Brookland-Cayce makes history with school’s first boys soccer state championship

Eduardo Moisa Membreno had a Saturday afternoon to remember. The Brookland-Cayce junior had a hat trick as the Bearcats jumped to an early lead and held on for a 4-2 victory over Daniel in the Class 3A boys soccer state championship.

The Bearcats were in the finals for the first time since 2014. It was their fourth appearance overall but the first time they were able to raise the championship trophy.

It had a lot to do with the performance from Membreno.

“He’s an unreal kid,” Brookland-Cayce coach Matthew Drapeau said. “When things get hard, we really feed off his energy. He sacrifices so much for the team. He does it for his family. He does it for the people he loves — not just our family here but his family in the stands, his family that was watching back in El Salvador. I can’t say enough good things about him.”

Daniel coach Phillip Boyer said there was no question that Membreno was the difference.

“The kid is good,” Boyer said. “Number 12 is good. He’s really quick, he’s really fast. He is a handful. Give all the credit to Number 12. Obviously, he carried that team. ... Sometimes you have to take off your hat and say he was better on that day. He was better. That’s just it.”

Membreno had two first-half goals to get the Bearcats (20-6) on track and supplied the final dagger with just over two minutes remaining. The hat trick gave him 52 goals on the season to go with 22 assists, despite the fact he missed three games.

He tallied his first goal when he broke beyond the Lions defense just five minutes in to give Brookland-Cayce the early 1-0 lead.

A little over 10 minutes later, Membreno found himself alone behind the Daniel defense — goalkeeper included — to easily knock in his 51st goal of the season. Lawton Powers got into the act a few minutes later with a goal, and the Bearcats had a 3-0 lead 28 minutes in.

Drapeau knew that Daniel (18-5) would fight back. They finally got on the board when Eddie Merck got the rebound off a free kick about five minutes before the half. Merck tallied his second goal five minutes into the second half, and it was a one-goal game with 35 minutes remaining. The Lions applied heavy pressure and just missed on a couple of scoring opportunities. Membreno then supplied the insurance the Bearcats needed.

Brookland-Cayce cleared one out from the defensive end, and Membreno took control about 70 yards from the net. He outraced four defenders into the box and flicked his third goal just past the diving Lions goalkeeper.

“All playoff long, they kept showing resiliency and kept pushing,” Drapeau said. “We talked at halftime that they were going to throw everything at us. It’s not about how you start it, it’s about how you end it — and Eduardo Moisa Membreno ends games.”

Membreno, through a language interpreter, expressed his elation with the outcome. The Bearcats defeated powers Oceanside Collegiate and Bishop England just to get to the finals. They made the most of it.

“It’s a great emotion because I love soccer,” Membreno said. “That’s a passion. I love Brookland-Cayce.”

SC soccer championship scores, schedule

All games at Irmo High School

Thursday

Class A Girls: St. Joseph’s 3, Southside Christian 0

Class 2A Boys: Christ Church 2, Andrew Jackson 0

Friday

Class A Boys: Southside Christian 2, Palmetto Scholars 1

Class 5A Girls: Wando 2, JL Mann 1 (OT)

Class 5A Boys: Riverside 4, Lexington 0

Saturday

Class 3A Girls: Oceanside Collegiate 3, Daniel 1

Class 3A Boys: Brookland-Cayce 4, Daniel 2

Class 4A Girls: James Island 1, Catawba Ridge 0

Class 4A Boys: James Island 1, Eastside 0

This story was originally published May 15, 2021 at 3:31 PM.