Mutiny rules in soccer

York County has become the soccer capital of South Carolina, as Northwestern, Fort Mill, South Pointe and Rock Hill high schools all had winning seasons this year

Dom Wren and his team of local soccer players have once again brought home a national championship.

Wren is head coach of both the Northwestern High School team and a youth team called Discoveries Soccer Club 90 Green Mutiny. Players on the latter team come from across South Carolina, but most live here in Rock Hill, where the team is based.

In May, Wren and the Northwestern Trojans ended a perfect year by beating Irmo in Columbia to win the state title. Several polls named Northwestern national champions.

The team was led by Gatorade S.C. Player of the Year Enzo Martinez.

Wren, Martinez and six other Northwestern players formed the nucleus of the Discoveries Mutiny team. The team entered the U.S. Youth Soccer U18 National Championships with the goal of bringing home another national banner.

In hindsight, the competition never really had a chance. The Mutiny played in the Region III Championships in June in Dallas. There, the team won all six of its matches, outscoring opponents 28-6 and beating the 91 Norcross, Ga., Fury Gold in the championship match 5-1.

Winning the regional meant the team advanced to the national tournament near Boston. While the matches were closer, the Mutiny responded to every challenge. In the championship match on July 26, the team never trailed and defeated Javanon 91 of Kentucky 2-1.

Robbie Benson, a Northwestern graduate who will play soccer at the College of Charleston, said the championship “means everything.”

“We've been playing for five years to get here, and we finally did it this year,” Benson said. “It feels great.”

York County has become the soccer capital of South Carolina. Northwestern, Fort Mill, South Pointe and Rock Hill high schools all had winning seasons this year. At Manchester Meadows, Rock Hill sports one of the best soccer complexes in South Carolina.

The success of the Northwestern and Mutiny soccer teams means we could be on the road to becoming the national soccer capital.

Congratulations to Wren, Martinez, Benson and all other members of the Mutiny team.