Cedartown Soccer Nearly Underway after Rockmart scrimmage
For the first time in 5 years, the Cedartown Soccer Bulldogs will play a full 18 game schedule.
This season begins with great expectations for new Head Coach Kevin King.
King is a former professional soccer player himself, and a man who is extremely excited for the potential of this squad and the future of the program.
Over the past two seasons, Cedartown won 16 games under head coach Joey Rice. They made the playoffs in 2017 and 2018, losing to state-semifinalist Blessed Trinity two years ago and falling to state champions Northwest Whitfield last year.
Additionally, last season was the first time in Cedartown history that a soccer player earned a collegiate scholarship, as Lady Bulldog Yovanka Pineda is now playing at Dalton State as a freshman.
King says that although the recent history of Bulldog soccer has been extremely impressive, he is ready to see what the future holds for his experienced 2019 team.
“We have ten returning seniors this year and one senior making the squad for the first time. We also return four juniors and two sophomores.” said Coach King. “Last year’s returning top scorer is Brian Ramos. He, creative midfielder Oscar Flores, and defensive stalwarts Kevin Lucas and Luis Velasquez will lead the team in front of star goalkeeper Fernando Barrientos who has started since he was a freshman.”
“Moreover, we are expecting big things from juniors Elver Gonzalez and Jorge Pineda. Gonzalez was named sophomore of the year last season,” he added.
Other returning players that received honors in 2018 include Gio Jacobo and Alex GomezJacobo was freshman of the year last season and Gomez was deemed the overall player of the year in 2018.
“Both Gio and Alex play with a maturity beyond their age and will certainly have bright futures in our program,” he said.
The only freshman to make the Varsity boys team in 2019 is Esdres Reynoso.
The other big news surrounding the program heading into this season is the addition of a JV boys team.
King said that “We have a proud record that every minute of every game we have coached we have had a freshman on the field; that will change this season with the introduction of our JV program. Over the last 2 years we were turning away more kids than we were keeping and the JV program has helped with that. We had 102 kids tryout across 3 teams- Varsity Girls, Varsity Boys, and JV Boys.”
With all the talent on the team this year, the new coach states that the goal remains the same: making a run in the playoffs.
As Coach Kevin King said, “We are targeting playoffs again this year, focusing on the prospect of making it past the first round for the first time in five years. This is a good possibility with our squad, and from then on I feel confident we have as good a chance as anyone of going all the way.”
Keys to the season, per King, include continually working hard, practicing like we play, and staying all in.
The Scot-turned-Cedartown resident finished off the interview with a little Scottish charm regarding how the season might go, by saying, “with the right amount of luck, you just never know!”
Cedartown soccer started their season with a scrimmage last week against Rockmart at home. Their first official home game was Monday after press time as they played host to Temple.
Next Thursday they will host South Paulding. They begin region play March 5, hosting