Earning plaudits not only as a USL All-League First Team selection but also a Most Valuable Player finalist, Enzo Martinez cemented his position as one of the best box-to-box midfielders in the USL for the Charlotte Independence this past season.

For the local standout, though, the Independence’s elimination in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals of the 2016 USL Cup Playoffs left a bitter taste at the end of a remarkably successful season.

“I’ll take one trophy at the end of the year over a hundred awards for myself, in my heart I feel that way,” Martinez said this week. “I’d rather win a championship for this city. That means so much more to me, to the team, to the community, than just having an MVP player.”

Martinez’s productivity was visible on the stat-sheet for the Independence in 2016, as his nine goals and five assists put him tied for the team-lead with forward Brian Brown. It was the mentality that the 26-year-old former University of North Carolina standout brought to each game throughout the season that shone brighter, though, as his leadership pushed the Independence to their first postseason berth.

“Enzo is the engine of this team,” said Independence Head Coach Mike Jeffries. “He’s so competitive. He was dynamic in every game and was a factor in every game.”

If Enzo was the engine of the team, a large group of the complementary parts surrounding him will give the Independence continuity as they enter the 2017 season. That group is led by Enzo’s brother, Alex Martinez, who is looking for a return to form after an injury-hit year. The duo are certainly enjoying getting the chance to play near Rock Hill, S.C., where both grew up and remain involved with their youth club, Discoveries Soccer Club.

“For us this situation is ideal,” said Enzo Martinez. “It’s as close to perfect as we can ever get. We get to do what we love. We get to do it in the community we absolutely love and I get to do it with my best friend; my brother.”

In addition to the Martinez brothers, the Independence will also have three of the key members of their back line back in 2017, with USL veterans Bilal Duckett and Henry Kalungi being joined by 2016 newcomer Joel Johnson. The side recorded a goals-against average of less than one goal-per-game in the 2016 regular season, and the familiarity the players have built bodes well for next season.

“We had a very good and strong defense last year, all the guys wanted to fight for the team and make sure we got the results we needed.” Kalungi said. “To have almost the entire backline return is good because we already know each other and we can continue building to get better from the beginning of the season.”

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For Duckett, who has made 120 regular-season appearances in the USL, and Kalungi, who has made 115 regular-season appearances in the USL, the success the team had in the regular season has laid the foundation for what should be a strong future for the club on the field.

“We all defined and bought into a team identity,” said Duckett. “It’s great to do that for one season, but it’s even better to carry that on for season to come. We want this to be Charlotte’s team. We have a group of guys who are committed to being a part of the city and not just playing in it.”