Lee Trawick
Riverbend News

On Monday, Nov. 8, the Suwannee High School Bulldogs varsity soccer team opened their season against the Maclay Marauders at Paul Langford Stadium. The Bulldogs were coming off a 7-5-4 record, while the Marauders were bringing in a boastful 14-1-2 record.
The Bulldogs were the aggressors early on, not allowing the Marauders to find any rhythm offensively. It wasn’t long until the Bulldogs' pressure cracked the Marauders' defense. C.J. Joyner blocked a kick with his chest and overpowered the Marauders' defender by taking possession of the ball and getting behind the defense for a one-on-one match-up with the Marauders' goalie. Joyner baited the goalie, while staying under control, to orchestrate the Bulldogs' first goal of the game. The Marauders tried to answer several times, but goalie Alex Maday made play after play to deny the Marauders and keep the Bulldogs alive. The Bulldogs rewarded their goalie’s great plays with another goal of their own when taking a corner kick. The Marauders spoiled the game plan, but could not account for Omar Carreon, as he kicked the ball from right to left, bending the ball around the goalie and into the net for the Bulldogs' second goal of the night, giving them a 2-0 lead. After a barrage of assaults by the Marauders, they were finally able to get a goal before halftime.
In the second half, it was the Marauders who appeared to be more aggressive. The Bulldogs found themselves defending their end of the field more times than not. With 25 minutes left to play in the second half, the Marauders finally tied the score, 2-2. For the remainder of the game, both the Bulldogs and Marauders had their chances to take the lead, but neither team could find the back of the net. Maday, though only a sophomore, showed great vision in the net, anticipating the Marauders' assaults. The match ended in a 2-2 tie. While it may not be the outcome the Bulldogs were hoping for, it gave them great momentum going into their game on Tuesday, Nov. 9, as they traveled to Tallahassee to take on the Leon High School Lions.
The Lions held the Bulldogs scoreless, as they broke off to an early 1-0 lead in the first half. They then went on to score three more unanswered goals in the second half, ending the game 4-0 in favor of the Lions.
The Bulldogs were back in action again on Monday, Nov. 15, at home against the Hawthorne Hornets.