East Bladen's Lady Eagles Soccer Season Ends in 5-4 Thriller, Seniors Leave Legacy That Remains Strong

East Bladen Soccer team photo. Photo by: LR Mixes.

Elizabethtown, NC - After a playoff run full of grit, growth, and big-time moments, East Bladen’s remarkable 2025 girls soccer season came to a close in a 5-4 heartbreaker against Wake Prep in the third round of the NCHSAA 1A East Playoffs.

The Lady Eagles finish their season with an impressive 16-2-2 record, and while the scoreboard may not have tilted their way in the end, the impact left by this group — particularly the seniors, Lynn Escobar Perez, Iveonna “NeNe” Ward, Jackie Medina-Leal, Katie Baza, Leah McGill, Mary Frances Sutton, Anna Miranda, and Jaziyah Daniels — is far greater than a final score.

East Bladen opened postseason play with commanding performances. In Round 1, they took down Rosewood 4-1 behind a complete team effort that saw their attack and defense working in tandem. In Round 2, the Lady Eagles shut out Southern Wake Academy 4-0, asserting their dominance on both sides of the ball and punching their ticket to Round 3.

The final game against Wake Prep was a rollercoaster from the opening whistle. Senior Jackie Medina-Leal wasted no time putting East Bladen on the board, scoring just three minutes into the match to give the Eagles an early 1-0 edge. However, an own goal and a Wake Prep strike flipped the momentum and sent East Bladen into halftime trailing 2-1.

Coming out of the break, the Eagles struck fast again. Senior leader Iveonna “NeNe” Ward finished off a clean assist from Anna Miranda to tie the match at 2-2 just five minutes into the second half. Wake Prep answered quickly with two goals — one off a corner kick and another after a throw-in — to take a 4-2 lead.

Refusing to back down, East Bladen stormed back. NeNe netted her second of the night in the 65th minute, this time assisted by Jackie Medina-Leal, bringing the score to 4-3. Just minutes later, Gabriela Rebollar stepped up and buried a free kick from 18 yards out to level the game at 4-4 with 11:27 left to play.

Unfortunately, a late own goal in the 72nd minute became the deciding blow. The Eagles battled until the final whistle but fell just short, 5-4.

Head Coach Jay Raynor reflected with both pride and honesty following the loss.

“We started the game and the second half with early goals. We put pressure on them early… but I’m not so sure we believed we could get a result,” Raynor said.

He credited the team’s resilience and ability to adjust mid-game, especially after trailing by two goals in the second half.

“Our girls fought back several times. Down 2-4, we made adjustments and committed more numbers forward. It led to turnovers and we capitalized. The momentum had shifted.”

Raynor also acknowledged the defensive miscues and costly set pieces that made the difference on the scoreboard.

“They won the corner kick battle, scoring off one and capitalizing on a throw-in. Some miscommunication led to open looks. We were prepared, we neutralized their system, but it just didn’t bounce our way.”

Despite the loss, Raynor emphasized what this team meant to the program, especially the senior class — Lynn Escobar Perez, Iveonna “NeNe” Ward, Jackie Medina-Leal, Katie Baza, Leah McGill, Mary Frances Sutton, Anna Miranda, and Jaziyah Daniels.

“We owe a lot to our seniors who gave this program all they had,” Raynor said. “They are going to be missed and will leave some pretty big shoes to fill.”

From top to bottom, the 2025 Lady Eagles were a force. The heart, growth, and leadership shown this season has set a strong foundation for years to come.

East Bladen may be done for 2025, but their story — and legacy — is far from over.

Roster: Michelle Quezada, Nevaeh Brown, Sana'a Singletary, Julia Flowers, Kayelynn Chambers, Abigail Miranda-Ventura, Jaziyeah Daniels, Mary Frances Sutton, Isabella Beard, Aubri Nixon, Lynn Escobar Perez, Kenley Parks, Iveonna "NeNe" Ward, Jackie Medina-Leal, Leanh McGill, Gabriela Rebollar, Anna Miranda, Kaelyn Eason, Marlee Potter, Lexi Ventura, Macey Potter, Annika Bass.

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East Bladen's Lady Eagles Soccer Season Ends in 5-4 Thriller, Seniors Leave a Legacy Remains Strong