AHOSKIE – The third annual Ridgecroft Invitational is set for this weekend.

The Rams’ varsity soccer team will welcome Lawrence Academy, North Pitt High School and Pasquotank County High School to the Mike Bryant Soccer Field here.

“It should be an interesting event,” Ridgecroft Head Soccer Coach Aron Martin said. “We will have two private 1-A schools against two public 2-A schools.”

The tournament will open at 2 p.m. Friday afternoon with the host Rams squaring off against the North Pitt Panthers.

“North Pitt is going to be quite a formidable opponent,” Martin said. “Looking at their schedule, they play good competition.

“I don’t know a whole lot about them, but that is one of the beauties of this tournament,” he added. “I think it will benefit both teams.”

After that matchup, Lawrence Academy will meet Pasquotank at 4 p.m.

“The Lawrence-Pasquotank match should be an interesting one,” Martin said. “Lawrence is a well-coached team and I think they will give them a run for their money.”

The consolation game is scheduled for 11 a.m. on Saturday followed by the championship contest at 1 p.m.

The tournament gates will open at 1 p.m. Friday afternoon with an admission charge of $4 for students and $5 for adults.

Martin said he believed the annual event was good for the soccer team, the school and the community at large.

“You need to see different teams early in the season,” he said. “It helps you to assess where you are and where you need to be before you start conference play. We want as many competitions as we can get before the regular season starts.”

The fun weekend for the school is also a key to the tournament, he said.

“I think it’s a good event for the school,” he said. “It’s a celebratory atmosphere. It also brings in people from the region to see the good things we are about here at Ridgecroft.”

The main point of the tournament, however, is for the student-athletes.

“Most of all, the kids enjoy it,” Martin insisted. “I have received nothing but positive feedback since we started the tournament.

“I think it is a good way to start the school year off,” he added. “It kind of gets things rolling.”