Tournament MVP Noah Charles shoots for the first of two goals for Perry in the gold bracket final. (Photo by Kevin Rossiter/Special to Stripes)
Any solid soccer team with a strong chance at capturing a state-level championship has at least one central scoring figure on the roster.
For two-time defending Far East Division I Tournament champion Kadena and Division II tournament favorite and unbeaten Matthew C. Perry, the names Elijah Whipp and Noah Charles have come up frequently in the goal-scoring ledger.
Whipp, a senior, has 15 goals this season and 80 total over the last three seasons. Charles, a sophomore transferred to Perry last season, is a proven striker and playmaker, with 22 goals and 18 helpers.
“He says he is just a center-back, but he can play anywhere,” longtime Samurai coach Mark Lange said of Charles, whom he calls the “best player in D-II this year.”
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