POPLARVILLE, Miss — The Pearl River men’s soccer team received its first round of postseason honors recently, as three Wildcats were named First-Team All-MACCC South Division.

Those who were honored are Ryley Smith (Manchester, England; Castlebrook), Andre Nicholson (Kingston, Jamaica; Clarendon College) and Dustin Cuevas (Picayune; Hancock).
Smith was instrumental in the Wildcat attack, finding the open man frequently. He finished the season with four goals and 10 assists. His 10 assists were second in the MACCC and second nationally.
“Ryley was exactly what we expected,” coach Drew Gallant said. “He was a difference maker in the midfield. He created more opportunities than any midfielder on the team.”
Nicholson was a threat each time that the ball was at his feet. He was the leading scoring for the Wildcats, bagging eight goals, which placed him third in the MACCC. He also assisted on two goals.
“Andre had a great first season and finished as our leading scorer,” Gallant said. “He is a walking highlight reel and some of the goals that he scored were absolutely amazing.
“This was a good freshman season, but we know he can have an even bigger year next year.”
Cuevas was a versatile player for the Wildcats, taking on several roles and positions. He spent most of his time as a defender for a Pearl River team that finished the season with seven clean sheets. He was able to find ways to feature in the attack, finishing with four goals and one assist.
“Dustin is an outstanding player with an amazing work ethic,” Gallant said. “He’s our most coachable player. We can use him anywhere on the field. Without him, we would not have been as successful this season.”