The 2006 team was made up of freshmen and sophomores and Shuler told the squad that its goal was to be competitive, even though it was basically a junior varsity team playing a varsity schedule.

Last year, he challenged the team to get better.

"The boys needed to show that they were a quality program with good players," Shuler said. "We wanted to establish we were a playoff team.

"We did that."

This year Shuler has a veteran core of players who have been on the varsity for two years.

The process they began three years ago is wrapping up.

"The guys don't feel they have anything to prove except to themselves," Shuler said.

"There is no more thinking about next year; this team is playing for now."

The Catamounts are 3-1-1, including a 2-2 tie with Leesville Road and a 3-1 loss to Sanderson.

"We've played pretty well," Shuler said. "We were really flat against Sanderson. The game probably was closer than the score, but we didn't play our best and Sanderson played well."

Shuler said midfielder Lester Nare has been the club's most consistent player. Shuler said he is a smart player, and not just on the field.

Nare has Harvard, Princeton, Penn and Yale on his list of potential colleges.

Gabe Latigue leads the team with five goals and two assists for 12 points.

Panther Creek is not scheduled to play again until Friday, when it faces Cardinal Gibbons.

"We play a lot of the Cap Seven teams," Shuler said. "They play a postseason conference tournament and the Tri-Eight doesn't, so our schedules don't exactly mesh. This is the week that it shows the most."

THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL: Several high school football games have been moved to Thursday night in anticipation of rain and high winds on Friday.

Most games are scheduled for 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted.

Thursday night's schedule is:

Apex at Leesville Road; Cedar Ridge at East Chapel Hill; Chapel Hill at Smithfield-Selma, 7:30; Durham Riverside at Garner; Elizabeth City Northeastern at Bunn; South Johnston at Clayton; Tarboro at Northern Nash; Wake Forest-Rolesville at Southern Durham; Wakefield at Knightdale; West Johnston at North Johnston; Wilmington Hoggard at Harnett Central; Wilson Hunt at Wilson Fike.

BUNN'S BUNN: Adam Bunn of Bunn scored five goals in the first half of an 8-0 soccer win over Louisburg last weekend.

The scoring outburst boosted Adam Bunn to No. 2 among area scorers with eight goals and two assists and total of 18 points.

ST. MARY'S WINS: St. Mary's defeated Charlotte Providence Day 5-1 to win the FTA Girls High School tennis tournament in Florence, S.C.

The tournament included 16 teams from North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia.

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