East Bladen soccer star scores big

ELIZABETHTOWN, NC (WWAY) — At East Bladen High School, one senior is making his dreams come true on the soccer field.

Robert Fletcher, or “Fletch,” as his team likes to call him, is in the Exceptional Children program. He has been the manager of the East Bladen soccer team for years, but this season he’s getting a chance to shine on the field.

“It’s 110 percent all the time every time,” Head Coach Jay Raynor said of Fletcher’s work on the field.

That’s pretty high praise from any coach, and Fletch continues to work hard to earn it.

“Going out there. Proving ourselves. Making everything better for the community, and for the world and for soccer,” Fletcher said.

Thursday night, Fletch achieved another goal… literally; scoring in East Bladen’s home game against West Columbus.

“Yeah! Yeah! I did it!” Fletcher said. “I completed a goal that I’d always wanted to as an East Bladen soccer player and mostly a teammate.”

His coach couldn’t be prouder.

“The act of scoring the goal was amazing,” Raynor said. “But the smile, the way he’s been today, it’s something that I won’t ever forget.”

His brothers on the field said the goal was a success for the whole team.

“This team is really different,” player Brooks McGill. “It’s like being a family. Most teams, you’re just practicing as as group, and a bunch of kids you might know, but out here it’s a family. You do everything together.”

All of the Eagles have high hopes for the rest of the season, but win or lose, they insist they’re family through and through.