Seahawks soccer defense hangs tough vs. Seminoles

On Monday, Dec. 14, the boys varsity Seahawks soccer ream faced the varsity Port St. Joe Sharks. Compared to their previous meeting, this was an eerily similar match.

Once again, the Seahawks were raring to go from the opening whistle, matching the veteran Tiger Sharks’ intensity; tying the match with a goal 16 minutes into the first half. Just like the previous match, Elton Olvera scored, on a free kick, to deadlock the game at 1-1.

Again, as with their last meeting with the Sharks, the Seahawks continued to play with passion and cohesiveness throughout the game and were it not for a few indefensible, outstanding Shark goals, off of brilliant passes, the game was actually much closer than the final score indicated.

In the end, as with their last meeting, the Sharks’ overall experience began to take over the game and the Seahawks finally succumbed to a 5-defeat, with Olvera connecting with the back of the net with 15:30 left in regulation.

Daniel “Bam-Bam” Carrino was earth-shattering in goal and the combination of Derick “D-Fib” Rhodes, William “Maximus” Sapp, Graham Kirvin and Olvera pressured the Shark defense as well as any first-year soccer team could have.

In the Tuesday night match Dec. 15, under clearing skies, the Seahawks faced another team they had previously played, Florida High School. In their previous match, which was also the first game ever played by the men’s varsity team; the Seahawks were dismantled 6-0.

However, the night of Dec. 15 was a different story. This game was a great measuring stick for players and fans alike, as the Seahawks had played eight games since that initial meeting. The home crowd got to see the young Seahawks team play their best game of the year.

Playing stellar defense “from the back,” Julio Ramirez, Andrew Waller, Billy Harris, and Tanner Klink hung tough with the Seminoles’ quick strike capabilities through 60 minutes of soccer and at that point were in a 1-1 tie.

The Seminoles seemingly started to wear down defensively and in the final 20 minutes of the match, the Seahawks had more shot-on-goal opportunities then they had had in all of the previous three games combined. The four fullbacks previously mentioned, transitioned the ball up field to, Josh Reeder, Javeion “Worm” Winfield, Sapp, Rhodes, Kirvin and Olvera. Each of these Seahawks had multiple opportunities to score, in what was the team’s best offensive effort to date.

Unfortunately, the Seahawks were unable to capitalize on any of their advantages and in the end, were caught by the Seminoles on two breakaway goals, finally succumbing 3-1. As a coach I was particularly impressed with the offensive productivity in this game. I have beat “defense” into their heads all season and it was awesome to watch the offense finally come to life. Although the back of the net was not found in the second half, this Seahawks game showed why there is a real future for the boys soccer program and I was prideful of all of their efforts in this game.

The Seahawks’ host Marianna, at “the Nest” of Franklin County High School on Monday, Jan. 11^, in the season finale, as the first year of boys varsity Soccer at FCHS concludes. Varsity soccer is a real kick in the grass; don’t miss it.

Joe Shields is the coach of the 2009-10 Seahawks boys varsity soccer team.