South Lenoir Makes History With First Playoff Win, Turner’s 50th Victory
The Blue Devils earned the first postseason victory in program history Monday night, capping a historic season with coach Jody Turner’s 50th career win.
DEEP RUN - Four years ago, South Lenoir boys soccer coach Jody Turner asked his players to trust the process. On Monday night, Nov. 2, that commitment delivered a historic result.
South Lenoir defeated Northeastern in the opening round of the NCHSAA 3A East boys soccer playoffs, earning the program’s first postseason victory and advancing to the second round for the first time.
The victory also marked Turner’s 50th career coaching win and extended South Lenoir’s first winning season to 14-8-1.
For Turner, the milestone represented much more than a postseason result.
“Told them to trust the process four years ago,” Turner said in a postgame interview with Zora Lewis. “Told them the program would go as far as they took them. And these boys took it all the way to the top so far.”
From a winless season to school history
Turner’s tenure began with an 0-11 season in 2020. South Lenoir followed with four victories in 2021 and six in 2022 before reaching double-digit wins in consecutive seasons in 2023 and 2024.
After finishing 6-14-2 in 2025, the Blue Devils returned this fall with a breakthrough season.
South Lenoir entered Monday’s playoff match at 13-8-1, having already secured the program’s first winning season in its available recorded history.
The team’s postseason history made Monday’s achievement even more significant.
South Lenoir had previously qualified for the state playoffs in 2014, 2015, 2023, 2024 and 2025. Each appearance ended in the opening round.
Across those five previous playoff matches, the Blue Devils had scored just three goals while allowing 24.
Their closest opportunity came in 2015, when they fell 3-2 to Red Springs. More recently, South Lenoir suffered a 5-0 defeat to Greene Central in 2024 and a 4-0 loss to Spring Creek in 2025.
Monday night changed that history.
A goal four years in the making
Turner said his team’s expectations were established before the regular season began.
“Our goal to start the season was to host a playoff game, win a playoff game,” Turner said.
The Blue Devils accomplished both objectives with Monday’s home victory.
Turner credited the players who helped build the program, including several who have spent four years playing under his leadership.
“A lot of hard work, a lot of sweat, tears, blood has gone into this by these young men,” Turner said. “So yes, man, it feels absolutely amazing.”
A familiar opponent awaits
South Lenoir’s historic season continues Thursday, Nov. 5, when the No. 11 Blue Devils travel to No. 6 Spring Creek for the second round of the 3A East playoffs.
The matchup presents another opportunity to rewrite the program’s postseason story.
Spring Creek eliminated South Lenoir 4-0 in the opening round of the 2025 playoffs. The Gators also defeated the Blue Devils 6-1 in their regular-season meeting Sept. 3.
This time, South Lenoir enters the matchup as a playoff winner for the first time.
For Turner and his players, the celebration of the program’s breakthrough victory will be followed by preparations for another postseason challenge.
“We obtained that goal tonight,” Turner said.
South Lenoir has accomplished what no previous Blue Devils boys soccer team had done. Now the program has an opportunity to take another step forward.