ST. PAULS — For the second time in program history, the St. Pauls boys soccer team hosts a state playoff game.
The program was awarded the home match after being seeded 16th in the 2A East region on Wednesday and the Bulldogs (15-3) host No. 17 East Montgomery (11-4-1) on Saturday in the first round. Kickoff is TBA.
“I’m excited and proud and I think that the boys that have been with me for so long deserve it,” St. Pauls soccer coach Brent Martin said. “No team has ever won 16 games so that’s something we are shooting for and no team has ever won in the first round of the state playoffs at St. Pauls.”
The last time the Bulldogs hosted in the postseason was in 2015 when they lost 7-5 in overtime to North Lenoir. In that match, St. Pauls was up 5-3 in the second half, and Martin said the coaching decisions in that game still haunts him.
“I remember being up at halftime and them tying it up 5-5 at the end of regulation,” Martin said. “They added two goals in the second overtime to beat us. It was a great experience hosting and probably the closest we’ve ever came to winning a playoff game.”
With the second half lead that slipped out of their hands, Martin learned a lesson on what to do in stations like that.
“It would be naive to not learn from that experience and not make a change,” he said. “You’d be a fool not to learn from your mistakes.”
The Eagles are led by Hector Lopez, who has been a goal-scoring machine this season with 33 goals and 11 assists. He is one of five juniors or seniors with at least five goals this season. In Rocky River Conference play, East Montgomery finished in a tie for first, but lost the No. 1-seed to Forest Hills, who won both meetings between the teams this season.
“I know East Montgomery is going to be a tough opponent. I don’t really know much about them but I’m hoping it will be a good match like the last one we hosted,” Martin said.
St. Pauls has been led by its 13 seniors this season to set up its most successful season in program history to finish second in the Three Rivers Conference behind East Bladen. Seniors Alexis Mendez and Sam Flores spearhead the offense with a combined 33 goals. Mendez has 11 assists to his credit as well.
The winner takes on either top-seeded First Flight or No. 32 Graham. If the opportunity were to work out for St. Pauls to make the trip to the Outer Banks, it will be a chance that it will take head on.
“We really want to go and play that team. We know it will take a lot of work to battle with East Montgomery,” Martin said. “We want the opportunity to take that five-hour drive and put ourselves up against the top team in the state.”
