The East Bladen boys’ soccer team returns a solid core of players.
Sonny Jones / Bladen Journal
The East Bladen boys’ soccer team seeks its 10th consecutive trip to the state playoffs this season.
Sonny Jones / Bladen Journal
ELIZABETHTOWN – The East Bladen boys’ soccer team has qualified for the N.C. High School Athletic Association playoffs for nine straight seasons. The 2025 edition of the Eagles have the talent to make it 10 straight trips to the postseason.
“I’m excited,” Coach Jay Raynor said. The returning players “are picking up where they left off last season. This group is good about holding each other accountable. They’re not only teammates, they’re good friends, but also know how to hold each other to a higher level.”
East Bladen was 11-7-2 overall and 8-2-2 in the former Waccamaw Conference last season.
Sophomore Ishaq Algozy, who led the Eagles with 12 goals and 20 assists as a freshman, is expected to lead an offensive attack that will be stronger with the return to health of senior Tevin McLean. McLean, a senior, scored a team-best 21 goals as a sophomore, but was limited last season while recovering from a vehicle accident and had only three tallies. Sophomore Andrea Garcia had five goals last season and has “blossomed over the summer,” Raynor said.
Defensively, senior Davion Lewis and junior Jayce Hatcher lead a group that allowed only 37 goals in 20 games last season. Lewis had 20 assists last season. Hatcher, who can move to midfield when needed, netted five goals last season. Easton Bostic scored three goals last season and will help on the backline.
In net, senior Colton Daly had a 1.491 goals against average and made 103 saves last season. Sophomore Fox Sutton is expected to be pushing for more playing time this season.
“The concerns are mostly what I can control as far as putting them in a system that’s going to help maximize their fullest potential,” said Raynor, who has a 172-99-16 record in 14 seasons with the Eagles. “We’ve been blessed in the last few years to play a three-back system with five midfielders and two forwards, but looking at how they’ve evolved and how they’ve grown this year, they can keep the ball a little bit better than the teams we’ve had. They understand the game. We’ve got some attacking personalities.”
East Bladen is in the newly formed Carolina Conference, which includes two-time defending Eastern champion Hobbton. The Wildcats have eliminated East Bladen in the second round of the playoffs in each of the past two seasons. The Eagles are scheduled to host the Wildcats on Sept. 10 and play at Hobbton on Oct. 6.
Other class 2A schools in the conference are Lakewood, North Duplin, Union and West Columbus along with 1A East Columbus.
“There’s a lot of talent in the area and we are not overlooking anyone,” Raynor said. “I expect us to be competing for a championship. That’s the goal regardless of what conference we’re in.
“I look forward to the new conference, establishing new relationships with coaches and being able to see some more players that are coming from an area that’s producing talent. We’re excited about it.”
East Bladen is scheduled to open its season Tuesday, Aug. 12 at South Columbus. The Eagles’ first home game is set Aug. 21 against county rival West Bladen.
Sonny Jones can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on X @FOSonnyJones.