SCIAA soccer makes progress
Despite Spring Fling defeats, Executives and Red Devils grow from state tournament experience
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Tuesday at Spring Fling didn’t go as hoped for Memphis’ two newest state-tournament level soccer programs.
In the quarterfinals of the Class A tournament at Siegel Soccer Complex, Memphis Business Academy fell to Gatlinburg-Pittman 6-1 while Douglass faced a first-half avalanche against Grace Christian and lost 10-1.
And to top it off, there was a lengthy lightning delay to prolong the frustration even further.
But for both the Executives and the Red Devils, Tuesday was less about the final scores and more about the progress as they build their young programs.
“I started working here six years ago and there was no soccer program,” said MBA coach Trey Whitsitt. “We had a few players that played but no team ... we just gradually added players each year and this is our third year of high school soccer.
“It’s really been rewarding to see these guys (progress).”
Whitsitt knows a thing or two about successful programs. He graduated from CBHS in 2002 and was a part of two state championship teams. And as a member of the established soccer community in town, Whitsitt was able to tap into some of his connections to help his team.
It worked; the Executives are the first Memphis charter school to play in a state soccer tournament and just the second overall to make a state tournament. Memphis Academy of Science and Engineering played in the Class A basketball tournament in March.
“I scheduled this team to face as much adversity as possible,” he said. “When you’re a single A school playing AAA schools ... (but) we’ve had some success. Our team lost some guys — they’re good guys but maybe they couldn’t handle the adversity — but in the end we have a tough group and we were able string some wins together.”
Indeed, games against teams like Bartlett, St. Benedict, Germantown and Houston didn’t do much for the wonloss record; the Executives opened the year with four straight losses. Gatlinburg-Pittman took control early to hand them another one Tuesday, but the Executives took it all in stride.
“We started off bad but over the year we increased our skill,” said senior midfielder and MBA valedictorian Moises Basilio. “We were excited to come up here.”
Basilio and Agustin Fernandez are the two holdovers from Whitsitt’s arrival six years ago and two of the three players the team will lose, along with senior Jose Marquez.
Douglass as well return much of its team next year, graduating midfielder Breikhaleth Borge-Prado and defender Jok Nebk.
Along with the two Class A teams, the Shelby County Interscholastic Athletic Association was also represented by Sheffield, which played in the AA tournament late on Tuesday. It marked the first time three SCIAA schools reached state.
“We lost in the regionals the last four years,” said Douglass coach Frederick Lee. “I think (Tuesday) shows that the SCIAA has plenty of opportunities It says a lot that three schools from the city are here competing at the state level and I’m proud of all of them.”
Reach John Varlas at john. varlas@commercialappeal.com or on Twitter @johnvarlas.