thomas Jefferson (10-4-1) vs #23 – East Wilkes (7-15-0)
#15 – Polk County (9-9-1) vs #18 – Mountain Island Charter (6-13-1)
#2 – Bishop McGuinness (14-2-3) vs #31 – BYE
2A Men’s Soccer First Round Pairings:
EAST:
#1 – East Duplin (17-3-0) vs #32 – Eastern Randolph (5-11-1)
#16 – Whiteville (14-6-1) vs #17 – East Montgomery (7-4-2)
#8 – North Johnston (13-10-1) vs #25 – Southwest Onslow (9-12-1)
#9 – Washington (13-4-1) vs #24 – Wheatmore (16-5-0)
#5 – Jordan-Matthews (16-3-2) vs #28 – Spring Creek (7-12-1)
#12 – Currituck County (10-6-1) vs #21 – Kenan (13-6-1)
#13 – Randleman (11-10-1) vs #20 – Wallace-Rose Hill (17-4-2)
#4 – Carrboro (18-2-2) vs #29 – Trinity (10-12-0)
#3 – Dixon (19-2-1) vs #30 – Northeastern (9-9-1)
#14 – Durham School of the Arts (12-6-1) vs #19 – Bunn (11-10-0)
#6 – Roanoke Rapids (19-0-1) vs #27 – Heide Trask (8-13-1)
#11 – Croatan (13-9-0) vs #22 – Richlands (12-9-0)
#7 – East Bladen (20-1-0) vs #26 – Midway (9-11-0)
#10 – Clinton (18-5-0) vs #23 – NCSSM (12-5-1)
#15 – North Lenoir (16-4-1) vs #18 – North Pitt (9-4-3)
#2 – First Flight (16-1-0) vs #31 – Greene Central (15-6-1)
WEST:
#1 – Newton-Conover (21-0-2) vs #32 – North Davidson (8-13-2)
#16 – Lexington Senior (17-6-0) vs #17 – East Lincoln (14-8-0)
#8 – Owen (14-5-1) vs #25 – Franklin (10-12-1)
#9 – Forest Hills (15-5-1) vs #24 – Bandys (10-11-0)
#5 – East Henderson (17-2-1) vs #28 – North Surry (8-11-0)
#12 – Hendersonville (11-2-2) vs #21 – East Gaston (13-7-0)
#13 – South Point (16-4-1) vs #20 – Salisbury (13-6-2)
#4 – Shelby (19-2-0) vs #29 – Ashe County (14-9-0)
#3 – Forbush (20-1-0) vs #30 – Thomasville (12-10-1)
#14 – Surry Central (14-5-0) vs #19 – Foard (12-7-4)
#6 – Central Davidson (20-2-0) vs #27 – Atkins (11-9-1)
#11 – Ledford Senior (18-3-0) vs #22 – Smoky Mountain (12-10-1)
#7 – Wikes Central (19-3-0) vs #26 – West Iredell (9-11-2)
#10 – Lake Norman Charter (12-5-2) vs #23 – Maiden (8-10-1)
#15 – Hibriten (11-7-3) vs #18 – Lincolnton (12-8-1)
#2 – Patton (20-1-0) vs #31 – Chase (9-9-0)
3A Men’s Soccer First Round Pairings
EAST:
#1 – Jacksonville (18-1-1) vs #32 – South Johnston (11-7-1)
#16 – Eastern Alamance (16-4-2) vs #17 – Conley (12-9-1)
#8 – Gray’s Creek (19-3-0) vs #25 – Northern Durham (12-6-2)
#9 – Southern Nash (12-7-2) vs #24 – Southern Wayne (8-10-2)
#5 – Chapel Hill (17-4-1) vs #28 – West Johnston (9-7-5)
#12 – Clayton (14-6-3) vs #21 – Asheboro (16-3-1)
#13 – Fike (13-6-2) vs #20 – Swansboro (14-6-2)
#4 – Cleveland (17-1-4) vs #29 – Franklinton (16-7-1)
#3 – Lee County (21-2-0) vs #30 – Rose (9-10-0)
#14 – East Chapel Hill (13-6-0) vs #19 – New Hanover (15-4-5)
#6 – Aycock (14-4-0) vs #27 – Hunt (12-11-0)
#11 – Williams (17-2-1) vs #22 – Northside-Jacksonville (8-10-1)
#7 – Northern Guilford (17-3-2) vs #26 – Union Pines (13-8-1)
#10 – White Oak (13-8-1) vs #23 – Orange (13-6-2)
#15 – Southern Lee (11-5-2) vs #18 – Cape Fear (16-5-1)
#2 – Topsail (16-4-0) vs #31 – West Brunswick (7-12-1)
WEST:
#1 – Reynolds, A.C. (18-2-2) vs #32 – Parkwood (7-11-1)
#16 – Roberson (12-6-4) vs #17 – Weddington (13-5-0)
#8 – Forestview (15-5-1) vs #25 – Mount Tabor (8-12-3)
#9 – Asheville (19-1-1) vs #24 – St. Stephens (12-8-1)
#5 – Southwestern Randolph (20-3-0) vs #28 – West Henderson (9-13-1)
#12 – Watauga (15-6-2) vs #21 – Brown (13-7-3)
#13 – Northwest Cabarrus (12-5-2) vs #20 – Tuscola (10-8-2)
#4 – Cox Mill (13-4-3) vs #29 – North Iredell (10-5-2)
#3 – Statesville (18-3-2) vs #30 – Kings Mountain (15-5-2)
