The Chapel Hill High School men’s soccer team bowed out in the third round of the North Carolina High School Athletic Association’s 4A championship playoffs, losing to Enloe High School on November 8 after a dramatic 4-2 defeat in a penalty shootout.
Senior Taran CoyneSmith, the DAC-VII conference goalkeeper of the year, held Enloe scoreless through 80 minutes of regulation play and 30 minutes of overtime before the Tigers lost in penalty kicks.
Entering the playoffs as the third seed, the Tigers started their postseason run with a commanding 5-0 victory on November 1 at home against Hoke County High School. The Tigers then faced Broughton High School on November 3 in the second round, defeating the Captains in a 3-1 outing on home turf.
The Tigers finished the season with a 19-4-1 record, going 11-1 in conference play and capturing the DAC-VII title. Senior Orlando Zinn was named the DAC-VII conference player of the year, in addition to earning all-region and all-state honors.
Seniors Jin Kobes and Ben Kwon, as well as sophomores Will Casey, Mwappe Msiska and Arden Tobolski, joined CoyneSmith and Zinn on the all-conference team, with Tobolski and Casey also earned all-region honors.
Tobolski led the team in both goals and assists, scoring nine goals and netting 12 assists.
“Moving up to 4A to not only win the conference, but also to get the three seed and a big playoff win over Broughton is quite an accomplishment,” head coach Jason Curtis said. “I loved our team attitude and spirit, and I definitely think the players will come out of this experience with their heads held high.”
Highlights of the season included an 8-0 win in the team’s opening game against Orange High School on August 16 and a 7-1 drubbing of Cedar Ridge High School two days later. The Tigers also shut out rivals East Chapel Hill High School on October 15 on the road.
“We didn’t end the way we wanted to, but I couldn’t be prouder of the effort we had this season,” senior Michael Hopfinger said. “I hope our future teams carry on with the motivation and mentality we’ve had this season between our group of players.”
