Rosewood Soccer Finding New Life Under Wilson, Led by Zavala and Gardner

GOLDSBORO — Five games into a new era at Rosewood, the Eagles are already beginning to give people reasons to take notice.

Rosewood is 3-2 under first-year head coach Wilson, matching a strong start with two players putting together eye-catching individual performances. Senior Erick Zavala has scored eight goals through five matches, while freshman Collin Gardner has emerged as one of the area’s top young playmakers with six assists and two goals.

For Wilson, however, the numbers are part of something bigger.

“I’m just trying to get Rosewood back on the map for soccer,” Wilson said. “I’m really here to get my players exposure and let people notice them and the hard work we have done.”

Wilson took over the varsity program this season in his first high school coaching job after spending the past few years helping with middle school soccer.

The early results have provided plenty of encouragement.

Rosewood opened the season with a 3-2 victory over Neuse Charter, giving the program a season-opening win for the first time in several years. After narrow losses to Jones Senior, 2-1, and Lakewood, 3-2, the Eagles responded with consecutive victories.

Rosewood defeated Wilson’s Mills 1-0 before breaking out offensively Wednesday with a 5-2 win over North Duplin.

Zavala has been at the center of that surge.

The senior scored three goals against North Duplin, completing a five-goal week and pushing his season total to eight goals in five matches. Zavala is averaging better than a goal and a half per game through the opening stretch of the season.

While Zavala has supplied the finishing ability, Gardner has quickly established himself as a creator.

The freshman has six assists and two goals through five games. According to MaxPreps statistics provided by the program, Gardner ranks No. 31 in North Carolina in assists across all classifications and grades and is among the nation’s leading freshmen with six assists.

Gardner has recorded at least one assist in each of Rosewood’s first five matches. He had two assists and a goal in the season-opening victory over Neuse Charter, then added an assist in each of the next four games. He also scored in the win over North Duplin.

His six assists have already put the freshman on a statewide radar only a few weeks into his high school career.

Wilson believes Rosewood’s record could be even better.

“We should be 5-0, but had some bad luck near the end of games,” Wilson said.

Both losses came by a single goal, including the 3-2 loss to Lakewood immediately before Rosewood’s current two-game winning streak.

Rather than dwelling on those results, Wilson is focused on building a program and making sure the players doing the work receive recognition.

That process has started quickly.

A senior in Zavala is producing at a high level. A freshman in Gardner is already appearing among state and national statistical leaders. Rosewood has won three of its first five games after finishing 5-15-1 last season.

For a first-year coach hoping to put Rosewood soccer back on the map, the Eagles have given themselves a promising place to start.