Photo by Kim Petrides
In less prosperous times, a cynic may have said it would be a snowy day when Orange men’s soccer would play in the round of 16 of the state playoffs.
Turns out, they would have been right.
After waiting 38 years to play in the third round of the state playoffs, there were snow flurries before, during and after Orange’s trip to Troy to face the Montgomery Central Timberwolves for the first time ever on Monday night. Unfortunately, a magical Orange season that started on a muggy and damp August day in Chapel Hill would end in the bitter cold.
Timberwolves sophomore Yahir Rogel scored a hat trick, the first multi-goal game of his career, as 4th-seeded Montgomery Central defeated the fifth-seeded Panthers 5-1 in the round of 16 in the 5A State Playoffs. The Timberwolves, who are 22-1, claimed its 21st consecutive win after going undefeated in the 5A/4A PAC-Seven Conference. They advance to face top-seeded C.B. Aycock in Pikeville for the state quarterfinals on Thursday.
Orange had prepared to play on Montgomery Central’s astroturf surface by practicing at Homestead Park in Chapel Hill on Friday. But the Panthers lost leading scorer Yurem Tapia to an injury in pregame warmups, depriving them of their top distributor who had a team-high 17 assists this season.
It was a bitter end for the most successful senior class in Orange soccer history. The group of Tapia, John Gomez, Dallas Johnson, Carson Condon, Jay Parker, Logan Edwards, Cristopher Lopez, Durvin Lopez, and Gabriel Yen broke the school record for most wins in a season twice. After earning 16 victories in 2024, this year’s squad finished with 18 wins and won the Big 7 Conference championship, the first trophy in the 38-year history of the program.
“This was a special group,” said Orange coach Palmer Bowman.
It was fitting that Johnson, who runs cross country while also finding time to be Orange’s #10 in soccer, assisted on the final goal of the season. Johnson found junior Brendan McDonald for the Panthers only tally of the night. It was McDonald’s first goal since August 23, when the Panthers lost to Aycock 3-1 at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary
Jared Duran had a goal and an assist for Central. Alexander Garcia added an insurance goal for the Timberwolves, his fifth of the year. Freshman Kevin Pulido had two assists.
In the seven-year history of Montgomery Central, its the most successful season ever for the team. After going 9-10 in 2024, it’s the first time the Timberwolves have ever won a state playoff game, much less reach the state quarterfinals.
Orange ends the year with a school-record 18 wins. After starting 4-4 following a 1-0 loss to Riverside in Hillsborough, the Panthers’ season turned after a dramatic victory over Southeast Alamance where goalkeeper Hector Garrido made a save on a penalty kick with 43 seconds remaining, preserving Orange’s 1-0 win.
Afterwards, the Panthers reeled off 14 wins in 15 games. That included its first-ever win at Carrboro, a 2-1 result with John Gomez breaking out for the game-winning goal. A month later, the Panthers would defeat the Jaguars again 2-1 in Hillsborough, which put them on the inside track for the conference championship.
There were hiccups along the way. After the initial Carrboro win, South Granville bolted out to a 3-0 lead against the Panthers in Hillsborough. Tapia scored two goals as the Panthers scored six unanswered goals to win 6-3.
Orange’s trip to Creedmoor in October against the Vikings was even wilder. The Vikings took a 2-1 lead in the final ten minutes of regulation. Orange bolted back with Johnson scoring the equalizer off a corner kick assisted by Tapia in the final three minutes. Gomez drew a penalty in the final minute, which Tapia converted to keep Orange in first place.
In the final week of the regular season, Gomez scored hat tricks in back-to-back games against J.F. Webb and Seaforth to secure the elusive conference title.
There was an outpouring of emotion as Orange’s season ended in Troy, but the seniors can be secure over one statement of fact that is indisputable.
They were the greatest class in Orange men’s soccer history.
