Green Hope captured the conference championship this season.

The five playoff teams are Green Hope, Apex, Fuquay-Varina, Middle Creek and Athens Drive. There could be a sixth if Panther Creek is selected as a wild-card team, but it's difficult since the NCHSAA places more priority on conference finish than conference strength.

Green Hope will play the 3-seeded wild-card team at home. Apex will host the fourth-best team in the PAC-Six Conference (appears to be Northern Durham). Fuquay will host the 3-seed from the Cap-7 Conference (most likely Leesville Road).

Middle Creek will travel to Sanderson, while Athens Drive has a road date with Broughton (both Sanderson and Broughton are from the Cap-7).

South Johnston defeated C.B. Aycock 1-0 Thursday night to complete the Eastern Carolina 3-A Conference season with a perfect 10-0 mark for its first boys soccer league title in the 30-plus year history of the school.

Edgar Herrera scored the game's only goal, his 59th of the season.

Tri-Nine Conference boys soccer standings:

The top 5 teams will advance to the NCHSAA playoffs at season's end. As of now, there are five teams in the Tri-Nine that can finish anywhere from 1-5.

The Knights travel to East Wake this afternoon for their first match up of the year at 6:30.

A little background: East Wake was a serious state playoff contender last year (a 30-plus win team) that got dropped in the first round by Fuquay-Varina. Ever since the team has struggled with "knowing how good it is, but not playing to that level" as coach DeLane Hayes has stressed several times this season.

Knightdale, which was no show-stopper last year, had a rough start to the 2009 season, but the team impressively knocked off Wake Forest Rolesville in its first win and showed, even if only for a couple hours, it can contend when needed. 

Those that like soccer need to check this one out, especially in light of the rivalry. It will be interesting to see which team can hold off for the big W.  

A big shock this week regarding the statewide soccer poll by eurosportscoreboard.com. Apex, previously No. 4, is now out of the rankings thanks to back-to-back 2-0 losses at the hands of Green Hope and Athens Drive.

Middle Creek is now the highest-ranking Tri-Nine soccer team at No. 6. Green Hope used two wins to move up to No. 10. Fuquay-Varina also moved up two spots to No. 12.

Athens Drive is still listed in the "others receiving votes" category, but still behind Apex on that list as a theoretical No. 18 (Apex would be No. 17).

Here's the Tri-Nine standings entering this week: 

MONDAY: Athens Drive @ Holly Springs, Cary @ Panther Creek

TUESDAY: Middle Creek @ Apex, Lee County @ Fuquay-Varina

WEDNESDAY: Lee County @ Apex, Cary @ Fuquay-Varina, Athens Drive @ Green Hope, Middle Creek @ Holly Springs

FRIDAY: Fuquay-Varina @ Middle Creek

Senior Ryan Metts of Wakefield leads area soccer scorers.

Girls tennis, boys soccer and field hockey scores.

Boys and girls rosters for the Clash of the Carolinas

Panther Creek High School graduate Alyssa Bearden, an Charleston Southern signee, is among 32 of the state’s top female soccer seniors who have accepted invitations to participate in the 18th NCCA East-West All-Star Game to be played at UNCG Soccer Stadium on Tuesday, July 21, 2009 (7 p.m. kickoff).

A total of seven Wake County players have been tabbed for the East squad. Lumberton High coach Kenny Simmons will lead the squad.

Leesville Road defeats Charlotte's Ardrey Kell 1-0 in a shootout to win the N.C. High School Athletic Association 4-A girls soccer championship ... more