Our first Cedar Ridge Red Wolf of the Week for the 2023-2024 academic year is senior men’s soccer midfielder Iliah Babchenko. Last week, Babchenko scored a goal in Cedar Ridge’s 4-2 win over Eno River Academy at Red Wolves Stadium. It was the first-ever matchup between the two teams. Babchenko also assisted on a goal against the Bobcats. In its first road trip of the season, Cedar Ridge defeated Voyager Academy 4-1 in Durham. Babchenko scored on a penalty kick. The son of Ukrainian parents who immigrated to the United States in the early 2000s, Babchenko has played at the varsity level for four years. He endured the pandemic that curtailed much of his freshman year. Cedar Ridge is 3-0-1, its best start since 2009, at the very least. On Wednesday night, the Red Wolves played Northwood to a 1-1 tie. Babchenko nearly made the 3A State Playoffs in his sophomore year, but the Red Wolves were the last team out of the field of 64. This season, Cedar Ridge’s goal is to make the postseason for the first time since 2016. Babchenko has been a vocal leader, during training and on the pitch during games, throughout the early stages of this 2023 season.