#14 – North Gaston (15-5-1) vs #19 – Enka (14-7-1)
#6 – Hickory (15-6-1) vs #27 – Robinson (11-11-0)
#11 – Parkland (12-2-0) vs #22- Cuthbertson (9-9-0)
#7 – Southwest Guilford (14-7-1) vs #26 – Piedmont (11-10-0)
#10 – Charlotte Catholic (16-6-1) vs #23 – North Forsyth (10-7-1)
#15 – South Iredell (10-8-1) vs #18 – Erwin (13-7-2)
#2 – Marvin Ridge (16-3-1) vs #31 – Central Cabarrus (12-9-0)
4A Men’s Soccer First Round Pairings:
EAST:
#1 – Cardinal Gibbons (18-0-2) vs #32 – BYE
#16 – Laney (11-13-0) vs #17 – Jordan (8-9-2)
#8 – Ashley (16-2-4) vs #25 – BYE
#9 – Panther Creek (14-6-1) vs #24 – Corinth Holders (7-9-3)
#5 – Apex Friendship (15-4-0) vs #28 – BYE
#12 – Wakefield (10-12-1) vs #21 – Leesville Road (8-10-3)
#13 – Cary (13-8-1) vs #20 – Knightdale (9-10-4)
#4 – Green Hope (18-2-2) vs #29 – BYE
#3 – Heritage (22-1-0) vs #30 – BYE
#14 – Broughton (12-7-0) vs #19 – Wake Forest (11-7-3)
#6 – New Bern (12-5-2) vs #27 – BYE
#11 – Apex (12-7-1) vs #22 – Holly Springs (7-11-2)
#7 – Pine Forest (18-5-1) vs #26 – BYE
#10 – Enloe (12-3-7) vs #23 – Sanderson (8-13-1)
#15 – Millbrook (12-11-1) vs #18 – Athens Drive (11-10-2)
#2 – Hoggard (19-1-1) vs #31 – BYE
WEST:
#1 – Hough (20-1-0) vs #32 – BYE
#16 – Butler (11-5-3) vs #17 – Independence (13-8-0)
#8 – Myers Park (14-3-1) vs #25 – BYE
#9 – Reynolds, R.J. (17-4-0) vs #24 – Glenn (10-12-2)
#5 – Reagan (17-5-1) vs #28 – BYE
#12 – Mooresville (12-9-0) vs #21 – North Mecklenburg (13-7-2)
#13 – Britt (12-9-3) vs #20 – Lake Norman (11-9-2)
#4 – Northwest Guilford (19-2-1) vs #29 – BYE
#3 – Porter Ridge (18-1-2) vs #30 – BYE
#14 – East Forsyth (14-5-1) vs #19 – High Point Central (11-9-1)
#6 – Pinecrest (20-2-1) vs #27 – BYE
#11 – Page (10-6-0) vs #22 – Mallard Creek (12-9-1)
#7 – South Caldwell (10-5-3) vs #26 – BYE
#10 – South Mecklenburg (12-4-3) vs #23 – Lumberton (16-6-0)
#15 – West Forsyth (12-8-2) vs #18 – Ardrey Kell (11-8-3)
#2 – Providence (18-0-3) vs #31 – BYE
2016 Men’s Soccer Championship Recaps
1-A: Wallace-Rose Hill captures third state title, Espinoza breaks national record
RALEIGH, N.C. – Wallace-Rose Hill gave up the first goal in the 2016 1A State Championship Soccer Match, but the Bulldogs netted the next three to take a 3-1 victory over Bishop McGuinness. The victory was the Bulldogs third state championship in as many appearances.
Wallace-Rose Hill dominated play for much of the game with Jack Arnold making 4 saves in the first half to keep things level until teammate Cameron Bovender took a shot off a deflected clear that found the back of the net giving the Villains a 1-0 lead just 20 minutes in.
The Bulldogs kept the pressure high and the effort finally paid off in the 32nd minute as a corner kick pinballed around in the box, dropping to senior Lukas Heither who swept it past the keeper tying the score.
Six minutes later David Sosa finished a beautiful ball by Jorge Aguilar giving Wallace-Rose Hill a lead they did not relinquish.
The highlight of the match, and a career, came in the 47th minute. Bulldog senior forward Maynor Espinoza came into the State Championship Match sitting on 213 goals for his four-year career, tied for the NFHS National Record for career goals with Sean Shapert from Moon High School in Pennsylvania. Shapert held the record from 1984 when he set the mark until Espinoza spun a ball past the Villains keeper to give Wallace-Rose Hill a 3-1 lead and a 1A State Championship. Espinoza was named the match M.V.P.
