Marc Jaunico didn’t need an adjustment period to American soccer.
The Spanish exchange student, who has starred at defensive midfielder for the New Hope Trojans this season, is surrounded by teammates who have “great touch.”
So he wasn’t surprised when, in the 53rd minute Tuesday against Caledonia, he received a perfect pass on a well-timed run to set up his goal to seal a 2-0 win and the season sweep in the Lowndes County Derby.
Juanico split a two defenders and fired low past Caledonia goalkeeper Mario Aguirre, who got a piece of it but couldn’t keep it from chopping into the net.
“That goal is good … I worked hard to score this,” Jaunico said. “I saw the midfielder, he passed it to me, I have the defense I went around, and I didn’t think about anything … I just shot. Thank God.”
Juanico’s enthusiasm for American culture and soccer shines through his smile anytime he talks about living in the United States and playing for the Trojans. Juanico, one of New Hope’s captains, said the bond with his teammates began in preseason and made the chemistry on the field develop quicker.
“First, we go to the lake here with coach where we run a lot and talk,” Juanico said. “We don’t even touch the ball there. That’s where we started to work for this season really hard, and that’s when, more or less, I knew my teammates and it was easy to play at that point.”
New Hope (9-1-2) peppered Caledonia early, forcing a running save out of Aguirre after Connor Rose rifled a long-range shot in the 4th minute. Then, Jake Crosson was fouled in the box in the 10th minute, setting up a penalty for Juanico, who fired straight and low at Aguirre. Caledonia’s junior ‘keeper, who’d taken over the job from Carson Dallas earlier this week, got a foot to it and saved it, but the referee said Aguirre came off his line and awarded another penalty, which Crosson took and converted for a 1-0 lead.
The penalty lit a fire under the Confederates, who dominated the next 15 minutes and won five corners. But outside of a long-range effort from Quaid Phillips, the Confederates struggled to turn heavy spells of possession and excellent wing play into quality looks on goal. That frustration lingered through the night, particularly in the 39th minute when Francisco Garcia pivoted into a great position — alone on the edge of the 18 — only to rush a shot and yank it far left of the near post.
“That’s definitely something we struggle with (finishing in final third),” said Louis Alexander, Caledonia coach. “Whether it’s others besides the forwards not stepping up into the attack – be it our midfielders or defenders. I moved our defensive mid Dylan (Lester) to forward … he’s not a burner, but he can hold the ball up. That didn’t go like I hoped, so I moved him back and moved Garrett up to because he can beat you with pace and hold the ball up.
“It was just an off night for us.”
New Hope has won four of its last five, its only loss coming to district opponent Oxford, a game in which the Trojans surrendered the only goal of the game in the last five minutes of play. New Hope has scored more than 30 goals in 10 games and head into games against West Point and Starkville this weekend.
“When we tried to play the 20 to 30-yard through balls, (Caledonia) was just eating it up,” said Andrew Olsen, New Hope coach. “So we talked at half about swapping it up, playing the quick give and goes and not playing such deep long balls. Quick passes in and out the middle, then try to swing it back in. That’s where we got the advantage – 10-yard balls instead of 20 or 30 yards.”
Caledonia fell to 4-5-1 on the season and has been shut out in back-to-back losses. The Confederates had won four straight since their 3-1 defeat to New Hope on Nov. 15. While the Confederates will hope to get their attack back in order, Alexander was pleased Tuesday by his backline’s communication and effort.
“Our back four have come a long way under the tutelage of Sam Young, who’ll be greatly missed after this year,” Alexander said. “I hate that he blames himself for this loss, because this isn’t on him. I don’t think we would have done half of what we’ve done this year without him. My heart breaks for him to see how hard he’s taking this loss tonight.”
Caledonia girls 3, New Hope 2
It’s rare to take more than a couple of free kicks in the exact same spot.
It’s even rarer to take each free kick and put the ball on frame in nearly the same spot.
But for Caledonia’s Anna Caroline Parrish, the deja vu was both strange and gratifying.
The junior defender scored on a 35-yard free kick in the 26th minute to give CHS a 2-0 lead. Then, in the 56th minute, Parrish rocketed another from the same distance that the New Hope goalkeeper spilled conveniently for Lizzie Truelock, who tapped it home for her second goal of the night.
Caledonia held on for a 3-2 win. The Lady Confederates claimed the season sweep in the Lowndes County Derby.
“It’s pretty cool,” Parrish said. “I’ve just been trained to hit the frame, and anytime I get a free kick, that’s my goal. There’s a couple of times when it’ll go over the crossbar, but for the most part, it’ll be on the upper half of the goal.”
Parrish almost had a second – again from the 35-yards – in the 72nd minute. She lined it again in the top corner, but the referee, who’d signaled for play to begin, disallowed the goal because New Hope hadn’t completed its substitution.
“Oh well,” said Jason Forrester, Caledonia coach. “It’s just nice to get back on the winning side of this rivalry.
Caledonia (6-4) bounced back from an 8-1 defeat to Amory. The offensive output was its most since beating New Hope 3-2 on Nov. 15. The Lady Confederates had scored just five goals in the five games they’d played since then.
“I was happy with the way we played,” Parrish said. “Our center triangle worked really well. It hadn’t been recently since we’ve had two in the middle, but now we have three and we work really well. Our forwards always drop back to give us support. We just played a good game together.”
New Hope (5-8) found its way back into the game through gritty play on the ball and increased numbers plowing forward. It paid off in the 63rd minute when Anna Katherine O’Bryant scored. The Lady Trojans later converted a penalty kick late in the second half to pull within a goal.
“We talked at halftime about how we were playing sluggish and not kicking to our own feet,” said Mary Nagy, New Hope coach. “We just had to come out and play our game. We spread the field, kept inching in and decreased the field.
“We’re a very young team, and I respect them for coming out and continuing to fight. There’s a lot of integrity from these young girls, who are just starting their high school careers. We just have a lot of growing up to do.”
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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