Washington’s soccer program evolving into a year-after-year contender had many accustomed to long season. So, when the Pam Pack and Southside went 0-2 in the playoffs, it felt like a premature conclusion.

That shouldn’t take away from the season that was. This year saw Washington enter a new conference — the 2-A Eastern Carolina — and begin a rivalry with North Lenoir. The Pam Pack took two of the three meetings with the Hawks, which included a 4-3 win in LaGrange that kept league-title hopes alive.

The Seahawks dominated the 1-A Coastal Plains Conference en route to the program’s first title. They endured some tough contests with Riverside to earn the championship. However, after earning a first-round bye, Southside was upended by the same Voyager Academy team that knocked it out of the 2016 playoffs.

Even Northside, which has been trying to slowly develop a consistent program, had an interesting story to follow. Senior Satoru Shinohara had played midfielder for the Panthers, but an injury prevented him from running for long stretches of time. So, he transitioned to goalkeeper and excelled in doing so.

 

FIRST TEAM:

MARCOS BOLIVAR, FORWARD, WASHINGTON

Washington had a number of question marks this season. One of them was who would score goals after two years of top-tier forwards had led Washington’s attack. Marcos Bolivar filled that void. His chemistry with Tim Anglim allowed him to finish with the second-most goals on the team.

 

SANTIAGO SERRALDE, FORWARD, SOUTHSIDE

Santiago Serralde was part of a one-two attacking punch. He and Jairo Juarez continued to develop the chemistry that has helped Southside to plenty of success in the past two seasons. The junior Seahawk had 10 goals and assisted on five more.

 

OSCAR ESPINOZA, MIDFIELDER, WASHINGTON

On the ball, Oscar Espinoza was as talented as any player in Beaufort County. His skill allowed him to create chances for himself and others. He built on his sophomore season by scoring 10 times and assisting on 15 more goals.

 

TIM ANGLIM, MIDFIELDER, WASHINGTON

Tim Anglim brought a combination of skill and strength that made him one of the top focal points for opposing defenses. He was as effective making plays in the attacking third as he was finishing them. He finished the season with 25 goals and 20 assists.

 

JAIRO JUAREZ, MIDFIELDER, SOUTHSIDE

Jairo Juarez built on his impressive freshman campaign with a team-leading 22 goals and 12 assists this year. His ability to create offensive opportunities and command attention from opposing defenses allowed for two other Seahawks to score double-digit goals.

 

CALEB PETTY, MIDFIELDER, SOUTHSIDE

Caleb Petty reached the 10-goal mark by scoring in Southside’s senior-night win over Northside. The veteran midfielder displayed playmaking vision from all over the field that helped Southside to its first-ever conference championship. His five assists tied for third on the team.

 

CODY PINKHAM, DEFENDER, WASHINGTON

Cody Pinkham stepped into a large role this season as a junior. He was the lone returning starter on defense for a Washington team that allowed 22 goals in 19 games. He brought valuable leadership to a backline that saw plenty of progression from the beginning of the season to the end.

 

REMINGTON HUGGINS, DEFENDER, SOUTHSIDE

One of three team captains on defense, Remington Huggins helped Southside hold opponents to 31 goals in 23 regular-season games. The Seahawks’ defense notched nine shutout wins throughout the season. Huggins also scored four goals.

 

JOSE PEREZ GARCIA, DEFENDER, SOUTHSIDE

Jose Perez Garcia, another defensive captain, brought a combination of lockdown defending and the ability to jump into the attack. He scored three goals and notched three assists in 24 games as a senior. His intelligence lent itself to versatility on the field.

 

COLE GODLEY, DEFENDER, SOUTHSIDE

The last of the three captains holding down Southside’s backline, Cole Godley proved to be a reliable lockdown defender. He rarely appeared on the score sheet, but was vital to Southside keeping pace with speedy conference opponents like Tarboro, as well as all the 2-A non-conference foes.

 

KEVIN AVILLA, GOALKEEPER, WASHINGTON

Despite missing a chunk of the season due to a knee injury, Kevin Avilla proved to be one of the most talented soccer players on this side of the state. Avilla played a pivotal role in keeping games close as Washington’s inexperienced defense found its footing.

SECOND TEAM:

BRUNO MALDONADO, FORWARD, NORTHSIDE

EDUARDO GONZALEZ, FORWARD, SOUTHSIDE

DAWSON COX, MIDFIELDER, WASHINGTON

JOHNATHAN HERNANDEZ, MIDFIELDER, SOUTHSIDE

CHRIS REINER, MIDFIELDER, SOUTHSIDE

JAVIER MONDRAGON, MIDFIELDER, SOUTHSIDE

GERALDO AVILLA, UTILITY, WASHINGTON

HENRY JENNINGS, DEFENDER, WASHINGTON

KEVIN PRADO, DEFENDER, SOUTHSIDE

MITCHELL COBB, DEFENDER, WASHINGTON

JOHAN PRADO, GOALKEEPER, SOUTHSIDE

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

JAROD ESPINOZA, MIDFIELDER, WASHINGTON

JAIME GUZMAN, MIDFIELDER, SOUTHSIDE

SATORU SHINOHARA, GOALKEEPER, NORTHSIDE