Rieflin eager to guide S.C. squad

Academic Magnet's Alex Rieflin spent the week preparing for the last game of his high school soccer career, the third annual Clash of the Carolinas at Blackbaud Stadium today.

The Clash of the Carolinas pits South Carolina's best high school players against North Carolina's best in an all-star contest that is the only interstate prep soccer rivalry of its kind in the nation.

The girls have battled to a pair of ties, while the boys have each claimed a victory.

Rieflin played goalie for the Raptors, logging 3,700 minutes in the net while surrendering only 34 goals in four years. In his senior season, he allowed 10 goals in helping the Raptors reach the Class A state championship game, losing to Christ Church 2-0.

It meant a lot to Rieflin to make the South Carolina squad, along with two good friends —Wando's Ralph Lundy Jr. and Bishop England's George Khoury.

"It's absolutely an honor to play in the Clash," said Rieflin, who is the starting goalie for South Carolina. "I get to play with the best players in the state and represent our state against a good soccer state like North Carolina."

Not only is Rieflin teaming up with Lundy and Khoury in this game, the three will continue to play together for the College of Charleston.

During Rieflin's time with the Raptors, he was an instrumental part of their success, helping them reach two straight state championship games. He always put the team first, and it was never more evident than in his sophomore season.

Early that year, Rieflin broke his arm in a game against Waccamaw.

As Academic Magnet co-head coach Jason Hamil sat with Rieflin in the emergency room at the hospital in Pawley's Island, Rieflin's first question was if the Raptors had won the game.

Although Rieflin couldn't play anymore that year, he continued to attend practice and games and helped train replacement goalie RJ Sudlow.

"Alex's desire to continually improve his play in goal has been crucial to the Academic Magnet boys soccer program continuing to grow and mprove," Hamil said.

Rieflin, whose Raptors teams never won a state title, would like nothing better than to help lead South Carolina to a victory today.

"We had great teams at Academic Magnet," Rieflin said. "If we could win this, it would be a good way to cap off my high school career."

In today's girls game, Summerville coach Bob Polk leads the South Carolina squad, which features Bishop England's Erika Christensen and Wando's Caitlin Moquin.