CAP-7 CONFERENCE
Wakefield senior Ryan Metts (10) was one of five area soccer players named to the North Carolina Soccer Coaches Association's All-State team.
Five area soccer players
named to All-State team
Wakefield's Ryan Metts earns All-South honors
In a conference as deep and talented as the Cap-7 was in soccer this past fall, it's only fitting the league has cleaned up with postseason awards.
Five area players — Leesville Road's Bo Burns, Millbrook's Spencer LaCivita, Wakefield's Ryan Metts and Sanderson's Glenn Scott and JP Rafferty — were all named to the North Carolina Soccer Coaches Association's All-State team last month. For Burns and Scott, this is their first year honored.
But the process has become seemingly routine for Metts and LaCivita, who are repeat selections, and Rafferty, who has been recognized during each of the past three seasons. (LaCivita, the lone junior, has a chance to make it a three-peat next year.)
In addition to his All-State honors, Metts was also named to the National Soccer Coaches Association of America's All-South team, one of only 11 representatives from the state of North Carolina. The Wakefield captain — and future Demon Deacon — narrowly missed being named an All-American.
"That shows me that Ryan is one of the Top 11 players in the state," explained Wakefield head coach Scott Sloan. "It's a great honor for him because he's not a guy who is going to garner a lot of attention. He quietly puts up assists from a defensive position. He plays the free kick in or makes the defensive stop. He's a guy who does a ton of small things, and he does them extremely well. He's not that guy who is going to run at somebody and beat them with three step-overs. That's not his game."
In all, 39 4-A players were recognized as All-State by the state coaches association. Broughton's Bjorn Johnsen and Harrison Delbridge were among the honored players as well.
Several Cap-7 Conference players also received All-Regiona accolades, including Leesville Road's Fernando Castellanos and Ryan Fleming, Millbrook's Austin Dietz, Connor Karr and Alex Olofson, Sanderson's Jackson Parker and Taylor Wyatt and Wakefield's Greg Judge and Jay Williams. Burns, LaCivita, Metts, Scott and Rafferty were also All-Region selections — the honor just below All-State.
Sanderson head coach Todd Worley lauded his two All-State representatives, explaining Scott had a phenomenal offensive year and Rafferty has been remarkably consistent.
"When you have a kind of year Glenn had, and you score a lot of goals, you are going to get a lot of recognition," the coach said, alluding to Scott's 31 goals this season. "And J.P., he's had just a tremendous career here, and he is also very deserving."
While the Spartans have a rich soccer tradition — winners of 11 4-A state championships — Worley estimated Rafferty is likely just the fourth Sanderson soccer player to be All-State three years in a row.
Although Metts meant a great deal to the Wakefield soccer program, Sloan said the seniors' reach goes far beyond the field. (These same sentiments were echoed by Leesville Road coach Chip Stone about Burns during the season as well.)
"He's just one of those students you are going to miss as a soccer player, but — truth be told — you are going to miss him more as a person," Sloan said of Metts. " We are very fortunate to have had him walk through our door and to compete and represent Wakefield these last few years."
Here is the complete list of the North Carolina representatives on the National Soccer Coaches Association of America's All-South team.
D Senyonjo Mukungu Sr. Jordan High School
M Jonathan Campbell So. Greensboro Day School
M Chris Kyryliuk Sr. Charlotte Catholic High School
M Will McGinnis Sr. Charlotte Latin School
M Ryan Metts Sr. Wakefield High School
M Ross Tomaselli Sr. New Hanover High School
F Eduardo Alvarez So. Greensboro Day School
F Giusseppe Gentile Jr. Ardrey Kell High School
F Jimmy Johnson Sr. Jacksonville High School
F Robert Lovejoy Sr. Page High School
F Chipper Root Sr. Chapel Hill High School
