First contact
Soccer kicks off spring sports
By JARED PUTNAM Union Sentinel Editor

Sentinel photo/Jared Putnam Luis Mancillas gets a knee in the back from a White County Warrior as both players go for the ball during the first home game of the season.

The Panthers soccer team kicked off the 2007 season last week, posting two shutout wins and a tie after a season opening loss to Lumpkin County.

"I think we have a good team and a good skill level," Head Coach Chris Robbins said. "The biggest loss from last year is Pat Schmidt, [who was] just an outstanding defender. But I picked up three players that I didn't have any idea I was going to get. We have to work on scoring in the mid-field and some basic skills, but I'm very optimistic."

Union 2 - Lumpkin 6

"Lumpkin [a AAA team this year] is one of our big rivals and they always have very, very good teams," Coach Robbins said. "Playing physical, they just outplayed us. We got beat to most of the balls."

The Panthers were missing two starters, who are also two of the team's more physical players. The Panthers scored in the first seven minutes, but the Indians came back and scored two goals in the next 10 minutes on unchallenged corner kicks.

Sentinel photo/Jared Putnam Russell Thompson makes a move down the field against White County.

"I hate to say it, but it was a good thing for my guys," Coach Robbins said. "They need to be woken up. I gave them a good chewing about it." Russell Thompson and Brandon Anguelo each scored a goal for the Panthers, both on breakaways.

Union 2 - White 0

"We stepped up and played a much harder game," Coach Robbins said. "White County has drastically improved. We beat them 7-0 last year but they have improved a lot. We played a lot better game, but we also missed about seven extremely good opportunities, high percentage ones that we didn't finish. Overall we played well though." Union scored on a breakaway by Russell Thompson and Brody Stephens scored on a cross from Cason Carter, which Stephens volleyed into the goal.

Union 3 - Rabun 0

"We went out there and right off the bat we're dragging again. I got some fire under them and we ending up winning 3-0," Coach Robbins said. "The second half was good, there was a lot of good passing going on. I'm still missing two starting players. I'm trying to hold them out and let them heal before a region game." Russell Thompson scored one goal while Brandon Anguelo scored two. All three goals came on breakaways.

Union 2 - Banks 2

"After an hour and 45 minute bus ride and waiting on the girls to play we were just flat," Coach Robbins said. "They were beating us to every ball and it was an absolute repeat of the first half against Lumpkin County. I told them how I felt about it and told them, 'You're only going to get a certain amount of times at each team. This game may not mean anything according to the region schedule, but it means a lot to your heart.' I just left them with that and told the captains that they needed to talk to their team. Whatever they said, they came out fired up and started to win more balls."

The Panthers tied the game 1-1 before taking a 2-1 lead. Banks tied the game at 2-2, and that is how it ended. "Overall [my guys] showed a lot of heart and a lot of character," Coach Robbins said.

"Probably, in all reality it was best that it ended in a tie. Both teams were hitting near exhaustion and tempers were unreal out there. Banks is a very physical, tough team. It was good for me to see that they are not going to lay there and get beaten up, they are going to fight a little bit, in a soccer sense." Russell Thompson scored and Brody Stephens knocked one in on an 18-plus yard shot.