The varsity boys’ soccer team at the Southern School of Energy and Sustainability enjoyed a historic season in the 2023-24 school year, not only earning them an undefeated record in conference play but also winning them the “Story of the Year” title from High School OT, an online publication from WRAL that is dedicated to high school sports.

“The Spartans had their best season in school history with a 20-3-2 overall record and an undefeated 13-0-1 record in conference play,” the publication shared with the announcement of the honor, adding that it was the first time that the school won a conference title in boys’ soccer, following up two seasons of no wins. “The Spartans snapped Carrboro’s 56-game conference winning streak to take home the title and advanced all the way to the fourth round of the state playoffs, as well.”

Lennie Curington, an assistant coach for the varsity boys’ soccer team at Southern, said that this accomplishment was a long time in the making.

“It was an incredible, unbelievable season,” he said. “Everything happened for us in so many different ways. There were so many twists and turns over our season and really over the last three or four years.”

He said that the soccer program began at the school about 10 years ago, and the team even made it to the playoffs a couple of times. When COVID hit, the season was canceled, and when the team returned, they struggled to rebuild the momentum they had gained. 

“At no point did we walk on the field with the allotted 11 guys,” Currington said of their return season. “We never had enough people to fill a proper team, but we went out there and did the best we could. We had a winless season, but we took our lumps and we learned from it.”

But then things turned around dramatically. The team went from not winning a game to making the playoffs in 2022, where they finished third in the conference.

When they started the season in 2023, things were rocky again. They had almost lost their head coach in an accident, and Currington struggled through a health scare of his own when doctors discovered a tumor on his kidney. Currington said that changed his outlook, and he shared that with the team.

“We were playing perennial state champion Jordan, and we’re playing them in a regular match, and I just didn’t like the way our team was acting so I pulled them together and said this is the time for them to know that what they got is special and they need to cherish it,” Currington said. He shared what he was going through personally and told them they had to take their time seriously. 

“We beat Jordan that day and went on a run,” he said. “We had never even come close to beating them before.”

The Spartans went all the way to the final eight in the state. They were knocked out by First Flight High School in Kill Devil Hills. They played in Kill Devil Hills, and the Spartans faced a daunting home crowd. But they held their own in the first half, and were tied 1-1 at the end of the first half.

“We played hard. We played our hearts out, and the fans applauded us,” Currington said.

Brandon Polanco, a rising senior, said, “We as a team are all proud of what we were able to achieve last season. One of the many turning points in our season was our opening strong performance against Orange, which set us up for a great season. But what also was very important for the success of that season was the hard work that everyone put in training from the weight room to the field.”

Foster Kyei, the head coach for the varsity boys’ soccer team at Southern, gave thanks to athletics administration, school administration, and the coaching team for their support in helping the team this season.

“It’s definitely a proud moment for the program,” he said. “We’ve been building this for 10 seasons now.”

Kyei credited the hard work of the players and the support they received to help with their win.

“Most importantly the players and the student athletes just believing in this program and actually having the support of their parents who were very much involved this past season,” he said. “Without the parents, I don’t think we would have gotten where we got.”

Kyei said he thinks that the Spartans have a great chance to have an even better season this year. However, he noted that the team is different each year. 

“It’s going to be a challenging start to the season, but if we’re able to get some of the players to step up and take a leadership role, there’s no reason we can’t have an even better season,” he said.

Currington agreed that leadership is key to success.

“What we always like to tell the guys is you have to buy in,” he said. “First of all, you have to be a good citizen. You’re a student athlete and you have to take that seriously. If you are lackluster about your grades, then you’re going to be lackluster about the way you play, you’re going to be lackluster at home. It’s all part and parcel of who you are. It’s part of your character, and you’re not going to do the right thing on the soccer field.”

Joshua Torres Avila, a rising junior, said, “SSES Soccer has been crucial to my growth as both a player and a person. It taught me that success comes from working together as a team, not just individually. The game against Jordan was a turning point, bringing us closer and setting the tone for the rest of the season. It showed me that we can overcome challenges together.”

Southern’s soccer team is currently training for the new season, which starts on Aug. 12 at Riverside High School.

“We don’t want to rest on our laurels,” Currington said. “We’re telling our guys, ‘Hey, last year’s over. You made history; be proud but know that everyone in the conference is circling our name on the calendar.”

“Last year, we were hunting, and this year, we’re the hunted.”