COURTESY CHARLOTTE INDEPENDENCE

Garinger High graduates Shalom Dutey and Tresor Mbuyu have played key roles in the Charlotte Independence's push toward the USL One postseason. The Jacks need to beat North Carolina FC Saturday at Memorial Stadium  to secure a spot in the playoffs.

The homegrown label used to corral local talent by MLS teams isn’t a thing in the USL but no less important on the second and third tiers of American soccer.

So it is for the Charlotte Independence where two former Garinger High teammates have stepped up to play key roles this season and will be pivotal in Saturday’s must-win match against in-state rival North Carolina FC.

Forward Tresor Mbuyu has become one of the leading scorers in USL League One while centerback Shalom Dutey is charged with shutting down offensive threats from the other side. Success on both ends will be necessary as the Independence find themselves in seventh place with only the top six teams making the postseason.

Must win on Saturday
The Independence has flirted with the playoffs all season but have been hampered by inconsistent play. After winning three straight, they lost their last two matches.

At 11-12-6, they have 39 points, three behind both the Northern Colorado Hailstorm and South Georgia Tormenta. Both those teams also have 11 wins, the first tiebreaker, but Northern Colorado has finished their season and cannot improve on that. An Independence win would give them the edge there with 12 and a South Georgia loss in their final match, at home against third place Chattanooga Red Wolves, would vault the Jacks into 5th place. Just a win assures them of sixth.

Charlotte is 1-1 against NCFC, who are currently sit last in 11th place with an 8-15-6 record, in two previous matches, winning 2-1 at home on Sept. 24, and losing 2-0 away on June 18.

Kickoff is 7 p.m. at American Legion Memorial Stadium.

From refugees to local heroes
Mbuyu and Dutey were a year apart at Garinger with Mbuyu graduating first in 2015. Their families found haven in Charlotte as refugees from troubled countries in Africa. Mbuyu’s came to the U.S. when he was 13 from Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Dutey’s family emigrated from Togo when he was 11.

“It was a different life coming from Congo as a refugee,” Mbuyu said. “It’s a blessing my family was able to come to the States.”

They came together as teammates and close friends while living in the apartment complex managed by the One7 Ministries, which focuses on helping Charlotte’s immigrant population. It also runs a popular and competitive youth soccer program in which both played and excelled. One7 was founded by David Garrett, who would be their coach on the ministry teams and later at Garinger.

That’s where the friendship took root.

Over the 2013 and 2014 seasons they played together in high school, Garinger went 40-4-2. The 2013 team was undefeated and top-ranked in the NCHSAA 4A but lost to Southwest Guilford in the second round of the playoffs. The 2014 team lost in the third round.

“We can relate to each other, coming from another country and having to adjust to everything. I see myself a lot in him and likewise,” Dutey said. “He’s older than me, so I looked up to Tresor. When we played together the bond continued. Our relationship just continued to grow.”

Both would go on to Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia. Mbuyu was a standout striker, scoring 33 goals and making 17 assists in 40 appearances. Dutey had 36 starts in 55 appearances for the Flames in central defense.

Part of their journey together has been by design, both theirs and by their mentor Garrett.

“In college, we looked out for each other,” Dutey said. “That was kind of the plan all along. David Garrett did not want us to go out there and be by ourselves. He kept us together and when Liberty wanted to recruit one of us, we kind of came as a package deal. And the same here with the Charlotte Independence.

“We’ve stayed together through the whole process. He graduated [college] before me and went to Orlando (City B, the MLS club’s second team) and then we decided that we were both going to come back here to Charlotte and play together.”

Asked if they were close friends, Dutey said: “It’s one of those things where he will most likely be the best man at my wedding.” Dutey added that such event is not yet in the works or being planned.

A breakout season
Last season, Mbuyu played in 11 matches with no goals and one assist. This year, his 10 goals are eighth in the league, and he’s just behind teammate Khori Bennett who is tied for sixth with 11 goals.

Mbuyu was the primary scorer for much of the season with Bennett coming on strong towards the end. Dutey has also been a factor on the offensive end, scoring four goals – one in the U.S. Open Cup – as a legitimate threat on corners and free kicks.

Both were essentially rookies on a team that was deep in experience and talent.

In front of Mbuyu were all-time USL scorer Dane Kelly and Irvin Parra, who each had 11 goals on the season ahead of him along with Sylvain Marveaux (6 goals, 5 assists), Enzo Martinez (7 goals, 4 assists), and Gabriel Obertan, who brought the experience of playing with Bordeaux, Manchester United and Newcastle.

“Last year, he was more of a role player because there were so many experienced players,” Obertan said of Mbuyu’s emergence. “Now you see the growth. He is one of the key players and he loves the challenge. You can see it with all the goals, the assists, the performances he’s put out. I’m glad to see him grow like that.

“His speed is blinding and he’s a massive threat for us. There were a few games where he couldn’t play and you could feel the difference.”

Dutey saw action in only two matches last season as the defensive side was also stacked with players like Hugh Roberts, Kevin Riascos, Christian Dean, and Fuchs who came on loan from Charlotte FC as did Brandt Bronico and Adam Armour.

“I like to learn, and I knew the guys in front of me were great players,” says Dutey. “I was the youngest centerback on the team. It was the first contract I had signed, the first club I was with. So getting to ask questions and train with those guys every day, it really pushed me to be the best that I can be.”

He says going up against guys like Kelly every day toughened him up and he’s grateful for the veterans taking the time to show him the ropes. He then added that Fuchs still comes into the Jacks locker room after games to offer advice.

Mbuyu agrees, saying that Obertan, Marveaux and Distel Zola all took him under wing.

“These guys were well experienced and helpful not just to me but all the younger players,” Mbuyu said. “He was around a lot of good players and was able to learn a lot (from them) in terms of not only soccer IQ and ability but also the mentality and things that can help him become a better professional,” head coach Mike Jeffries concurred. “He had to come in every day and fight and compete to earn playing time. He’s carried a lot of those things into this year.”

A lot of that talent moved on when the Independence dropped from the second tier USL Championship to USL One. A good but young core stayed including Mbuyu and Dutey.

“We are all committed to this team,” says Mbuyu, “and it’s easier because we are from here and want to stay home.”

This year’s squad has also benefited from a relationship with the MLS side, which has seen midfielders Chris Hegardt and Quinn McNeill, defender/midfielder Koa Santos and goalkeeper Adrian Zendejas getting significant playing time across the season. Zendejas is tied for fourth in the league with six clean sheets.

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