Models of success
♦ After helping lead their teams to region titles and deep into the state playoffs, Jennifer Espinoza and Tee Jarrard earn Player of the Year honors.
From staff reports
A pair of Model Blue Devils helped lead their teams to success this soccer season as the boys’ team made a historic run in the playoffs, and the girls’ team nearly came away with an Elite Eight win against 2017 state runner-up East Laurens.
The efforts of Model’s Tee Jarrard and Jennifer Espinoza earned them the right as Rome News-Tribune All-Area Players of the Year.
Espinoza has been consistently successful throughout her career with the Blue Devils. The striker, who is going on to play soccer for Point University, helped lead the Blue Devils to the quar lost 5-4 on PKs to East Laurens.
Jarrard was known by his coaches and teammates as being a student of the game and being a leader on the pitch.
about opposing players’ strengths and weaknesses, and give ideas about formations and strategy,” said Model boys’ head coach Donnie Mendence. “He has hard to put into words. He worked hard to get to where he was.”
Jarrard, who has shown interest in where he wants to go to college but hasn’t yet made a decision, helped turn a struggling Blue Devils team around. When the forward joined the team, the Blue Devils were coming off an 0-18 season.
“He was a very good leader,” said Mendence. “He started showing that in his junior year before the season even started, talking about getting the team together before I was able to practice with them. He would get the team together and do some scrimmaging. When we I would go around before the season and ask them about their goals, his were always real high — win the region, state playoffs, state championship.”
Jarrard achieved two of those goals when the Blue Devils to the Region 7-AA championship in an 11-1 win against Rockmart, and when the team advanced
For the complete Rome NewsTribune All-Area Boys and Girls Soccer Teams, see Page B3. to the Final Four in the Class AA playoffs.
“His teammates think so highly of him,” Mendence said. “And he was always willing to work with the young kids to help them get better. He’s very coachable,
Another member highlighting the All-Area First team is Chanceley Book from Unity Christian. The goalkeeper had several key plays this year including helping lead the Lions to their third state title when she blocked a penalty kick attempt and made her own penalty kick to send the Lions to sudden death. The Lions went on to win 1-0 against Peachtree Academy.
with 17 goals and 16 assists. He also led the region in assists and was third in goals. Castro led the Indians to a 14-61 record and trip to the third round of the Class AA state playoffs.