03/28/2024
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League champion East Bladen placed five players on the All-Three Rivers Conference boys soccer team, and Coach Jay Raynor was named the league’s Coach of the Year. West Bladen had three players named to the All-TRC team.

Named All-TRC from East Bladen were seniors Greyson Heustess, Ezequiel Arteaga, Keshaun Davis and Dan Tatum and junior Gabe Barber. Chosen for the team from West Bladen were senior Pablo Ortega and juniors Angel Martinez and Johnny Dominquez.

Raynor recorded his 100th boys soccer coaching victory with the Eagles in a 6-0 win over Red Springs on Oct. 22nd and now has 103 career wins. East Bladen has won two consecutive Three Rivers championships under Raynor and posted a 39-4-2 record for those two seasons.

Heustess somehow was not voted the Three Rivers Player of the Year. The 5-10 forward led the league with 33 goals and 84 points and also contributed 18 assists and 87 steals. He posted six ‘Hat Tricks” and scored 4 goals in two different games. Heustess scored 3 goals in both Eagle wins over Whiteville and in a 5-1 victory over second-place St. Pauls.

Barber racked up 10 goals, 7 assists and 90 steals and helped control the midfield for the Eagles. Arteaga totaled 4 goals and 4 assists, but collected 108 steals and was an integral part of the East Bladen backline.

Tatum was credited with 4 goals and 3 assists and picked up 90 steals. The 5-8 defender was another key part of the Eagle defense. Davis dished out 4 assists and helped spark the Eagle defense with 60 steals.

Martinez made 155 saves in goal for the Knights in 19 games – an average of 8 per game – and recorded 3 shutouts. Ortega fired in 7 goals and had 2 assists from his forward position. Dominquez keyed the Knight defense with 80 steals and added a goal and an assist.

Receiving Honorable Mention for the Eagles were: senior Pierce Melvin (5 goals, 27 assists, 104 steals), junior Jake Evans (10 goals, 8 assists), junior Jay McGill (9 goals, 6 assists, 86 steals), sophmore Jay McKoy (5 goals, an assist, 73 steals), senior B. J. Monroe (5 goals, 7 assists, 75 steals) and sophmore Jacob Priest (12 shutouts and a 17-1-1 record in goal).

Honorable Mention recepients for the Knights were: sophmore Keni Verdugo Gomez (7 goals), junior Joey Ferretiz (111 steals), junior Wilmer Garcia (4 goals, 24 steals) and junior Brandon Labra (2 goals, 3 assists, 51 steals).

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