Local soccer teams growing into season entering Robeson Cup

The Robeson County soccer community will gather Saturday for the first round of the Robeson Cup, with the championship set for Sept. 7.

Lumberton meets Purnell Swett at 4 p.m. and Red Springs plays St. Pauls at 6 p.m., with both games at St. Pauls.

“We’d love to see them come out this weekend and make some noise at the Robeson Cup,” St. Pauls coach Brent Martin said. “This weekend is probably going to be some of the most intense matches, with two rivalries being back to back. I’d love to see the county show up big time, and get into the games that I know everybody loves seeing.”

The tournament comes after two weeks of regular-season play, with each program in Robeson County having competed at least two games.

With the county’s high school soccer showcase and most of the season still ahead, here’s a look at each team’s progress so far and outlook to come, with the teams listed alphabetically:

Lumberton Pirates

After a 22-win season last year and third-straight United-8 Conference championship, the Pirates are off to a tough start, going 0-3 against three perennial state playoff mainstays.

“We’re a work in progress, that’s for sure,” Lumberton coach Kenny Simmons said. “We’ve opened up with a pretty tough schedule. … But we’re very optimistic that as the season progresses we’re going to get better, and develop the kind of chemistry that we’re looking for; it’s just a process.”

Senior forward Korbyn Walton scored 31 goals last season for the Pirates, and is expected to be a potent offensive contributor again.

“He’s had two really good seasons in a row,” Simmons said. “We’re expecting good things from him, whether it’s scoring goals or creating goals.”

Other key offensive players for the Pirates include Robinhio Tanis, who Simmons described as a smart and physical player; Emilio Carrera, the “quarterback” controlling the middle of the field; St. Pauls transfer Justin Lopez, who the Pirates are trying to find the best positional fit for; Mario Robles, a “quiet player” who is a workhorse all over the field; and Raul Carrera and Alexis Adler on the wings at midfield.

Simmons likes the team’s experienced back four, led by Dakoda Hunt at center back.

“(Hunt) is one of the best defenders I’ve coached,” Simmons said. “He’s a hard-nosed kid, good pace, good speed, runs all day. He’s very technical and plays out of the back with good passes.”

Henry Greene and Bryan Macias provide experience and consistency in the backfield. Isaac Juarez, who Simmons says has become more of a vocal leader enters his third season as the Pirates’ goalkeeper.

After the Pirates’ seasons have often ended in the second round of the 4A playoffs in recent years, getting over that hurdle is a goal for 2024.

“The conference title, we’ve done it three times and we definitely want to be on top when it’s all said and done, and get a high seed for the state playoffs,” Simmons said. “The Robeson Cup starts this weekend, we’d like to defend that. And ultimately get into the playoffs this year, and we’d like to get beyond the second round, that’s kind of been our stigma.”

Purnell Swett Rams

A young Purnell Swett team has started the season at 1-1-1 after a 14-10 campaign last year, with several key departures via graduation after the program’s winningest season in recent history.

“We’re a very young team, and we’re still trying to find ourselves, and it’s going to be a process as the season evolves to really find out who we are and my true starting 11,” Purnell Swett coach Alaric Strickland said. “We’re just going to go through the process and find out who really wants to step up and play and hold those starting positions.”

Branlon Brooks, the 2023 Robeson County Goalkeeper of the Year, is even better now entering his sophomore season, Strickland said.

“He’s grown a lot over the last year, and we’ve made him captain because of that,” Strickland said. “We just need him to keep growing and have a strong voice in the back for the whole team as well as the defense.

In the defensive backfield, Jacolby Locklear, Chase Harris, Ethan Scott and Cody Cummings are expected to be key players for the Rams.

Marcos Ibarra is the leading offensive returner for the Rams after a 10-goal 2023.

“We’re hoping can give us some good goal scoring and also be a good leader up top, and be able to work with the other players to give us some good offensive play,” Strickland said.

Purnell Swett’s other key offensive players are a young group, but one that Strickland hopes can grow into their roles and provide some goal-scoring throughout the season. This includes Phoenix Cummings, Kale Woodell, Cy Moore and Avry Locklear.

Strickland’s goal for the young Rams isn’t so much tangible accomplishments as it is growth throughout the campaign.

“My goal for this team is just to be competitive each and every time we play,” Strickland said. “Give 100% effort each and every time we step out onto the field to play an opponent. I’m looking for consistency in that form.”

Red Springs Red Devils

Red Springs is off to a 2-0 start after wins over Seventy-First and Pine Forest, leaving the Red Devils already halfway to matching last year’s season win total (4-11-1).

“We have a young team, but they have a lot of heart,” Red Springs coach Andrew Hughes said. “They’re going all out at practice and they’re growing with every game that we’ve played so far.”

The program’s two returning All-County selections from last year both play primarily on the defensive end in Alfredo Capulin and Brian Villagomez Ruiz.

“With their experience, they just remain cool under pressure,” Hughes said. “They give us kind of a steady pace to the game. Everything’s kind of just — this past Tuesday when it was a close game, they gave some leadership and telling the guys what to do and leading by example of how to be calm under pressure.”

Andy Martinez is also a key player on defense, while Omar Rueda Ramirez has been “coming up big” from the stopper position behind midfield.

Marco Tellez has two goals and three assists already this season for the Red Devils offensively, while Villagomez Ruiz has contributed to the team’s offense from his defensive position.

“(Tellez’) leadership on that side, and just his ability, is putting us over the top when it comes to offense,” Hughes said. “Brian, he’s been playing wing for us, and he’s been helping out on defense but he’s also been able to score.”

Red Springs hopes to make the state playoffs, while also looking to take advantage of conference matchups in the final year of the current conference alignment, Hughes said.

“Our goal is, one, to improve on last year,” Hughes said. “Last year, I thought we had the talent to make the playoffs, so this year we’ve got our mind set on making the playoffs.”

St. Pauls Bulldogs

St. Pauls reached the second round of the state playoffs last year to finish 12-9; the Bulldogs are 1-1-1 to start the 2024 season.

“We’re not a total restart, but we’ve still got some areas we can improve in,” Martin said. “Obviously the record shows we could go either way, because we’re sitting right now 1-1-1. … I don’t know that we’re quite as good as we were last year, but we have the potential to be just as good.”

The Bulldogs’ only All-County returner is forward Covin Gomez, but they’ve got other impactful players on the offensive end as well.

“I think about the best players in the county, you’ve got to include Omar Canuto,” Martin said. “Kevin Lopez is a great player as well. Covin’s important, he may be the only All-County player that’s returning, but we’ve got a lot of pieces that are returning.”

Alexander Uh Hernandez and Yordan Robero are also offensive contributors from midfield.

Defensively, goalkeeper Jorge Luciano has shown a lot of promise so far in his first varsity season.

“He’s done well; he hasn’t really had to make too many saves because we’ve been strong enough in the midfield and defense,” Martin said. “When it comes time to make a save, he’s got the ability to make a save.”

Center backs Brandon Dallos and Mike B. Perez will also play an important role for the Bulldogs defensively.

After reaching the second round of the playoffs last year, Martin hopes this year’s team can be “up in that mix” to win a playoff game or two again this season.

“We’d love to be second in the conference at least,” Martin said. “Maybe possibly get a little bit better of a draw in the playoffs than we have the last couple of years. And then I would love for us to achieve what we did last year, at least a little upset in the first round of the playoffs, if that’s the way it falls, and then let’s shoot for the second round, maybe third round this year.”