NEWBERRY — The Mid-Carolina High School and Newberry High School boys varsity soccer teams are familiar with each other this year, having played one another three times — each team winning at home and then setting up a region championship.
The region championship was won April 28 by the Bulldogs at Mid Carolina.
The Rebels entered the upper state playoffs seeded fifth, while the Bulldogs were seeded just above them at fourth. Both teams won their first round games, the Rebels dispatching Ninety Six 6-0, while Newberry beat a pesky Columbia HS team 2-0.
This set up a rematch in round 2, this time Mid-Carolina would have to travel to Newberry to try and avenge the loss the week before. When the playoffs began, the Rebels moved All Conference midfielder Cristian Benitez to center back to team up with another All Conference defender Jesus Velazquez. This paid dividends against Ninety Six and the same would be true on this night.
The Bulldogs managed just four shots on goal the entire game and the Rebels slowly managed to wear Newberry down. With 10 minutes remaining in the first half, Miguel Gonzalez was fouled just outside the 18 yard box. Jesus Reyes, region Player of the Year, put the ensuing kick in the left corner of the Bulldog net, giving the Rebels a 1-0 halftime lead.
The Rebels continued to press in the second half and 20 minutes in, Keenan Boland played a perfect pass wide to a streaking Reyes who once again gave the Bulldog keeper no chance as he thundered a shot across the face of the goal to the keepers right.
The Rebel midfield and back line did an excellent job of containing the Bulldog attack for the remainder of the game. Kent Alford, Jesus Velazquez, Keenan Boland, Daniel Huichapa and Cristian Benitez combined for the shutout while Brayan Perez, Miguel Gonzalez, Saul Carmona, Luis Teolino, Adrian Lopez and Carlos Hernandez did all of the grunt work at the midfield that made the Rebels transition game so effective.
The Rebels now travel to number #1 seed and defending Upper State Champion Indian Land in the Upper State Semi-Finals.