Concord's boys soccer team enters the NCHSAA 5A state playoffs ranked 11th in the statewide Ratings Percentage Index (RPI).
The Spiders won the South Piedmont Conference title, according to the Salisbury Post. The North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA) is set to release the full 5A playoff bracket, seeds and pairings on Thursday, Oct. 29.
Forty-eight teams make the 5A bracket.
First-round games are scheduled for Monday, Nov. 2. The second round follows Thursday, Nov. 5. Concord's 11th-place RPI puts the Spiders firmly inside the field, but the team's specific seed, first-round opponent and home-or-away designation will be determined when the NCHSAA publishes the bracket.
How the Spiders got here
Concord entered its Oct. 22 conference finale at Salisbury with a 13-0 SPC record, having already clinched first place, according to the Salisbury Post. The two rivals played to a 0-0 draw, ending Concord's 10-game winning streak and leaving the Spiders with a calculated conference mark of 13-0-1.
Jabeer Mamudu nearly broke the deadlock late, but Salisbury goalkeeper Connor Faris made a save to preserve the shutout.
Concord's overall record stood at 16-4-2 after the draw, according to MaxPreps. Forward Colt Celetti has paced the attack, averaging 0.8 goals per game this season, per MaxPreps.
What's next
Concord will learn its seed and first-round opponent when the bracket drops, with the opening match scheduled for Nov. 2.
