Attackers headline the ballot
The loudest returning cases appear to be in the final third.
- Patrick Guest of Northwood Temple Academy is reported to be back after a 30-goal season with 12 assists.
- Kwabena Asante of Village Christian reportedly produced 27 goals and five assists as an underclassman.
- Carlos Montes Palma of South View is said to return after 14 goals and 16 assists.
- Xander Morgan of Fayetteville Christian reportedly added 15 goals last season.
That kind of output matters because preseason polls are often driven by visibility. Goals travel fast. So do assists from players who dictate games. In this group, there appears to be both.
Team success gives the race context
Individual recognition tends to follow winning, and the area has several teams with momentum.
- The report says Gray’s Creek made the region’s deepest playoff run, reaching the third round before a 2-0 loss to Franklinton.
- Cape Fear reportedly won the Tri-County Conference title.
- South View is said to have shared the Eastern Sandhills crown, ending a 20-season wait for a league title.
- Fayetteville Academy reportedly went unbeaten in conference play.
That backdrop raises the standard. Voters are not only picking talent; they are reacting to players tied to serious team narratives.
Don’t ignore the goalkeepers
If the poll leans attacking, the season itself may not.
- Alex Hallis of Gray’s Creek reportedly posted a 0.837 goals-against average with 51 saves.
- Levi Laney of Fayetteville Christian is said to have recorded a 0.982 average and three assists.
- Zachary Sargent of Jack Britt reportedly made 114 saves.
- Tyce Thurman of Terry Sanford is credited with 183 saves.
As the regular season opens on 10 August, the next storyline is simple: which of these returning names turns preseason recognition into early wins. In a region with recent playoff proof, the player-of-the-year race should tighten quickly once conference matches begin.