Lumberton Junior High’s Ivan Lopez (10, white jersey) takes a shot past Pembroke Middle’s Phoenix Cummings (10, blue jersey) during the Robeson County middle school championship game Tuesday in Pembroke.
                                 Chris Stiles | The Robesonian

Lumberton Junior High’s Ivan Lopez (10, white jersey) takes a shot past Pembroke Middle’s Phoenix Cummings (10, blue jersey) during the Robeson County middle school championship game Tuesday in Pembroke.

Chris Stiles | The Robesonian

<p>The Lumberton Junior High boys soccer team celebrates after winning the Robeson County middle school championship game against Pembroke Middle Tuesday in Pembroke.</p>
                                 <p>Chris Stiles | The Robesonian</p>

The Lumberton Junior High boys soccer team celebrates after winning the Robeson County middle school championship game against Pembroke Middle Tuesday in Pembroke.

Chris Stiles | The Robesonian

<p>The Pembroke Middle School soccer team takes a group photo after the Robeson County middle school championship game against Lumberton Junior High Tuesday in Pembroke.</p>
                                 <p>Chris Stiles | The Robesonian</p>

The Pembroke Middle School soccer team takes a group photo after the Robeson County middle school championship game against Lumberton Junior High Tuesday in Pembroke.

Chris Stiles | The Robesonian

<p>The Lumberton Junior High boys soccer team celebrates after winning the Robeson County middle school championship game against Pembroke Middle Tuesday in Pembroke.</p>
                                 <p>Chris Stiles | The Robesonian</p>

The Lumberton Junior High boys soccer team celebrates after winning the Robeson County middle school championship game against Pembroke Middle Tuesday in Pembroke.

Chris Stiles | The Robesonian

<p>Lumberton Junior High’s Esdras Vail (13) takes a corner kick during the Robeson County middle school championship game against Pembroke Middle Tuesday in Pembroke.</p>
                                 <p>Chris Stiles | The Robesonian</p>

Lumberton Junior High’s Esdras Vail (13) takes a corner kick during the Robeson County middle school championship game against Pembroke Middle Tuesday in Pembroke.

Chris Stiles | The Robesonian

<p>Pembroke Midde’s Jorge Hernandez (15) battles for possession against Lumberton Junior High’s Bradyo Aguilar (19), Jonathan Herra (4) and Bryan Juarez (12) during the Robeson County middle school championship game Tuesday in Pembroke.</p>
                                 <p>Chris Stiles | The Robesonian</p>

Pembroke Midde’s Jorge Hernandez (15) battles for possession against Lumberton Junior High’s Bradyo Aguilar (19), Jonathan Herra (4) and Bryan Juarez (12) during the Robeson County middle school championship game Tuesday in Pembroke.

Chris Stiles | The Robesonian

PEMBROKE — Lumberton Junior High School became Robeson County’s first middle school boys soccer champion last year after the Public Schools of Robeson County began a soccer program. A year later, the Vikings’ reign continues.

LJHS defeated Pembroke Middle School 2-0 to win the county championship on Tuesday, going back-to-back in the first two years of soccer play in Robeson County.

“We faced a little adversity this season, but we definitely prevailed and we came out on top, and showed everybody — I think we’re the best team in the county,” LJHS coach Daniel Humphrey said. “We respect everybody, but at the end of the year we feel like we’re the best team; we had 90% of our team from last year coming back, so we were pretty confident from the jump. It means a lot for the school, for the players and for the legacy to grow on.”

Ivan Lopez scored a goal with 15 minutes left in the first half to give second-seeded LJHS (9-1) a 1-0 lead, which the Vikings maintained for the rest of the half and into the second half.

“I saw them man-marking me, with their hands on my back, so when I got the ball I just did a quick turn, let the ball roll by my and I just hit it first time with my left foot, and it just went top left,” Lopez said.

“The first goal was definitely a good one by Ivan; it was a 30-yard shot, the right side and it’s just an unbelievable shot that only a few players can make,” Humphrey said.

The Vikings controlled the possession more often than the Warriors, and had the majority of the goal-scoring chances in the game. Irving Guiterez scored the Vikings’ second goal with two minutes remaining in the game, all but sealing the outcome.

“The one that put the game away, Irving Guiterez, he’s done pretty great for us all year as well; he’s had five or six goals in the last few games,” Humphrey said. “My assistant coach and myself were saying, we just wanted to keep getting those shots on goal. We took over 15 shots today, so we wanted to keep getting those shots. They have a pretty good goalie on their end, so we just wanted to keep putting pressure on him; we knew if we’d take 10 or 15 shots, one or two would go in.”

LJHS lost 1-0 to Pembroke in the regular season and was the second seed in the postseason tournament.

“Everybody knows we have a good player in Ivan; we’ve got other good players around him. The flow of the season’s been unbelievable. We’ve only been scored on four times all season. It’s not just Ivan or Irving scoring goals; our defense has held up well all season. I can’t ask for much more; I always coach defense first, and our team has done a good job on the defensive end.”

Top-seeded Pembroke (9-1) was undefeated entering Tuesday’s game after winning the regular-season conference championship.

“They were a joy to coach,” Pembroke coach Ryan Bullard said. “They worked really hard, they get along well together. I’ve been doing this for 20 years and this has been one of my top three teams, just as far as loving to coach them every day; it’s fun to come out and I’m really going to miss some of those eighth graders. … I’m really proud of them, and they came away with some hardware, the regular-season championship, so they can look back and remember.”

Sports editor Chris Stiles can be reached at 910-816-1977 or by email at [email protected]. You can follow him on Twitter at @StilesOnSports.