Two Stanly soccer players named to All-State team

Published 12:27 pm Friday, December 9, 2022

Two high school players competing for high schools in Stanly have been named to the All-State team by the North Carolina Soccer Coaches Association.

Gray Stone’s Desmond Bullard was named to the 1A All-State Team while West Stanly’s Lucas Wheeler was named to the 2A squad.

Bullard, a junior midfielder, finished with 48 goals this season, which ranked him 10th in the state while setting a school record for goals in a season.

The Knights won the Yadkin Valley Conference crown, finishing 19-4-1 overall while reaching the third round of the 1A state playoffs.

Wheeler, a senior midfielder with the Colts, helped lead the team to the school’s first conference championship in 14 seasons. West finished 8-2 in the Rocky River Conference and 14-7-1 overall, qualifying for the 2A state playoffs.

Individually, Wheeler finished with nine goals and 11 assists and was named All-Conference and All-Region while earning Rocky River Conference Player of the Year honors. He has started for West since his freshman year.

About Charles Curcio

Charles Curcio has served as the sports editor of the Stanly News & Press for more than 16 years and has written numerous news and feature storeis as well. He was awarded the NCHSAA Tim Stevens Media Representative of the Year and named CNHI Sports Editor of the Year in 2014. He has also won an award from Boone Newspapers, and has won four North Carolina Press Association awards.

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