For the second time this year, Clinton and Southwestern Randolph met on the pitch, and the visiting Horses were on the losing end again, ending Clinton’s postseason earlier this week one step short of the state final. The score was 2-1.
The first time, back on Sept. 24. ended in a 5-1 setback, a night where the Dark Horses knew they had not shown their best. On Tuesday evening, with a trip to the state championship hanging in the balance, the rematch told a far different story. This time it was a defensive battle, a showcase of heart and grit, and a match that stayed tense until the final seconds. Clinton struck first, pushed the top-tier Cougars deep into the half, and carried the roar of a massive fan turnout. But in the closing minutes, Southwestern Randolph closed out the 2-1 comeback.
The loss concluded another impressive season for the Dark Horse program. Clinton finished 25-3 overall and a perfect 10-0 in conference play. The team stacked 15 home victories, collected 14 shutouts from senior goalkeeper Luis Bartolome, and, again, produced one of the most potent offenses in North Carolina.
Holden Spell’s 36 goals and 23 assists led the Horses. Sophomore Emilson Marcia added 18 goals, and junior Nelson Guerrero contributed 16 of his own, including the final header of the season. Clinton’s consistency, discipline, and resilience powered them through a postseason run that mirrored the momentum of last year’s state championship.
For head coach Brad Spell, the night in Asheboro carried multiple layers of meaning. There was the pride of guiding his players to another deep playoff run. There was the intensity and chess-match strategy of a true regional showdown. And there was also the personal weight of watching his son, Holden, and the senior class take the field together for the final time. Even with the sting of defeat, Spell said the evening was one of gratitude, pride, and appreciation for the group who helped elevate this program into perennial championship contention.
Spell recalled how the team left Clinton just after lunchtime to ensure enough preparation time. The buildup to the match was filled with emotion and anticipation.
“We left about 1 o’clock and had a lot of time to get up there and get on the field,” Spell said in a phone interview after the game. “We had heard prior that their field was going to be a smaller field than ours, but their facilities were great. The field was in good shape. The width was fine. And one thing I was impressed with was the crowd support. We had a great turnout and they brought a humongous crowd as well. The atmosphere was awesome.”
As the players warmed up, the sight of both communities packing the stands cemented the feeling that this was more than a typical match. It was a night worthy of a regional final.
“It was one of those games that you are honored to be able to coach in and get the opportunity,” Spell attested.
The opening 40 minutes showcased two elite teams battling at the highest level. The game remained scoreless, but the scoreboard did not reflect the intensity of the chess match unfolding on the field.
Southwestern Randolph, boasting one of the most aggressive and coordinated offenses Clinton has seen in years, attacked in heavy waves.
“They were an offensive overload,” Spell said. “Definitely one of the top three best teams I’ve ever played against. They brought numbers. They were quick. They were skilled. You could tell they knew each other. They move off the ball extremely well. We were just getting hammered with a lot of numbers and a lot of pressure.”
Yet Clinton did not bend. Bartolome, as he had done all season, made crucial stops. The back line refused to break, despite frequent testing. And Clinton manufactured several chances of its own. Spell said the game was closer than possession numbers might indicate.
“We had three or four opportunities in the first half just like they did,” he said. “Even though they probably had better possession, it was a pretty close first half. I was happy going in at 0-0. They had a chance to go up. We had a chance to go up. It was pretty close.”
The breakthrough
For much of the second half, Clinton had to withstand another extended stretch of Cougar pressure. Spell said the Dark Horses had just a handful of opportunities, but one of them became the spark that ignited their side of the stadium.
With about 13 minutes remaining, Clinton executed one of its signature set-piece sequences.
“We scored with about 13 minutes to go,” Spell said. “We had a long throw and then a flick from Jaden Bell, and then Nelson Guerrero headed it in. It just brought a frenzy to our crowd and our players. It was excitement.”
Guerrero’s header gave Clinton a 1-0 lead, and for a brief moment the momentum swung fully into Dark Horse control. Everything from the bench to the stands surged with belief.
But Spell, a veteran of deep playoff pressure, sensed immediately what was coming.
“My gut said this game ain’t over with,” he said. “Thirteen minutes is a long time. You cannot sit on 13 minutes.”
The Cougars intensified their attack as the clock wound down, eventually breaking through the Clinton defense that had battled relentlessly all night. Spell said Clinton remained on its heels for much of the half, a testament to the sheer power of the Cougars’ numbers and pace.
“The second half was a tale of two halves,” he said. “They came out and you could tell they knew we were sitting back. Their coach mentioned in his interview that they needed to put even more pressure on us. And it worked.”
Southwestern Randolph struck twice before the final whistle, turning Clinton’s narrow advantage into a 2-1 lead that held until the end.
The finality of elimination always hits hard, but this one carried extra emotional weight. Clinton will graduate a large group of seniors, many of whom were part of last year’s state championship and this year’s dominant 25-win campaign.
Spell acknowledged the magnitude of the departures.
“We are losing a ton of seniors,” he said. “We lost 10 seniors last year and now we are losing some major key pieces again. Some kids will have to step up and work in the offseason.”
But he emphasized something even more important. He does not believe in rebuilding years. The standard remains the standard.
“The standard does not change,” Spell emphasized. “One thing I am not a fan of is saying you are having a rebuilding year because no senior wants to hear that. We are going to work hard like we always do. Some guys coming from JV will step up. We also have key pieces returning. If you keep your mindset right and the coaching staff works hard, we could be right back where we were this year.”
A coach, a father, a
final season together
Beyond the team achievements, this season also marked the end of Spell coaching his sons after years of shared moments, memories, and milestones.
“It is bittersweet for me,” he said. “I have seen these guys grow up with my son ever since they were five, six years old. I remember bringing them out here when they were little. I would be mowing the grass while they were catching frogs and spiders. It goes by quick.”
He paused on the emotional weight of the season ending, especially for Holden Spell, who capped off his senior year with 36 goals and 23 assists, one of the most prolific stat lines in North Carolina.
“It has been awesome,” the coach said. “I have been blessed. I still have the itch for it. I still have the urge for it. I want to continue.”
If Spell had to summarize the year, he said it comes down to one powerful theme: focus.
“Once you win the biggest prize and you are at the top of the mountain, you do not have anywhere to go but down,” he said. “How do you keep that hunger? It is extremely difficult. Staying on top rarely happens. So the biggest thing this year was getting these guys to focus every day in practices and games.”
Even in the final result, Spell never lost sight of what this group achieved.
“These guys have been awesome,” he said. “It is a good group. And, like coaches say, unless you win the big one, you always end with a loss. But a lot of teams would love to be where we were.”
Clinton’s run ends in the regional final, but the imprint of this team remains: a 25-3 record, undefeated in conference play, 14 shutouts from Bartolome, a senior class that raised the standard, and a program that continues to perform at a championship level year after year.
As Spell said, the standard does not change. The hunger does not fade. And the Dark Horses will rise again.