Spring Creek soccer trio headed to Powerade State Games

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on June 20, 2013 1:47 PM

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SEVEN SPRINGS -- Its athletic program not even two decades old overall, Spring Creek has churned out some quality players recently in boys' soccer.

The Gators have won an unprecedented six consecutive Carolina 1-A Conference championships and seven total in the past eight years. They've been a fixture in the N.C. High School Athletic Association playoffs and are just one of two programs to advance to the regional championship level.

Now Otto Binar, David Vega and Marcos Castaneda get the opportunity to put the program on a higher stage. The trio has been selected to play on the Northeast Region squad in the Powerade State Games of North Carolina Soccer Showcase, which begins Saturday morning at Wingate University.

The Northeast Region squares off against the West Region at 10 a.m.

"I am so excited for the three of them," Salter said. "Our boys' program has been very strong for several years and we've had quite a few talented players come through Spring Creek. Getting Spring Creek athletes in line with programs like this is just an awesome way to get them visibility.

"Hopefully, we will open doors for our athletes. For some of our future players, maybe this will give them that little extra incentive."

An offensive threat with the ability to beat any opponent one-on-one, Binar punched in 18 goals and handed out nine assists last fall. Vega transitioned from defense to offense as a center midfielder, and tied for second on the team in assists.

A confident player with a tremendous field awareness, Castaneda emerged the defensive leader as a sophomore. Salter liked his calm, cool demeanor as a defender and felt confident he'd keep opposing teams from generating quality chances on goal.

Northeast Region head coach John Matthews shared Salter's enthusiasm about her top three players. Their skills and versatility will give Matthews the flexibility to put them anywhere on the field.

"They are going to be a big part of what we do and any success we have," Matthews said. "I'm glad they tried out and I'm looking forward to coaching them. They all have a bright future in soccer (and) I'm glad to be a part of it."

The state has been divided into six regions. The teams will each play one Showcase game on Saturday, which will determine the lineup for medal-round action on Sunday. The teams will be seeded based on record, goal differential, goals allowed and goals scored.