Coming off its most successful season since 2016, Cedar Ridge men’s soccer wasn’t supposed to have a rebuilding season this year.
They only lost four seniors from 2023, when they won 12 games and hosted a state playoff matchup against Southern Lee. Magical moments happened throughout the season, starting with a six-game undefeated streak and a 1-0 win over Western Alamance when Solomon Hernandez headed in the game-winner late in the second half. The entire team posed in front of the scoreboard following the biggest result for the Red Wolves in years.
Even when tryouts started three weeks ago, it appeared most of the pieces from last year’s remarkable squad would return. But nothing is as certain nowadays in sports as it seems.
Last week, senior Dominic McNerney, who led the team with nine goals in 2023, transferred to Western Alamance. It came as a surprise to Cedar Ridge head coach Chauncey Brummell. McNerney participated in the team’s summer camp at UNC Greensboro and attended tryouts on August 1.
On top of that, junior midfielder Gael Antunez-Nunez is ineligible for the season. Antunez-Nunez racked up eight assists in 2023, second on the team behind senior Iliah Babchenko, who graduated in June.
“It’s a major loss,” Brummell said during practice last Friday. “You just rely on your seniors. We’re going to have some growing pains, obviously. It’s going to be rough for us as the season begins. Once we get out full team back, we should be able to overcome some of those hurdles.”
Hernandez, who scored six goals last season, sat out most of the summer after tearing the meniscus in his right knee. Usually, Hernandez trains with Wake FC at Ting Park in Holly Springs, but the layoff led to him missing Thursday’s season-opener against Carrboro. He’s slated to return at Vance County on Monday night.
Junior goalkeeper Erik Galunas is back. In 2023, Galunas was named to the All-Central Conference team after he posted five clean sheets and 12 wins overall.
Cedar Ridge is also spending a lot of time on the road to open the year. They start with four straight road games, including contests at Vance County on Monday, at Asheboro on Wednesday and a trip to WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary on Friday to face Cape Fear.
A short-handed Cedar Ridge team dropped its season-opener to Carrboro 4-1 last week at Jaguars Stadium. Galunas saved a penalty kick in the second half. Junior Niko James scored the Red Wolves’ first goal of the year in the second half. Carrboro (1-1) won its home opener after starting the year with a loss at Orange.
Cedar Ridge does return junior midfielder Edber Lopez, who scored three goals last season. There’s also Alejandro Macero-Ramos, who also netted three goals in 2023.
The Red Wolves will play its opening home game against Vance County on August 26. They will start Central Conference play against Person on September 11 in Roxboro.
“The goal is to keep everyone positive,” Brummel said. “Yeah, we’re hurting a little bit because of Dom’s departure. One person isn’t the face of Cedar Ridge soccer. We just have to work harder. We’ve got some kids who are talented. It’s just going to take us some time to gel because they’re new.”
Southern Durham 3, Orange 0: The Spartans, the defending Northern Lake Conference champions, defeated Orange at Spartan Stadium on Wednesday night. Chris Morales, Juan Soliz and Joseth Banegas each scored goals for the Sparans, who are 1-0-1.
Orange goalkeeper Hector Garrido made eight saves, including a penalty kick, in his second varsity start. The Panthers fall to 1-1 and will host Durham School of the Arts on Monday night in Hillsborough. Last year, the Panthers defeated the Bulldogs 2-1 in the Bull City.