2-A: FIRST FLIGHT WINS FIRST TITLE WITH A 4-0 SHUTOUT OF CHASE
RALEIGH, N.C – First Flight came in to the 2A Men’s Soccer State Championship Match riding high off of a 3-1 win over Carrboro in the regional finals, they kept that momentum moving right through the Championship match. The Nighthawks netted a goal in the 7th minute as Quinn Douglas knocked home a rebound giving First Flight a 1-0 lead they would never relinquish on their way to the first Soccer State Championship in school history.
The Nighthawks’ journey was not one without adversity. Just 15 minutes into the regional final against Carrboro, starting goal keeper Grayson Shier broke his clavicle, ending his season. Sophomore Wilmer Andino stepped in to finish out the game against Carrboro, allowing just one goal in the 3-1 win, and securing a bid to the state finals. With Andino making his first Varsity start, the Nighthawks got out on the front foot early with Douglas goal and followed it up with another rebound goal, this one by Vega Sproul in the 27th minute, giving First Flight a 2-0 lead.
Game M.V.P. Tommy Scott added two second half markers to put the game out of reach. He scored off of a rebound in minute 44, and then broke into the box and slipped one under the diving Trojan goal keeper in the 59th minute to push the lead to 4-0. Andino was tested several times, making a single save in the first half to keep the game scoreless early. He made one other routine save, but late in the match, Chase earned a free kick at the corner edge of the 18-yard box. Luis Vasquez for the Trojans stepped up to take the kick and curled a ball off his right foot that looked ticketed for the upper-right corner of the goal before a diving Andino parried away for a corner, sealing his shut out and first clean sheet of his career.
Chase finished the season at 22-2, 15-1 in conference play as champions of the South Mountain Athletic 3A Conference. First Flight concluded year 12 for head coach Juan Ramirez with his first state championship and a 21-0-2 record.
3-A: MARVIN RIDGE HOLDS OFF CHAPEL HILL 1-0 TO WIN 3A CROWN
RALEIGH, N.C. – A 39th minute penalty kick was the difference for Marvin Ridge as Brandon Young drove the ball into the upper-right corner of the net and lifted the Mavericks to the lead late in the first half. Young was named the game’s M.V.P. as the lone goal scorer in the match. The Mavericks won their third championship in as many appearances in the State Championship Match.
Despite heavy pressure from Chapel Hill for much of first half, Marvin Ridge held the lead on some stellar goalkeeping by Tyler Fant. The Senior parried a bullet free kick just over the bar from just 30 yards out off the boot of Chapel Hill’s Justin Mecham 20 minutes into the first half. Fant made two other spectacular saves in the first half, punching out a line shot and cleaning up a loose corner attempt.
The difference in the match was the final two minutes of the first half. After being on their heels and defensive for much of the first frame, Marvin Ridge built a counter-attack and sprung Matt Winesette down the left side and into the edge of the box. Winesette drew a foul from Brendan Holly in the box, setting up Young’s penalty kick chance. Chapel Hill had flourishes in the second half, but the possession and scoring chances were much more balanced. Playing with the wind, the Tigers had a distinct advantage as goal kicks by the Mavericks were routinely driven down by the wind.
The Tigers mustered a few opportunities in the final half, including a free kick by Mecham that curled onto the right post and clanged out from 35 yards out, but couldn’t slide one by Fant in the closing minutes.
4-A: GREEN HOPE WINS THIRD TITLE WITH 3-0 WIN OVER PORTER RIDGE
RALEIGH, N.C. – Green Hope won their third state championship, and first since back-to-back titles in 2011 & 2012, beating Porter Ridge 3-0 in the 4A State Championship Match.
The Falcons opened the scoring in the 25th minute as a deflection dropped to the penalty spot and Connor Munz volleyed it off his left foot into the back of the net making it 1-0.Just seven minutes later Green Hope was on the board again as Porter Ridge keeper Julio Rangel stopped the first shot attempt by Anthony Boswell, but he couldn’t get to the rebound chance. Jacob Sciandra, a senior midfielder, followed the Boswell shot knocking the rebound just out of the reach of Rangel and gave the Falcons a 2-0 lead.
The final goal for the Falcons came in the 75th minute off a corner kick. Camden Holbrook took a left footed in-swinging corner and found the head of William Dugger who knocked it off the keeper and in the net making it 3-0. The Green Hope defense was impressive all night, the Falcon back four did not allowed only three shots on the night, only one of which was on target. Falcon Senior Zach Curtis anchored the defense and was named the game M.V.P. Porter Ridge was under siege most of the night, goal keeper Rangel was under fire, but did make 5 saves. The Falcons fired 16 shots on the night, nine of them were on frame.
Green Hope finished the year 28-1, 15-1 in the Southwest Wake 4A as the conference champions. Their lone loss of the season came 2-0 to rival Panther Creek.
