Darius Garcon’s right-footed blast caromed down and off the crossbar, just missing the goal line, and the Gregory Town Under-13 Eleuthera Soccer Club squad served notice they had arrived.
Gregory Town’s intrasquad rivalry with their cohorts from south Eleuthera, representing as Rock Sound, came to a head March 30 at ESC’s freshly mown facility adjacent to the Hatchet Bay fairgrounds.
Led by Darius, playing an attack-minded center back role, Jacob Daniels and Isaiah Thompson, who scored the game winner in the ultra-tight 2-1 victory, the trio of 12-year-olds helped Gregory Town end their losing streak to a very game Rock Sound team led by goal scorer Maxime Marc ‘Ensky’ Lorrensky, 12, Knahla Mackey, 13, and 10-year-olds Anthony Delva and Eddie Ferreira.
Isaiah, who celebrated his game winner with a flawlessly executed round off into back flip, said, “When I scored that last goal I was happy. [My team] was like supporting me when I was rushing up to score the goal and when I scored the goal I was happy. And happy, ‘cause this year one time we been practicing forever just to win, and win trophies.”
“Playing against Gregory Town it was kind of expected [we’d have a tough match],” said Eddie, who has been an ESC player since it’s humble beginnings in the summer of 2023 on the Savannah Sound waterfront, and has experienced first-hand the improvement in their rivals to the north. Eddie was again a standout for Rock Sound having moved to Eleuthera in 2022 after playing for Dynamos FC in New Providence.
“I was especially proud of the Gregory Town Under-13 squad because they have come very far since the two years that I first met some of those kids,” said ESC Director and Coach Ashley Conley Sawyer. “Watching them make completed passes and have vision of the field was amazing to watch, so I was very proud of those boys and girls.”
“The team has been confident in their abilities all season and played their best against a team that came to win,” said Rock Sound Head Coach Zak Richards, 42. “It was a very close match. All teams have greatly improved making soccer here more competitive. This was good experience for them and a learning lesson. The north has come a long way as a team thanks to dedicated coaches and parents.”
A joint squad of players from Hatchet Bay and Gregory Town representing as ‘Hatchet Town’ in the seven-a-side round robin tournament, took third in the Under-13 division gamely led by Joshua Gardiner, 12, Defidel Hepburn, 11, and 10-year-olds Janoah Penn and Rome Pinder.
In the 4-versus-4 Under 9 division it was again a Gregory Town squad taking home the hardware, and again it rested upon its clash with the team from south. After two goals from the boot of 8-year-old Malakai Saunders gave Rock Sound a 2-0 lead, Reef Sawyer, 7, scored two himself for the Coconuts (Gregory Town also fielded a ‘Pineapples’ squad), to send the game to extra time.
After a dramatic scoreless extra time, overall goal differential was used to break the tie, and Reef, teammates Carter Tonis, who scored a goal earlier in the day, Lucay Waserman and Lucian Williams celebrated.
For the Gregory Town Pineapples, Jonathan Thompson, 8, scored a goal while James Delva, 8, and Karter Mackey, 9, also netted for Rock Sound.
Challenges lie ahead for the young club not the least of which is Co-Founder and Director Conley Sawyer relocating back to the United States this summer.
“I would lie if I didn’t say that it’s a super bittersweet feeling to be moving on to our next chapter,” the 38-year-old Daytona Beach native said. “I’ve loved the last six years here and the community that we’ve built and Gregory Town and the greater Eleuthera community. It’s been so amazing and to watch my son grow up here; we’ve been very privileged here and to have this life.”
In the south Richards is hoping for a more central and larger pitch.
“Hopefully the upcoming season we can recruit some new players in the south and possibly a second team,” said the Ohio native, and resident of Tarpum Bay since 2023. “We have some challenges with finding a location ideal for practicing and are grateful for our sponsors and CTI for letting us use their facilities.”
“Finding new coaches is our main challenge,” ESC Co-Founder and Director Laura Paine said. “To attract new coaches we offer stipends, salaries and we pay for them to get their coach licenses so that they can advance with their skills, but to date there has not been much interest.”
The Eleuthera Soccer Club’s mission to bring the beautiful game to this beautiful island is made possible by support from GSO Counsel and Attorneys-at-Law, The Cove, One Eleuthera Foundation and The Other Side.
