Charlotte Observer

South Meck, reigning boys’ state soccer champs, starts season with win over West Cabarrus

By Jacob Moss,

6 days ago

The last time South Mecklenburg played a high school soccer game, it beat Apex Friendship to win the North Carolina 4A state title.

Monday, the Sabres played their first game since then — a 2024 season-opening 3-1 win over West Cabarrus — and the team looked a lot different than the one that took the field last November in the championship round.

The Sabres lost nine seniors from the 2023 team.

But led by senior captain Will Otten, the new look South Mecklenburg side comfortably dispatched a formidable West Cabarrus team. The Sabres dictated the tempo of the match from the first whistle and jumped out to a 2-0 lead, which they would carry into the half.

West Cabarrus capitalized on a defensive breakdown at the start of the second half to cut into the South Meck lead, 2-1. After that though, it was all Sabres.

The young team shut down the Wolverine attack at every turn and added another goal with just under 16 minutes remaining to ice the game.

“We’re 100% satisfied with the result but this is a new group,” South Meck head coach Eric White said. “This group has very little to do with what happened last year, and that’s something we keep emphasizing. The thing they got to realize is that they have a target on their back because of last year’s group, and they have to absorb that.”

Team captain Will Otten, who was on that state championship winning squad, also recognizes the weight that trying to repeat has on his team.

“It’s big shoes to fill,” said Otten. “But we got to just keep pushing you know; we can’t just say we’re one and done. We got to keep pushing for the next one.”

PLAYER WHO MADE A DIFFERENCE

Jack Lambertson, South Mecklenburg: The junior was subbed in midway through the first half and jump started the Sabers offense.

WHAT’S NEXT?

South Mecklenburg plays at Charlotte Catholic on Thursday.

SUMMARY

Jack Lambertson (SM): 12:08 First Half

Grant Beverly (SM): 5:43 First Half

Ayden Torres (WC): 33:06 Second Half

Connor Miller (SM): 15:53 Second Half