Young Barons look to learn from tough competition
MOUNT VERNON -- While a trip to Jackson, Tenn., resulted without any victories
for the Brewton-Parker College men's soccer team, the two games played in west
Tennessee proved fruitful for the young and growing Barons.
Brewton-Parker coach Ben Moore said the competition at the Casey Jones Classic
Tournament was just what the team needed.
"Playing top-notch teams like Union University and Lambuth University allow us
to learn and grow and that is what really matters at this stage," Moore said.
"It takes a higher degree of concentration, an intense mental effort in order to
step up."
The Barons found that lapses in concentration in the back and over-eagerness on
the opponents' attack area third cost them in both games - a 3-1 loss to Union
on Friday and a 5-1 setback to Lambuth on Saturday.
"We dominated Union but could not finish," Moore said. "We had numbers up on the
final third, loose balls bouncing around in the 6-yard box, balls going off the
woodwork, everywhere but in between the posts."
Lee Powell, a junior from Rhondda, Wales, scored the lone Brewton-Parker goal
against Union, assisted by Juan Henao of Medellin, Colombia.
Lambuth was a tougher opponent than Union, although with two minutes to play the
Barons only needed one score to even the match. But a penalty kick, a free kick
and a turnover on the Barons' defensive third of the field gave Lambuth three
goals and the final 5-1 result.
"The team came away with a valuable learning experience," Moore said. "They know
they can play with any team in the NAIA, but that winning requires a full 90
minutes of all out effort both physically and mentally."
The Barons' goal was scored by Juan Gomez of Pereira, Colombia, and assisted by
Powell.
Both Gomez and Powell were named to the Casey Jones All-Tournament Team, along
with Barons junior goalkeeper Oscar Rodriguez of Santa Rosa, Colombia, and
freshman Bryan Yanful of London, Ontario - who is making a strong showing in his
freshman year.
"Sprits were high on the trip back from Tennessee as the team knows it has a few
things to fix, but is confident we will fix them," said Moore, whose team took a
1-3 record into Tuesday's match at Thomas University in Thomasville.
Brewton-Parker then entertains Tennessee Temple University on Friday at 4 p.m.,
followed by a road trip to Toccoa Falls College on Tuesday, Sept. 16, at 7 p.m.
-BPC-