ROCKINGHAM — Two senior soccer players for Richmond Senior High School were selected to the 2024 All-Sandhills Athletic Conference team.
Released by SAC president Dr. Chad Hill Tuesday, Noah Gil and Landon Summerlin were the two Raiders to earn the postseason accolade.
Both Gil and Summerlin received their first career recognition, being two of the 26 players to be named to the All-SAC roster.
Leading the way with six total selections each were Pinecrest and Southern Lee high Schools, followed by Union Pines (5), Lee County (4), Hoke County (2) and Scotland (1) high schools.
Kael Jahn (Union Pines) and Danny Cabrera (Southern Lee) were named Co-Goalkeper of the Year.
Pinecrest swept the other three individual awards — Harrison McMinimy (Offensive Player of the Year), Will Pittman (Defensive Player of the Year) and Andrew Bradham (Coach of the Year).
This season, the Raiders and head coach Chris Larsen finished sixth in the SAC standings. Overall, Richmond had a 5-15-2 record and a 4-7-1 mark in conference.
Of the team’s 28 goals this season, Gil and Summerlin accounted for a dozen of them (43%).
“I’m really glad Noah and Landon were able to make All-Conference in their final season,” Larsen said. “Both of them have been valuable members in our program for a long time and this is a culmination of all their hard work and dedication.
“Noah has been our attacking forward for four years and his efforts didn’t go unnoticed as our leading goal scorer,” he continued. “Landon did a great job in the midfield and adjusting to a holding mid later in the season. We’ll miss both of them and their leadership next season.”
Noah Gil, senior forward
First career selection
Completing his fourth varsity season with the Raiders, Gil was Richmond’s player to find the back of the net most often during his senior season.
Using his speed and finesse in the box, Gil slotted a team-high nine goals. He scored seven goals in regulation and added two penalty kicks, and his nine goals ranked him in the top-five in scoring in the conference.
Gil’s best game of the season was a two-goal performance in a 4-2 victory over Scotland on Sept. 30. He had solo goals in matches against Piedmont, Terry Sanford, Jack Britt, Lee County and Hoke County.
Successful on a pair of PKs, Gil scored one each against Southern Lee and Scotland. Adding two assists this season, Gil finished his career with 22 goals.
“I’m glad I was selected for All-Conference this year as it was my last year,” Gil shared. “I’ve been working toward this goal since entering high school, so it means a lot to me. I’m thrilled to be able to achieve it finally.
“Coach Larsen has been a supportive coach all four years I’ve played. He puts his trust into his players and that allows the players to play with confidence. He’s also given some good life advice throughout the years.
“My favorite memory was scoring my first goal on varsity my ninth grade year,” Gil recalled. “It’s hard to choose because there have been a ton of great memories with the guys and coaches that I’ll never forget.”
Landon Summerlin, senior midfielder
First career selection
Starting his third varsity season as an outside midfielder, Summerlin developed into a holding midfielder when injuries and lineup changes occurred partway through the season.
Working out of the defensive third, Summerlin started many of Richmond’s scoring runs thanks to his possession and ball control through the midfield. A scrappy player, Summerlin often won contested balls that were sent upfield for scoring opportunities.
Using his left foot, Summerlin netted three total goals this season. Tied for third on the team with junior Memphis Jacobs, much of Summerlin’s contributions came in the stat-less midfield. He had regulation goals against Piedmont and Terry Sanford, same as Gil, and notched a PK against Lee County.
As Richmond’s go-to corner kick specialist, Summerlin contributed a pair of assists on the season. Those came against Terry Sanford and Scotland.
“It feels amazing to be named one of the top players in our conference,” Summerlin shared. “And it means a lot to know that my hard work and dedication was recognized.
“It’s a wonderful feeling to share this with Noah because we have been teammates since we were three years old and that’s what made us so good together. I can always look at him and know what his next move was.
“One of my best memories as a Raider soccer player was watching everyone develop and learn the game of soccer throughout my career with the coaching from Coach Bennie (Howard) and Coach Larsen,” Summerlin added.
Sports editor’s note: All statistics used in the article were provided by MaxPreps.com.
