Coach Brian Bell and Cailynn Withers
By Mike London
Salisbury Post
LANDIS – With 24 goals and 27 assists, South Rowan graduate Cailynn Withers had one of the strongest offensive seasons in program history.
The midfielder led the Raiders to a 15-7-1 season and is the Post’s Co-Player of the Year for Rowan County, sharing that honor with Salisbury defensive anchor Lola Koontz.
“I had good teammates that made me look good,” said Withers, setting an unofficial world record for modesty with that statement. “We had a lot of good players, so many scorers, so many ways to score. Our opponents couldn’t just focus on stopping me.”
Withers was named to the 4A All-State team recently, as recognition of her ability to finish while also creating goal-scoring chances for teammates. Withers was like a basketball point guard who averages 20 points – and 10 assists.
Withers benefited from the addition to the South lineup of Anabelle Chavis, a rising sophomore striker who started her South career with a bang with 30 goals. Avery Rawlings, a rising junior who had 18 goals and 12 assists, is also respected in the South Piedmont Conference as an exceptional player.
“When you’re talking about a 24/27 season, well, that’s a very special season,” South head coach Brian Bell said. “Above all, that’s an unselfish season because you won’t see many prolific scorers getting 27 assists. There were times when Cailynn probably could have scored, but chose to pass and trust a teammate.”
A four-year starter, Withers was a captain for two seasons. She was All-SPC and All-Region the last two years. Withers was an outstanding player for South as a junior, but she had much different responsibilities in the 2025 season. She was defense-first, scoring only two goals but getting 11 assists for an 11-9 team.
“Cailynn always has been willing to do whatever we asked her to do to help the team,” Bell said. “Just a phenomenal person, a quiet leader, a flawless role model. She had much more of a defensive role for us as a junior, bought into it, and was great at it. She absolutely crushed it on defense.”
Bell decided to get Withers involved more in the attack as a senior.
“We got her forward a lot more this year and asked her to create offense for the young ones,” Bell said “Adding Anabelle Chavis to our program this year opened things up a lot for Cailynn, gave her more space to work in the midfield. She took advantage of it.”
Withers was a dangerous scorer on free kicks and created scoring chances on corners. In the eight games against Rowan County opponents this season, Withers accounted for 11 goals and nine assists. She would’ve scored even more “county goals,” but the season-opening “Rowan Cup” was washed out.
The marquee county games this season were the two South vs. Salisbury matchups. They were the two winning teams in the county. South lost both matchups by one goal, but Withers was at her best in that competitive environment. South scored five goals against the Hornets. Withers scored four of the five and assisted on the other one in the final seconds of regulation to send the first match to OT. Both teams were just coming off Spring Break when they played that one, but it may have been the most exciting match of the season.
“We had very hard-fought matches with West Rowan, as well as with Salisbury,” Withers said. “Even though we didn’t get the wins, I played two of my best matches against Salisbury.”
For her career, Withers had 38 goals and 44 assists. She scored her final goal for South in the playoff victory against East Burke that South got to host. It was only the second playoff win in program history.
Withers is a twin. As a defensive specialist, she played next to her sister, Campbell, South’s libero, in the fall on a very good volleyball team.
“I really enjoyed volleyball, especially playing next to Campbell, my best friend, but soccer has been my thing for a long time,” Cailynn said. “Campbell doesn’t play soccer, but that doesn’t mean we went our separate ways during soccer season. She was at every match supporting me and the team.”
Withers was a 4.7 GPA student and is headed to UNC to study psychology. She hopes to have a career as a mental health therapist.
She kept her options open as far as playing soccer in college, and there was some interest from several schools, but UNC was always her dream destination. Once she was accepted in Chapel Hill, she knew where the next phase of her life would unfold.
“I always kept the grades up with the hope that I could go to UNC,” Withers said. “When I was accepted there, it wasn’t a hard choice at all.”
South expects to be stout on the soccer pitch again next spring. The Class of 2026, led by Withers and Rowan Goalkeeper of the Year Margo Maples, was strong, but a lot of firepower will return.
“Cailynn had a much decorated career and I was fortunate to have a front row seat to watch it,” Bell said. “Being named All-State is a fantastic way for her to close it out. Graduating a player like her leaves a hole, but at the same time Cailynn leaves behind a foundation and a legacy that will last a long time.”
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The Post determined the number of representatives from each team for the All-Rowan county squad. Coaches were asked to pick their players.
All-Rowan County:
Salisbury – Lola Koontz, Maddie Crabb, Anna Kate Goodman, Gabriella Fatovic, Meredith Williams, Jamilet Figueroa
South – Cailynn Withers, Margo Maples, Avery Rawlings, Anabelle Chavis, Brooke Oehler, Sophie Steedley
West – Olyvia Brown, Madison Downing, Amela Mehmedovic, Teresa Perez Salazar
East – Arden Miller, Atti Crisp
Carson – Caylee Miracco, Darlene Cruz
North – Rachel Wilkerson, Jaie’Dee Russell
Co-Players of the Year – Cailynn Withers, South and Lola Koontz, Salisbury
Goalkeeper of the Year – Margo Maples, South
Coach of the Year – Matt Parrish, Salisbury
