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Five SPC teams kick off postseason play tonight

Photo by James Nix

The Concord High School football team practices Monday afternoon.

By Steve Winzenread | Independent Tribune

Published: November 3, 2009

The NCHSAA state soccer playoffs are scheduled to start tonight.

Five South Piedmont 3A Conference teams qualified.

Two of the SPC teams have home games: Top-seeded Jay M. Robinson (18-2-1) hosts Southern Guilford (8-9-1), and second-seeded Northwest Cabarrus (15-3-1) entertains Northeast Guilford (11-8-1).

Games start at 7 p.m.

Three SPC teams have road games: Third-seeded Concord (12-7-1) is at Waddell (6-6), fourth-seeded Hickory Ridge (10-7-2) travels to Statesville (12-8-1) and fifth-seeded Central Cabarrus (6-11-1) is at Charlotte Catholic (18-1-3).

Robinson, a final-eight team in 4A a year ago, went 14-0 in the SPC this season.

"I think we should definitely get to the third round," said Bulldogs coach Michael Hoke. "If we don't do that, I think we won't have performed to our potential at all."

Robinson could be looking at a meeting with Charlotte Catholic at Robinson in the third round if form holds.

Hoke is hoping his team's 3-2 win at Hickory Ridge a week ago in the regular-season finale will have a positive effect.

"I worry about a game like this," he said afterward. "I hope it motivates them and doesn't get them thinking.

"I told them afterward, this just proves you've got to go out and play every game and be humble and do your job, or you're going to get surprised."

Angel Rebollar set a Robinson record for goals scored this season, and Eddie Navarro set a single-season assists record.

Two of Northwest's three losses were to Robinson. The Trojans feature 12 seniors on a 17-player roster, and they're excited about finally getting to play at home in the opening round of the playoffs after making long trips for openers in recent seasons.

"I've never had a home (playoff) game with the boys at Northwest," said Trojans coach Harald VonKlahr, who also coaches Northwest's girls team in the spring. "That's an accomplishment they can be proud of."

Elliott Noreika has scored 33 goals for the Trojans, one shy of former Northwest star Andre Robertson's total of 34, which is believed to be the school record.

Just making the soccer playoffs is a big deal for Concord.

"I couldn't tell you the last time we made the playoffs here," said second-year coach Matthew Bennett.
"Going into the season we had high expectations. One of our goals was to make the playoffs. We had an up-and-down season. Our record is still good, but it could be better."

A defining moment for the Spiders came on Sept. 14 at Northwest.

"We went into overtime with them and tied them 1-1," Bennett said. "That was a big game for us. It really got teams to notice us. We had always been an easy win. I think that got us a lot of recognition."

There are seven seniors on the Spiders' roster. Junior Oszaldo Arellano is the team's leading scorer.
Hickory Ridge has nine seniors on the roster.

"Our school's only three years old, and we're 0-for-2 in two years of playoffs," said Bulls coach Scott Wolfe. "So it would be nice to pull off the first one. And then once you get one (playoff win) under your belt, you never know."

If Concord and Hickory Ridge win tonight, they would meet in the second round, which is scheduled for Saturday.