The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemdia.net

ISIAH Collie, a junior defender at the University of Charleston, led by example as he booted in the lone goal as the Bahamas 2012 junior boys national team prevailed 1-0 over the 2014 junior national team in a prelude match before the showdown between Haiti and Jamaica at the new Thomas A Robinson National Stadium on Friday night.

Collie, who also serves as the captain of the team that featured a number of players returning home from colleges and universities for the summer, said it was good to pull off the win over the younger team that also had players who are off to high school and colleges as well. 

The Bahamas Football Association utilised the younger players as the majority of the top senior players are off to Switzerland participating in a training camp in preparation for the World Beach Soccer Tournament that will be held here next year.

Collie, who got the assist on the corner shot, said he knew that once he got the ball, it was going in.

“I just waited patiently for it and I noticed that I had an opening, so I just took advantage of it,” he said. “We knew we were the more experienced team, so we didn’t want to allow the younger players to beat us. I think we played well. It was good to come out here and pull off this win. It speaks well for the experience that we possess on this team. I think if we stick together, we can do a lot of things in the future.”

Joining Collie on the 2012 team were Michael Evans, a University of Charleston junior midfielder/striker; Amos Woodside of Cloud County Community College, a freshman defender; Amar Pearson of Dodge City Community College, another freshmen defender/midfielder; Elltin Hart, a Eastern Oklahoma State College sophomore defender/midfielder; Cameron Kemp of the College of The Bahamas, a freshman midfielder; Dhurai Ferguson, a University of Charleston junior striker; Davaughn Williamson of Oral Roberts University, a sophomore defender/midfielder; Cyran Carey of Valencia College, a sophomore striker/midfielder; Donovan Wlliamson of the University of the West Indies, a junior midfielder; Kerby Duprenar of Murray State College, a freshman striker/goalkeeper; Dwayne Taylor of the College of the Bahamas, a sophomore midfielder; Tre Barry of the Work Force, a defender; Quovine Canel of Anatol Rodgers Secondary High, a goalkeeper; Edson Elysee of the Western Warriors, a defender/attacker/mid-fielder and Kevin John, also of the Western Warriors, a winger/striker.

Despite the loss, Christopher Godet, captain of the 2014 team, said they gave it a gallant effort.

“We knew that they were practicing for the last few weeks since they came home, so they were a little more prepared for the game than we were,” Godet said. “But I think we put up a good fight. I just wished that we would have played a full game. I think if we did, we would have come back and at least tie the score or even won the game because we started to play a lot better down the stretch.”

Godet, a sophomore at Mt. Aloysius College where he plays defense, was joined by Ari Brathwaite of Howard University, a freshman striker/goalie; Avery Kemp of the College of The Bahamas, a sophomore defender; V. Antonio Hanna II of the University of Sussex, a freshman winger/striker; Jonathan Miller of Coker College, a freshman midfielder; Re’John Ene of St. Andrews High School, a striker, midfielder and defender; Logan Russell of The McCallie School, a defender; Keegan Bischof of Mercyhurst University, a sophomore midfielder/striker; Justin Blake of St. John’s University, a sophomore midfielder/striker; Tré Rolle of Jacksonville University, a freshman striker/midfielder; Chad Russell of Schulz Academy/University of Florida, a freshman winger/midfielder; Holland Clarke of The Ohio University; Jivan James of the University of South Florida, a freshman defender; Phieron Wilson of Acadia University, a freshman defender/attacking midfielder; Ethan Willie of Darlington Academy, a striker/winger and James Milan Jaime Thompson of the University of Charleston. a freshman midfielder.

Dion Godet, who coached the 2014 team, said both he and Carlton Adderley, who coached the 2012 team, said they allowed the players to virtually run the show on the field as it was only an exhibition. He noted that based on what h saw, he was impressed with the level of maturity displayed by the players on both teams. He said the players didn’t really allow the coaches to go to the chalkboard to run any systematic plays.

“From what we’ve seen, the future looks bright for the sport,” Godet summed up. “I am very pleased to see how well these players conducted themselves on the field. Those persons who were in the stands watching the game, got a good glimpse of what our future looks like and I have to admit that it looks very good.”

Also on hand to watch the two matches were the BFA’s junior boys soccer team that recently returned home from the Caribbean Football Union’s Under-17 World Cup Qualifier in Suriname where they finished third in Group Six, losing its final game 2-1 to Suriname.

Jordan Farquharson, the team captain who booted in the lone goal for the Bahamas against Suriname, said it was an experience that they will cherish for a long time.

“I think we went over there and we did the best that we could,” he said. “We went over there prepared to play our best and I think we did that. Wee had a very good team and I’m proud of the way the team performed, even though we didn’t qualify.”

On their return home, Farquharson said they are delighted to be able to witness the two games.

“This men’s game (between Haiti and Jamaica) is a very fast paced on and it’s given us a better appreciation of how well we have to use our footwork,” he said. “The game earlier between the two junior teams from the Bahamas was also good because we got an opportunity to see where we could be in a couple of years. We feel like we have the capability of playing at this level in the future.”