Local players help Team GA draw
Jackets, Phoenix contribute at Ga-Tenn. All-Star Game
— For a quartet of recent Calhoun graduates and one recent Sonoraville graduate, the chance to get back on the pitch one more time as a high school player was not something they were going to pass up, and the five locals made the most of it.
Calhoun’s Elmer Gutierrez, Daniel Isep, Julio Lopez and Johnathan Castillo and Sonoraville’s Alex Casares all competed in the GeorgiaTennessee All-Star Soccer Classic at Finley Stadium in Chattanooga, and they each contributed in the back-and-forth contest, which ended in a 2-2 draw.
The game, which was hosted by the Chattanooga FC, started with both defenses turning away multiple chances to keep the game scoreless for much of the first half. Team Georgia broke through and went on top in the 29th minute when Calhoun’s Gutierrez corralled a pass in the box and sent past the Tennessee goalkeeper into the net to make it 1-0. Southeast Whitfield’s Rival Sandante had the assist on the play.
Team Georgia held that 1-0 lead until late in the half when Tennessee took the momentum with two quick goals in the 38th and 40th minute to take a 2-1 lead into the half.
Both teams played wide open in the second half with many near misses and saves on quality chances in the box. The final goal of the contest came in the 50th minute when North Murray’s Kevin Garcia got behind the Tennessee defense and sent a rocket shot past the goalkeeper to tie the game up at 2-2.
After each team posed scoring threats in the final 30 minutes, it was the defense of both sides that shut things down as the 2-2 score held up for the draw. Georgia had one last opportunity on a loose ball in the box in the closing minutes, but the shot sailed high.
All five local players saw solid playing time as Team Georgia rotated players throughout both halves. Each of the locals enjoyed their experience playing in the game. Here’s what they had to say:
“It’s fun playing with other players from Georgia and representing your area,” said Casares. “Playing with so many talented players on one field tests you a lot. It helps you work on your skills and hopefully adds to them. This game was really fun to be a part of.”
“It was an honor playing in this game and playing with my Calhoun teammates once again,” said Isep. “There are so many good players from the schools around our area, and it was nice to play with them after competing against them the past few years.”
“It was special playing with my teammates and also playing with my buddies from other schools,” said Gutierrez. “I know most of these guys, and all of them are really good. There was a lot of talent on this field today, and it was a great experience being a part of this game.”
“It was an honor to be invited to play, and it was an honor to play with my former teammates at Calhoun,” said Lopez. “I got the chance to meet new guys that I hadn’t before and playing with them to represent Georgia meant a lot.”
“It was a great opportunity to play with my brothers ( from Calhoun),” said Castillo. “This was a whole new level as far as how good everyone was on the field today. It really proves that you have to work hard to be able to play at this level.”
Team Georgia was coached by Southeast Whitfield’s Todd Close and along with the five local players included Seth Allen (North Murray), Kevin Garcia (North Murray), Jason Trejo (North Murray), Marcial Maldonado Fraure ( North Murray), Carlos Martinez ( NW Whitfield), Jett Harrison (NW Whitfield), Matthew Nelson ( LaFayette), Leo Adame ( LaFayette), Aaron Fraire (Dalton), Daniel Lopez ( Dalton), Ozzy Pintor (Coahulla Creek), Rodrigo Paramo (Coahulla Creek), Christian Lewis (Coahulla Creek), Saul Lerma (SE Whitfield), Adrian Garcia ( SE Whitfield), Rival Sandante ( SE Whitfield), Miller Polly (Westminster) and Ali Mourad (Westminster).