By HANNAH GALE – Print Sports Editor
The Clarke Central High School soccer teams beat the Cedar Shoals High School soccer teams in all four games played on April 8 at CSHS.
The Clarke Central High School Gladiator soccer program went head-to-head with the Cedar Shoals High School Jaguar soccer program on April 8. The Gladiators competed on Jaguar turf at Waters-Wilkins Stadium for the annual JV boys, varsity girls and boys and alumni games. Due to lack of CSHS players, the JV girls game was rescheduled for April 10.
“The Cedar versus Central game is what brings our community together and shows everyone what Athens is all about. It’s never what the scoreboard says, it’s always the fun and competitiveness that there is between the two Clarke County high school’s,” CCHS freshman JV and varsity girls soccer player Sofia Castañeda said.
The Gladiators beat the Jags in all four games played on April 8, and in the JV girls game on April 10. The JV Glads won 5-1, the JV Lady Glads won 3-0, the Gladiator alumni won 2-1, the varsity Lady Glads won 9-0 and the varsity Glads won 1-0.
“I was really excited and just happy (when CCHS freshman Zack Quick made the only goal of the boys varsity game),” varsity boys soccer player Ivan Ramirez, a CCHS senior, said. “I was also relieved because it took some pressure off of us and gave us a chance to breathe a bit.”
Though the varsity Glads won the game against Cedar, they weren’t playing as well as head coach Chris Aiken hoped.
“Anyone who watched the first 50 minutes out of the 80 minute game, we were really just dominating them on all phases of the game. It was more frustrating than anything just to see so many wasted opportunities because you only get so many a game and Ceder gave us plenty early in the game and we just didn’t capitalize enough,” Aiken said.
Since 2015, the CCHS soccer program has had 12 straight wins over the Jags.
“Central has had a streak of wins against Cedar in previous years, but the level of the opponent team should never determine our focus,” Castañeda said. “Our best effort should always be there despite the team we’re playing.”
