Outer Banks Times

Dare County high schools have secured another State Championship in men's soccer this year. The men's team for First Flight High School completed an undefeated season and a strong playoff game ending in 3-0 against Hickory. This victory solidifies the reputation of Dare County as a breeding ground for exceptional soccer talent.

The journey to the championship was far from easy, yet First Flight made it seem effortless with their impressive record. First Flight reached the championship match with an impressive 21-0-1 record, with the sole non-victory being a regular season tie against Manteo, according to an article by Outer Banks Voice. The team secured the top seed in the East Region of the 3A bracket for the playoffs, facing off against Hickory, the No. 1 seed from the West Region in the finals.

The final match highlighted not only First Flight's dominance but also individual performances that contributed greatly to their success. As reported on the High School OT site, the championship match saw goals from Nathan Tsonev, Curren Breiholz, and Mark Hernandez for the team. Goalkeeper Colin Rhodes earned the title of game MVP, according to an article by Outer Banks Voice. Throughout the six tournament victories leading to the state title, First Flight displayed dominance by outscoring opponents with an impressive 26-2 margin.

Before embarking on this challenging journey through playoffs and towards victory, Head Coach Juan Ramirez shared some insightful remarks about his winning team. In an interview with Outer Banks Voice right before commencement and excitement of playoff games began, Head Coach Juan Ramirez expressed optimism about his team's prospects in tournament play. He stated: "I think we have great potential. It's a good group of young men, very cohesive; we play well together, they really push each other. They're very good friends," quoted from Outer Banks Voice article.