The Robeson County soccer community will meet on Saturday for the first round of the Robeson Cup, with the final taking place on September 7th.

Lumberton will face Purnell Swett at 4 p.m. and Red Springs will face St. Pauls at 6 p.m. Both games will be played at St. Pauls.

“We’d love to see them in the Robeson Cup this weekend and make a splash,” said St. Paul’s coach Brent Martin. “This weekend will probably have some of the most exciting games as we have two rivalries back to back. I’d love to see the county come out big and play in the games that I know everyone loves to watch.”

The tournament follows two weeks of regular season play in which every program in Robeson County has played at least two games.

With the county’s high school football showcase still upon us and the bulk of the season still ahead of us, here’s a look at each team’s progress so far and their outlook for the future, listed alphabetically:

Lumberton Pirates

After a 22-win season last year and their third consecutive United 8 Conference title, the Pirates got off to a rough start, losing 3-0 to three perennial contenders in the state playoffs.

“We’re still developing, that’s for sure,” Lumberton coach Kenny Simmons said. “We have a pretty tough schedule. … But we’re very optimistic that we’ll get better as the season goes on and develop the kind of chemistry we’re looking for; it’s just a process.”

Veteran striker Korbyn Walton scored 31 goals for the Pirates last season and is expected to be a strong offensive player again.

“He’s had two really good seasons in a row,” Simmons said. “We expect a lot from him, whether it’s scoring goals or assisting.”

Other key offensive players for the Pirates include Robinhio Tanis, whom Simmons described as an intelligent and physical player, Emilio Carrera, the “quarterback” who controls the midfield, Justin Lopez, a transfer from St. Paul’s who the Pirates are looking for the best position for, Mario Robles, a “quiet player” who is a workhorse all over the field, and Raul Carrera and Alexis Adler on the wings in midfield.

Simmons is impressed with 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 tough kid, has good pace, is fast and 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 said has become a vocal leader, is entering his third season as the Pirates’ goaltender.

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

“We’ve won the conference title three times and we definitely want to finish on top and secure a high seed for the state playoffs,” Simmons said. “The Robeson Cup starts this weekend and we want to defend that. And this year we want to finally get into the playoffs and we want to get past the second round, that’s kind of our trademark.”

Purnell Swett Rams

A young Purnell Swett team entered the season with a 1-1-1 record, coming off a 14-10 season last year and graduating several key players following the program’s winningest season in recent history.

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

Branlon Brooks, Robeson County’s 2023 Goaltender of the Year, is in even better shape entering his sophomore season, Strickland said.

“He’s developed a lot over the last year and that’s why we made him captain,” Strickland said. “We just need him to continue to grow and be a strong voice for the whole team and 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 Rams’ leading offensive returner after scoring ten goals in 2023.

“We hope he can get us some good goals, be a good offensive leader and work with the other players to give us a good offensive game,” Strickland said.

Purnell Swett’s other key offensive players are young, but Strickland hopes they can grow into their roles and provide some scoring as the season progresses. They include Phoenix Cummings, Kale Woodell, Cy Moore and Avry Locklear.

Strickland’s goal for the young Rams is not so much tangible success, but rather further development over the course of the season.

“My goal for this team is to be competitive every game,” Strickland said. “Every time we step out on the field to play against an opponent, we have to give 100 percent. That’s what I’m looking for consistency in.”

Red Springs Red Devils

Red Springs started 2-0 after wins over Seventy-First and Pine Forest, putting the Red Devils halfway to matching their win total from last season (4-11-1).

“We have a young team, but they have a lot of heart,” said Red Springs coach Andrew Hughes. “They give it their all in practice and continue to improve with every game we’ve played so far.”

The program’s two All-County selections from last year, Alfredo Capulin and Brian Villagomez Ruiz, both play primarily on defense.

“With their experience, they stay cool under pressure,” Hughes said. “They give us a steady tempo in the game. Everything is kind of easy – last Tuesday when it was a close game, they showed leadership and told the guys what to do and set a good example of how to stay calm under pressure.”

Andy Martinez is also a key player in defence, while Omar Rueda Ramirez “performs well” from the stopper position behind the midfield.

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

“(Tellez’s) leadership on that side and his skill alone pushes us forward offensively,” Hughes said. “Brian has played on the wing for us and helped on defense, but he’s also been able to score goals.”

Red Springs hopes to make the state playoffs while also taking advantage of conference play in the final year of the current conference setup, Hughes said.

“Our goal is to improve from last year,” Hughes said. “Last year I thought we had the talent to make the playoffs, so this year we’re determined to make the playoffs.”

St. Paul’s Bulldogs

St. Pauls reached the second round of the state playoffs last year, finishing 12-9; the Bulldogs enter the 2024 season with a 1-1-1 record.

“We’re not a complete reboot, but we still have some areas where we can improve,” Martin said. “Obviously, the record shows we could go either way, because right now we’re 1-1-1. … I don’t know if 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 have other impactful players on offense as well.

“I think one of the best players in the county is Omar Canuto,” Martin said. “Kevin Lopez is a great player, too. Covin is important. He may be the only All-County player returning, but we have a lot of players returning.”

Alexander Uh Hernandez and Yordan Robero also make an offensive contribution in midfield.

On the defensive, goalkeeper Jorge Luciano has shown promising performances so far in his first season on the varsity team.

“He did well; he didn’t really have to save a lot of balls because we were strong enough in midfield and defense,” Martin said. “When it’s time to save a ball, he’s able to save one.”

Center backs Brandon Dallos and Mike B. Perez will also play an important role in the Bulldogs’ defense.

After the team reached the second round of the playoffs last year, Martin hopes they can “be up there with the best” this year and win a playoff game or two again this season.

“We’d like to finish at least second in the conference,” Martin said. “Maybe we’ll get a little better draw in the playoffs than we’ve had in recent years. And then it would be nice if we could do what we did last year, at least pull off a little upset in the first round of the playoffs if that’s how it goes, and then we’ll aim for the second or maybe third round this year.”

Sports Editor Chris Stiles can be reached at 910-816-1977 or via email at (email protected). You can follow him on X at @StilesOnSports.