NEW CASTLE, Del. - - Wilmington University men's soccer head coach Nick Papanicolas announced on Thursday the addition of three outstanding local high school recruits who will attend Wilmington and compete for the Wildcats this upcoming fall.
Lance Berry, Aaron Brown, and Jordan Raynor all played their high school soccer in the state of Delaware and will continue their success in the First State when they join the Wildcats at training camp in the fall.
Berry played for his father John Berry at Caravel Academy and was a four-year letterwinner and starter for the school in Bear, Del. The midfielder helped his team to the state tournament in three of his four years, including winning it all as a sophomore. That team went 16-2-1, ending Salesianum's five-year run of Delaware State Championships. As a junior, Berry scored a goal in the semifinals against Indian River to propel the Buccaneers to its second straight DIAA State Championship.
The future education and sports management major was named First Team All-State Top 11 as a senior, being ranked eighth overall by the state's head coaches. Berry will come into Wilmington with some high experience as he currently plays club soccer with the Kirkwood Ajax U18 team.
Brown, a future business major at Wilmington, was a four year letterwinner and starter at Newark High School under head coach Adam Flanagan. The goalkeeper was a two year team captain, earning the team honor as a junior and again as a senior. In the 2010 season opener Brown denied every Appoquinimink scoring chance, as the visitors took 18 shots on goal. Brown preserved the shutout and Newark went on to win in overtime.
Aside from playing for the Yellow Jackets, Brown is a part of the Delaware United FC Blizzard club team. He helped lead the team to the state tournament championship in 2009 and again in 2011. The team made it all the way to the 2009 Regional Semifinal before being ousted. The Blizzard also went to the Disney College Showcase in Orlando, Fla., winning its age group at the national tournament in 2010. Brown also shutout the No. 5 club team in the country and helped the Blizzard defeat the No. 7 club team all in the same North Carolina Tournament.
Raynor was a four-year letterwinner and starter for head coach Bill Grossman at Concord High School, leading his team to the DIAA State Semifinals this past season as a senior. He led a squad that went had a 12-game win streak and a 14-1 regular season record. His breakaway goal in the quarterfinals against Charter led to penalty kicks to decide the winner. The team went 16-2 overall after losing, 2-1, to St. Mark's in the semifinals. He tallied over 10 goals and 10 assists as a senior, earning him a spot on the First Team All-State Top 11 squad, ranking third in the state on a vote by the head coaches.
He will also come to Wilmington with some familiarity as he also plays for with Berry on the Kirkwood Ajax U18 team. He has been a part of Kirkwood since the age of 12. He helped lead his squad to the Disney College Showcase championship last year in Orlando, winning the age group below Brown.
"We're happy to add such great local talent to our program," Papanicolas said. "All three have been very successful at the club and at the high school level and we are looking forward to them continuing their success here at Wilmington."