First Presbyterian Christian Academy’s boys’ soccer team held last year’s defending Region AA champions, Frederica Academy, to only one goal Wednesday.
However, the Highlanders were held scoreless in their 1-0 loss at the St. James Field in a rematch of last season’s state-title game.
Bradwell Institute also played at home, losing, 8-3, to Glynn Academy in a Region 3-AAAAA match Tuesday at Olvey Field.
FPCA
Highlanders coach Tom Sukaratana said the close game was a lofty accomplishment, considering his team played with only 10 players after one of his starters received a red card and was ejected.
Frederica scored its lone goal in the first half of a physical and, at times, violent game. Highlander goalkeeper Josh Kuhns made three big saves before taking a kick to his kneecap. He came out of the game to recuperate, but returned minutes later. The Knights attacked the Highlanders’ third of the field and hit a high kick. Kuhns leaped and got a piece of it, but it sailed into the net for the goal.
In the first half, a Knight received a yellow card for speaking back to the referee. The Knights were repeatedly warned about talking back to players and shoving Highlanders. When a Highlander questioned a call in the second half, the referee, apparently already miffed with the progress of the game, held up the red card, leaving the Highlanders one man down.
The remainder of the FPCA team, sparked by a renewed intensity to defend their turf and fellow teammate, kept Frederica away from the goal.
Highlanders Clark Sukaratana and Ricky Gilliard set up a play, and Gilliard took a shot that could’ve tied the game. The Knights’ goalkeeper, however, made the save, denying the Highlanders a chance for a comeback.
Sukaratana said it was good to see his team display emotion in a controlled manner that equated to better sportsmanship on the sideline and intensity on the field.
The Frederica game came one day after the FPCA boys and girls defeated Robert Toombs Academy on Tuesday in Lyons.
The FPCA girls got a 5-0 win, highlighted by senior Brooke Standard making a diving head-butt to negate what would have been a goal by Robert Toombs. Coach Sukaratana said Standard appeared out of nowhere and sent the ball away from the net for the save.
Standard scored two goals. Lady ’Landers Cecilia Graham, Arianna Burkett and Auset Gibbs scored one goal each. Mary Kathryn Whitney had two assist. Coach Sukaratana added the Buckley triplets, Mercedes, Mackenzie and Madison, played excellent defense.
The boys won, 9-0. Clark Sukaratana scored a hat trick and one assist. Stanford Graham scored one goal and had three assists. Domonique Kirkley scored two goals and had one assist. Ausar Gibbs scored two goals. Brantley McCorkle had one goal and one assist, while Greg Campada and Zach Vasquez each had one assist.
The FPCA boys are 1-1 in Region 2-AA and 7-3 overall. The girls are 2-0 in the region and 7-2 overall.
BRADWELL
The Tiger boys are 4-5 overall and 1-5 in the region after Tuesday’s loss.
The Lady Tigers also fell, 9-0, to the Lady Terrors. Bradwell coach Scott Akin said the final score doesn’t reflect the hustle and fight his team gave.
“We are a much improved team since the first time we played Glynn,” he said. “We had two starters missing because of injuries, and were missing two key substitutes and we lost another player during the first half. We are thin in our rotations but our kids are stepping up and playing hard.”
The coach added the girls could have easily hung their heads when the Red Terrors started to pull ahead.
“But they did not,” he said. “I am looking forward to the future, but I am also looking forward to a strong finish.”