Wake Forest player-coach soccer duo hopes to bring more to Powerade games

One of a few players from Wake County and the only from the Cap-8 Conference stood out before nearly 40 local girls’ soccer players trying out for this year’s Powerade State Games.

Wake Forest defender Kyla Campbell will be the only Cap-8 girls’ soccer player to appear in the event. She’ll be on the North team when the tournament starts Saturday. The State Games pit four girls’ teams and six boys’ against each other. This year’s sports include baseball, the opening event, softball, which will wrap Wednesday, soccer, lacrosse and basketball.

Campbell, a rising senior, will make her second straight appearance, and she had a familiar face in Wake Forest soccer coach Jeremiah Mattingly through the tryout process; he was selected as a State Games assistant. Though Campbell will be the only Cougar playing at the WRAL Soccer Park when her tourney begins Saturday, it doesn’t mean that some of her teammates and other area players aren’t getting their share of soccer this summer.

Mattingly said many had prior obligations to their own summer teams.

“They have responsibilities to club teams,” he said. “They were kind of torn in multiple directions, and others don’t know about it.”

The Games tryouts were held in Durham and Fayetteville, and the 20-player roster includes Cumberland, Durham, Franklin, Johnston, Moore and Wake County players. Mattingly is hoping Campbell’s participation will help spread the word at Wake Forest and beyond.

“It’s really good for her to take the initiative to make the team,” he said. “It’s awesome. It’s something we’re trying to get more players from Wake Forest and Wake County to get involved in.”

As for Campbell as a player, Mattingly said her composure on the field impressed Games head coach Colin McDavid, of Hoke County High School, this year.

“Whenever I have kids tryout, I don’t tell coaches about them. I like for them to form their own opinion,” said Mattingly, who will not coach this year because he will be out of town. “Kyla’s just a really composed player. She doesn’t get nervous. She’s very good at passing and finding the right player at the right time.”

Campbell in April earned Wake Forest’s player of the game for her defense in a 4-1 loss to rival Wakefield.

Mattingly has been involved in the Games for several years and has seen the benefit of players meeting competition from around the state. He also offered Campbell some advice since he won’t be on the sideline with her.

“What I told her, and I told her last year, is just to enjoy it,” Mattingly said. “It’s a tournament. It’s fun. Don’t get nervous, and enjoy the moment and get to know some new people.”

Other area soccer girls’ soccer players on the North roster include Franklin Academy’s Kennedy Capps and Ravenscroft’s Amaya Gill. Southeast Raleigh’s Derek Teel is listed as an assistant.

Area boys’ soccer players will compete on the Central team, with St. David’s School dominating the roster. Warriors coach Jose Cornejo is listed as the head coach with three St. David’s assistants. Mateo Cornejo, Joe Keys, Matthew McLaughlin and John White were the SDS players included. Other area guys listed were Heritage’s Caleb Brateger, Raleigh Charter’s Drew DiSerafino and Bashirr Morray and Southeast’s Anthony Andino.

Heritage’s Chole Plesset, Rolesville’s Summer Howerton and Wakefield’s Bella Buccellato were represented on the Region 3 softball roster. The softball tourney started Tuesday with the championship game on Wednesday.

Girls’ and boys’ lacrosse will be played Thursday and soccer and boys’ and girls’ basketball will conclude this year’s Games with championships Sunday.

This story was originally published June 22, 2016 at 4:51 PM with the headline "Wake Forest player-coach soccer duo hopes to bring more to Powerade games."