High school boys soccer: Lightning-fast start paces Bolles to 5-2 win over Williston

WILLISTON — Wednesday night's Region 1-3A quarterfinal at Williston's Booster Stadium was a battle between two very different programs.

While the Williston Red Devils' boys soccer program has only existed for four seasons, the Jacksonville Bolles School Bulldogs have had the same coach since 1999.

Not to mention the two school's differences in facilities.

"A program that big to come to Williston, you know," Williston head coach Max Aguirre started. "What was funny was watching them get off the bus and walk this field. They're used to coming off turf and high-dollar fields."

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And while the Red Devils' pitch, which is set to be remodeled in March, might not have been of the quality the Bulldogs were accustomed to, it didn't stop Bolles from coming away with a 5-2 victory. That pushes the 'Dogs (9-8-2) into the region semifinal, where they'll see top-seeded Maclay in Tallahassee on Feb. 15.

Meanwhile, the Red Devils (15-3-2) will look to the off season as their season came to a close.

But first, here's how Wednesday night's match from Williston shook out.

Bolles immediately steps on the gas

Instead of passing the match's opening kickoff, like most teams do, the Bulldogs booted the ball off the center mark, right toward Williston's goal. And while that didn't immediately pay off, it didn't take long for the Bulldogs to find the back of the net.

Thanks to an assist off the foot of Finn McEnany, fellow junior Max Lockett would put Bolles out front with a goal sent in from point-blank range after one minute of play.

"We haven't scored in the first minute at all this year," Bolles head coach Jim Lieb said. "That was very nice, obviously, to get that first goal and to get it so early. When you play with a lead, you're a lot more comfortable and a lot more composed on the ball ... The longer you go in hostile environment like this without scoring, the harder it gets to score."

Fifteen minutes later, Bolles would strike again as junior Will Morales would successfully get a penalty kick past Williston's sophomore keeper, Logan Navarro. The penalty kick opportunity came as the result of a handball call against the Red Devils inside the penalty area.

With a 2-0 advantage, the Bulldogs showed no signs of relenting as a cross from Morales would find the foot of junior Luke Santamaria, who put it in the back of the net, pushing the Red Devils into a three-goal hole.

And while the hole Williston found itself in was deep, it never folded.

Just before halftime, Williston junior Jamalle Wolfe would put the home team on the scoreboard after converting a free kick just outside the penalty area. Wolfe's first-half buzzer beater was the first of two on the night as the junior forward also scored midway through the second half.

"Honestly, the first 30 seconds of the game ... if that luck don't go their way, the whole game complexion changes," said Aguirre.

But unfortunately for the Red Devils, the damage was too much to overcome and the Bulldogs never took their foot off the gas, adding a pair of insurance goals in the second half thanks to McEnany and junior Miles Rivera.

Bulldogs' midfield proves the difference

If anyone at Wednesday's match kept track of the time of possession, it would show that the Bulldogs controlled the ball for much of it.

Fifty-fifty balls didn't feel like 50/50 balls. Instead, it felt more like 75/25 in Bolles' favor. And much of that is credited to the Bulldogs' midfield.

"Our entire midfield trio has been doing it for us for years," Lieb said.

Bolles' starting midfield is made up of junior Ashton Ashchi, senior Sanders Dunn and Morales.

"Those three guys have been playing together for a couple of years," said Lieb. "All three of them do a great job for us in helping us establish the midfield, control the game and spread balls around."

Red Devils, Williston community excited for program's future

Small, rural communities like Williston aren't known for their soccer fan bases. But consider the Red Devils' fans an exception.

There was no shortage of support for the home team Wednesday night as the Williston faithful flocked to Booster Stadium − just as they have all season.

"We have a following. We usually carry more people on road games than other teams bring at home games," Aguirre said. "Win or lose they've got our backs. The support here has been off the chains."

And fortunately for Williston, it boasts an incredibly young squad.

"The average age of our squad is sophomore," said Aguirre. "I can't say enough about this group though. They work hard, they bought into the system, they believe in each other and no matter what happens, they'll be ready to play and go back at it starting Monday. But they've gotta give coach a day off."

This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Boys high school soccer: Bolles tops Williston in regional quarterfinal