Three local teams chase fourth-round soccer berths

Photo credit: @ernieshott.it on Instagram.

Three Neuse News Sports-area teams are one win away from the fourth round of the NCHSAA boys soccer playoffs. Jones Senior gets another shot at last year’s state runner-up, Spring Creek travels to a two-time state champion, and C.B. Aycock returns home looking to build on last season’s regional-final run.

All three play Monday, Nov. 9. Here’s a deep look at the matchups, with a little hometown faith in the predictions.

1A EAST: No. 8 Jones Senior (14-8-1) at No. 1 Falls Lake (19-2-4)

Kickoff: 6 p.m. at Falls Lake Academy in Creedmoor.

How they got here: Both teams received first-round byes. Jones Senior edged Bear Grass Charter 1-0 in the second round, with senior Angel Salinas scoring in the second half. Falls Lake survived Excelsior Classical 1-1 and advanced 5-4 on penalty kicks.

The matchup: Jones has scored 81 goals and allowed 52; Falls Lake has scored 97 and allowed 27. Falls Lake’s totals point to the stronger overall résumé, but its escape against Excelsior shows the top seed can be pushed. Jones has allowed only two goals in its last four games.

Players to watch: Jones has two dangerous finishers in junior Joseph Sanchez and senior Kevin Sanchez, each with a reported 26 goals. Joseph also has 18 assists, while Kevin has nine. Sophomore goalkeeper Jesstin Crump has 104 reported saves. Falls Lake counters with senior Nathan Stines, who has 45 reported goals and 10 assists. Seniors Camden Schneider and Caleb Morton add 15 and 11 goals, respectively.

Roster experience: Jones lists 18 players: seven seniors, three juniors, five sophomores and three freshmen. Falls Lake’s published roster lists differ in size, but both show seven seniors and seven juniors. Twelve players on its current roster appeared in last year’s state championship match.

Common opponents: None found on the teams’ current schedules.

Head-to-head: This is a rematch. Falls Lake ended Jones Senior’s season 7-0 in the second round in 2025. The Trojans have doubled their win total since then, going from seven wins last season to 14 entering Monday.

Playoff history: Falls Lake was the 2025 1A state runner-up, losing the final to Thomas Jefferson on penalties after a 1-1 draw. Jones has reached the third round before, in 2023. A win Monday would send the Trojans to their first fourth round based on the available NCHSAA records and subsequent brackets.

The case for Jones: Joseph and Kevin Sanchez give the Trojans the firepower to punish mistakes. They’ll need to stay organized against Stines and make their chances count. Falls Lake is the favorite, but Jones has improved and has already won a tight playoff game.

Prediction: Jones Senior 2, Falls Lake 1. A hometown upset pick, and a chance for the Trojans to rewrite last year’s ending.

3A EAST: No. 6 Spring Creek (15-7-1) at No. 3 NCSSM-Durham (18-3-1)

Kickoff: 6 p.m. at NCSSM Soccer Field in Durham.

How they got here: Both had first-round byes. Spring Creek defeated South Lenoir 2-1 in the second round, while NCSSM-Durham rolled past Goldsboro 8-1.

The matchup: The attacking numbers are close: Spring Creek has scored 84 goals and NCSSM has scored 86. The bigger difference is defense. Spring Creek has allowed 44 goals; NCSSM has allowed 20. The Unicorns are 10-0-1 at home and have won 11 straight.

Players to watch: Spring Creek junior Bryan Esau Medina Rodriguez has 18 reported goals and 20 assists. Senior Erix Sosa Rodriguez has 16 goals and five assists, while sophomore Christopher Mulenga Miteu has 12 goals and four assists. NCSSM senior midfielder Tudor Tegean was a 2025 all-state selection, and senior striker Christopher Hughes was an all-region selection. Reliable current individual scoring totals for the Unicorns were not available.

Roster experience: Spring Creek lists 25 players: seven seniors, nine juniors, eight sophomores and one freshman. NCSSM’s 24-player roster is all upperclassmen: 10 seniors and 14 juniors. The Gators have plenty of experience too, with 16 juniors and seniors and several returning attacking players.

Common opponents:

• Goldsboro: Spring Creek won 5-1 and 7-4; NCSSM won 8-1 in the playoffs.
• Research Triangle: Spring Creek lost 2-1. NCSSM drew 1-1 and won 3-0.

Head-to-head: No 2026 meeting was found. NCSSM won the most recent verified matchup 2-0 in August 2025.

Playoff history: NCSSM won NCHSAA boys soccer state titles in 2007 and 2011 and was the 3A East regional runner-up last season. Spring Creek reached the third round in 2013, 2014, 2016 and 2022. The available records did not establish whether the Gators have advanced beyond this round, so a win cannot be confirmed as a program record.

The case for Spring Creek: The Gators beat 4A East No. 2 seed North Pitt 4-2 and drew 1-1 with defending 3A champion Wallace-Rose Hill. NCSSM deserves to be favored, but Spring Creek has shown it can compete with strong opponents and has multiple players capable of scoring.

Prediction: Spring Creek 2, NCSSM-Durham 1. The Gators find a way to make the most of their chances in an upset.

5A EAST: No. 5 Seaforth (16-6-1) at No. 4 C.B. Aycock (13-6-3)

Kickoff: 6:30 p.m. at C.B. Aycock High School in Pikeville.

How they got here: Both teams received first-round byes. Aycock defeated Southern Nash 3-2, winning the deciding game of their three-game season series. Seaforth beat West Carteret 2-1 after a 1-1 halftime tie.

The matchup: Seaforth has the hotter streak, winning nine straight and outscoring opponents 38-13 during that run. Aycock is unbeaten in seven, going 5-0-2, and is 8-1-1 at home. On the season, Seaforth has outscored opponents 76-45; Aycock has a 56-35 scoring edge.

Players to watch: Aycock junior Dennis Graham has nine reported goals. Junior Adam Piwowarski has eight goals and six assists, and sophomore Morgan Barnes has eight goals. Junior Adrien Summers has 10 assists. Goalkeeper Owen Acorn has 189 reported saves. Seaforth senior Justin Fernandez leads a productive attack with 24 goals and 18 assists; senior Jacob Wanderski has 12 goals and 14 assists.

Roster experience: Seaforth is the older group on paper, listing eight seniors, 12 juniors and four sophomores. Aycock lists four seniors, eight juniors, 10 sophomores and seven freshmen. Class totals don’t tell the whole story, though: Graham, Piwowarski, Summers and Barnes were on last season’s regional-final roster.

Common opponent: Fike. Aycock won both meetings, 3-1 and 2-1. Seaforth also beat Fike, 4-2. All three were wins, so the shared opponent doesn’t provide a clear separator.

Head-to-head: No 2026 meeting or previous boys varsity matchup was located in the accessible records. That doesn’t establish that the teams have never played.

Playoff history: Aycock reached the 5A East regional final in 2025, finishing 23-1 after a 2-1 loss to eventual state champion Western Alamance. Seaforth reached the third round in 2024 and lost in the second round in 2025. Neither boys program appears among the state champions or finalists in the available NCHSAA records through 2025.

The case for Aycock: Seaforth’s experienced attack is dangerous, but the Golden Falcons have been difficult to beat at home and have allowed only five goals during their seven-game unbeaten stretch. This looks like a matchup that could come down to one play.

Prediction: C.B. Aycock 2, Seaforth 1. Give the home team the edge in another close playoff game.

Individual statistics are the teams’ reported totals and may not account for every goal.