2019 Neuse News All-Area boys soccer team
Greene Central junior forward Alan Rubio led the Rams with 37 goals this season. The Rams went 18-4 during the 2019 season and finished second in the Eastern Carolina 2A standings, Photo by Laieke Abebe/Neuse News.
Boys soccer season came to an end last week for the Neuse News coverage area.
A lot of teams and individuals have turned in some outstanding performances throughout the season. Greene Central finished with 18 wins and we’re one win short of an Eastern Carolina 2A conference championship. North Lenoir went 12-7-1, finished third in the conference, and qualified for the state playoffs.
Arendell Parrott went 10-10, but played well enough to share the Eastern Plains Independent Conference championship and won a playoff game. South Lenoir had a lot of players do well statistically despite finishing with a 9-11 record.
Ayden-Grifton had a lot of girls not only play on the boys soccer team, but contribute to their success as well. Bethel Christian and Kinston played with a lot of effort, but unfortunately couldn’t get into the win column in 2019. Jones Senior didn’t field a boys soccer team this season.
With the season complete, it’s now time to hand out awards for the boys soccer season. The Neuse News All-Area boys soccer team is compiled of two teams of 11, honorable mentions, player of the year, and coach of the year. All that being said, here we go.
2019 Neuse News boys soccer Player of the Year:
Greene Central junior forward Alan Rubio
This was a tougher choice than it looks, but Greene Central junior forward Alan Rubio is the 2019 Neuse News boys soccer Player of the Year. He might not say much, but his game does the talking on the field. The Rams junior striker led the area with 37 goals this season. He also finished with 10 assists and he scored a goal in all but one contest. Rubio had five hat tricks and two games with four goals.
A lot of consideration was given to North Lenoir Hawks senior forward Taiwan Hines who had 25 goals and 20 assists. He leaves Wheat Swamp as the teams all-time leading goalscorer with 88 goals. However, the Rams success made the difference in selecting Rubio. Greene Central had the best record in the area at 18-4 and finished as conference runner ups this season after sharing the title with Washington in 2018.
Rubio is a part of a really good group coming back next season for the Rams. Head coach Matt Gnau also has Ariel Nunez, Jose Morquecho, and Nathan Drake returning among others. Next season, Greene Central will be poised for a run at the conference championship led by their standout forward.
Arendell Parrott head coach Shivar Person (seen with bucket hat) and the Patriots turned in back-to-back 4-15 seasons in 2017 and 2018. In 2019, they won 10 games, were the only team in the area to clinch at least a share of a conference title, and were the only area squad to win a state playoff game. Photo by Laieke Abebe/Neuse News.
2019 Neuse News boys soccer Coach of the Year:
Arendell Parrott head coach Shivar Person
Arendell Parrott head coach Shivar Person is the 2019 Neuse News boys soccer Coach of the Year.
Coach of the year was an extremely difficult decision to make because there are arguments for a lot of coaches in the area. From the aforementioned coach Gnau fo North Lenoir head coach Chris Evans, the coaches in the area have done an excellent job maintaining winning programs. The Rams have gone 35-9 in the last two years and the Hawks are 42-19-3 in the last three seasons.
However, Arendell Parrott’s Shivar Person gets the nod as the Neuse News boys soccer Coach of the Year. His team has made a significant jump in his third season as the Patriots head coach. After back to back 4-15 seasons, Parrott went 10-10 in 2019. The Patriots earned a share of the Eastern Plains Independent Conference title, a title that was shared the other three teams in the conference: Raleigh Grace Christian, Raleigh St. David’s, and Cary Christian.
Parrott saw the biggest win improvement out of any team in the area (six wins better than last season). They were also the only team in the area that won a state playoff game: a 1-0 overtime win over Raleigh St. David’s. Person is coming off of coaching the Patriots girls soccer team to their first ever state championship this past spring. It appears that while his team will lose 10 seniors, there is a bright future for the Patriots boys soccer program.
First Team
Goalkeeper: John Grice (senior, Arendell Parrott)
Defenders: Jose Sanchez (senior, North Lenoir), Kolby Jones (senior, APA), James Acevedo (senior, Greene Central), Jerrin Howell (senior, NL)
Midfielders: Ulises Mora (senior, GC), Ariel Nunez (freshman, GC), Luis Cordova (junior, NL). Steven Rodriguez (junior, South Lenoir)
Forwards: Taiwan Hines (senior, NL), Alan Rubio (junior, GC)
Second Team
Goalkeeper: Orlando Gallardo (senior, NL)
Defenders: Luis Rodriguez (senior, SL), Richard Williams (senior, APA), Arnoldo Munoz (senior, NL), Beechum Hartsell (junior, NL)
Midfielders: Esteban Hernandez (senior, SL), Felipe Hinojosa (senior, GC), Nathan Drake (sophomore, GC), Jose Morquecho (sophomore, GC)
Forwards: George Dismukes (senior, APA), Axel Hernandez (senior, Ayden-Grifton)
Honorable Mentions
Jandery Angel (A-G)
Jehovany Martinez (A-G)
Caleb Allen (APA)
Jesse Morquecho (APA)
Mateus Prado (APA)
Alex Nunez (GC)
Eduardo Gonzalez (GC)
Michael Moore (NL)
Jesus Lopez (SL)
Diego Rodriguez (SL)
Neuse News Correspondent Rudy Coggins contributed to this report.