The starting lineup for the Clarke Central High School boys varsity soccer team poses for a photograph before their game against White County High School in the Billy Henderson Stadium on Jan. 22. The team unofficially kicked off their season with a 9-0 win. “Our goal for this season is to become region champions because we finished second in the region last year, and also to win the state championship since we came so close last year (but ended up) losing in the Elite Eight to the eventual winners,” varsity soccer team defensive midfielder Ajani Wade, a senior, said. Photo courtesy of @cchs.menssoccer on Instagram
After losing the region 8-AAAAA championship to Johnson High School in their 2021 season, the boys varsity soccer team prepares to compete for the regional crown in 2022.
With a group of 45 varsity student-athletes who play club soccer and a second-place ranking in Region 8-AAAAA in 2021, Clarke Central High School boys varsity soccer coach Chris Aiken is confident about his team’s ability to play in the season ahead of them.
Aiken’s confidence was recently rewarded as the team started their season with a 9-0 win against White County High School in an unofficial, non-conference scrimmage in Billy Henderson Stadium on Jan. 22.
“I feel (the scrimmage) went pretty well,” varsity soccer team defensive midfielder Ajani Wade, a senior, said. “For our first time playing as a team (this season), we had good communication with each other and we moved the ball really well.”
“For our first time playing as a team (this season), we had good communication with each other and we moved the ball really well.”
— Ajani Wade,
Varsity soccer team defensive midfielder and senior
While the scrimmage showcased offensive firepower, for varsity soccer team rightwinger Cullen Bruner, a senior, defense has been and will remain a strength for the soccer team this season.
“I think we’re very good defensively. That’s usually what we build our strength around. We might have a little more trouble going forward because we’ve lost a lot of our attacking players from last year, but I think we’ve got some other people who will do very well and I’m moving from defense to offense this year, so hopefully I’ll be able to help with that,” Bruner said.
With Saturday’s win behind them and a home game against Morgan County High School at 7:30 p.m. tonight, the CCHS boys varsity soccer team will play their first official game of the season.
“We typically set one goal and that’s to get better, to try to compete for a state championship, and then any other accolades that we accumulate along the way (like) playoff seating, region championship. Things like that are nice, but the ultimate goal is just to get a playoff spot and then compete for a title every year,” Aiken said.
Further down the road, the team will face off against opponents such as Cedar Shoals High School, Oconee County High School, North Oconee High School, Athens Academy, and Johnson High School.
“Certainly within the region, Johnson High School is the team that everyone’s aspiring to beat. They’ve won the region for boys soccer, I think the past three consecutive seasons and all three seasons we lost to them in the regional championship game,” Aiken said. “(We’ve got) a lot of really good returning talent, especially a lot of senior players that are very talented. So we’ve got a lot of experience and a lot of size and age and strength.”
