To the Band of Brothers: February 12, 2021
Good morning!
A game for the ages! One that will go down in the record books as nail-biting, heart-stopping, toe-tingling, jaw-dropping, lip-smacking, knee-jerking, ear-ringing, stomach-churning, and any other body part that reacts to extreme excitement. I’m referring to the district championship soccer game that was held on Wednesday night at de la Cruz Stadium between Belen and Killian. We dominated, but there was still incredible excitement in the air with the seniors in the background cheering and the Cougars’ goalie making some incredible stops.
I know what you’re thinking: soccer exciting? I mean, you can play for three hours with only one goal being scored. You can literally watch a soccer game on television, get up, eat a snack, read a book, take a nap, make a couple of phone calls, come back, and no one has scored. This one was nothing like that.
I was a bit of a soccer player myself you know. I played fullback (defense for you laymen out there) at the American Youth Soccer Organization for several years. I was pretty good because my coaches would have me stand just in front of the goalie and tell me that under no circumstances was I to allow anyone to come close to him. I would guard the goal like the Marine at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier (just not as coordinated and not as dashing in nylon shorts and knee-high socks).
My greatest soccer moment actually came on the sideline when I was old enough to coach a team along with my dad. We wore yellow uniforms and I insisted we be called the Killer Bananas. That year our team went undefeated and won the tournament championship. I’m convinced the secret to our success was because of the name. No one wanted to take us seriously and, so, mentally we had already won the battle.
Oddly enough, Wednesday’s game was also dominated by the men in yellow (well, gold really). From the moment the first whistle blew, our Wolverines were all over the opponent’s half of the field. Our men took various shots on goal, but the Killian goalie was playing like a man possessed. Stop after miraculous stop, you couldn’t help but admire his skill and determination. You would think he was defending the Queen’s crown jewels or the left-over slice of pizza I hide in the back of the refrigerator so I can have it in the morning for breakfast.
The first half ended with only one score from the foot of Matias Perinot ’22. Then the floodgates opened up. I don’t know what Coach Tanger Mendoca said to his players during the break, but what strutted onto the field for the second half was a goal-scoring machine. Clearly, our guys were tired of passing, kicking, heading, running, and sweating without scoring. Enough was enough. After one more goal from Perinot, two goals from Emiliano “Relámpago” Sosa ‘21, and two from John Delionado ’23, Belen was victorious.
The Belen soccer team may be district champions, but we’re only warming up. Now, we move on to regionals and things are going to get caliente. I encourage you to watch the games. Tune-in on Belen’s YouTube channel where you can see the games and, better yet, hear the play-by-play commentary of Juan “Juanchi” Tejada ’21 and Julio Leañez ’21. These guys are incredibly good, incredibly funny, and incredibly entertaining.
So yes… soccer is entertaining.
Switching gears, don't forget to tune in tonight to watch our Varsity Basketball team play in the District Championship against Miami Northwestern live on our YouTube channel at 7 p.m. Let's go Wolverines!
Auspice Maria
BELEN JESUIT PREPARATORY SCHOOL
500 SW 127th Avenue, Miami, FL 33184
phone: 305.223.8600 | fax: 305.227.2565 | email: webmaster@belenjesuit.org
500 SW 127th Avenue, Miami, FL 33184
phone: 305.223.8600 | fax: 305.227.2565 | email: webmaster@belenjesuit.org
Belen Jesuit Preparatory School was founded in 1854 in Havana, Cuba by Queen Isabel II of Spain. The task of educating students was assigned to the priests and brothers of the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits), whose teaching tradition is synonymous with academic excellence and spiritual discipline. In 1961, the new political regime of Cuba confiscated the School property and expelled the Jesuit faculty. The School was re-established in Miami the same year, and over the next decade, continued to grow. Today, Belen Jesuit sits on a 30-acre site in western Dade County, only minutes away from downtown Miami.