East Bladen’s two-time defending Three Rivers Conference champions begin its nonconference schedule Wednesday night against perennial power Wallace-Rose Hill. West Bladen will travel to Hobbton on Monday for its season opener.
East Bladen
Coach Jay Raynor’s Eagles finished 18-2-2 in 2018 and were eliminated in the second round of the Class 2A state playoffs 1-0 by Dixon on a late controversial goal. Raynor was named TRC Coach of the Year, and Greyson Heustess, who scored 33 goals and dished out 18 assists, should have been the TRC Player of the Year.
Departed via graduation are Heustess, Ezequial Arteaga, Keshaun Davis, Pierce Melvin and Dan Tatum. All-Conference senior midfielder Gabe Barber (10 goals, 7 assists and 90 steals) heads the list of returnees.
Other key returnees are senior Jake Evans (10 goals, 8 assists), senior Jay McGill (9 goals, 6 assists, 86 steals), junior Jay McKoy (5 goals, an assist, 73 steals), senior Milton Estrada (76 steals), senior Ebrahim Algozy and junior Jacob Priest (12 shutouts and a 17-1-1 record in goal).
Also returning are junior Will Hester, junior Garrett Melvin, junior Freddy Wooten, junior Jackson Bostic, junior Drew Sholar, junior Sal Algozy and sophomore Chase Starkloff. Freshman Malcolm Bolden, the leading scorer at Elizabethtown Middle a year ago, will also be joining the Eagle varsity.
West Bladen
Coach Phil Turnage’s Knights posted a 7-7 record in Three Rivers Conference play in 2018. Departed from that team are All-Three Rivers Conference selections Pablo Ortega (7 goals, 2 assists) and Angel Martinez (155 saves, 3 shutouts in goal).
All-TRC defender Johnny Dominquez (80 steals), senior defender Joey Ferretiz (111 steals), and senior midfielder Brandon Labra (2 goals, 3 assists, 51 steals) head the list of returning players.
Other key returnees are junior striker Keni Verdugo Gomez (7 goals, 40 steals). Senior defender/midfielder Eric Sandoval (42 steals) and senior striker Wilmer Garcia (4 goals, 24 steals).
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