Jays Score Late in a 1-0 Win Tuesday Over Grace King

A free kick by Chris Tadros from the next parish gives the Jays a 1-0 win over Grace King last Tuesday at John Ryan Stadium. Celebrating the goal are, from left, Braden Brignac, Jacob Torres, Colin Parenton, Chris Pitre, and Vincent Baumer.

Jesuit’s Next Opponent: The non-district match between the Jays (13-3-4; 4-0-1) and Brother Martin (12-3-1) has been canceled because of weather. The Jays next opponent is Ocean Springs.
When: Saturday, January 21
Where: Ocean Springs High School in Mississippi 
Kickoff: 1 PM

Into the Lens: View the Jesuit – Grace King Soccer Photo Gallery

Into the Lens: View the Jesuit – Rummel Soccer Photo Gallery

For a first goal, Jesuit’s Chris Tadros sank the equivalent of a five iron shot for eagle on a par-4 last hole to win a one-stroke victory. Yes, Tadros’s goal that gave the Jays a 1-0 win over Grace King on Tuesday (January 17) was marvelously impressive.

With time running out in a scoreless game, Tadros lined up a free kick right next to the Blue Jay bench and just short of midfield. The sophomore midfielder stepped back a few paces, took aim, then gave the ball a good whack. The flags at The Ryan were limp the entire game and the ball took flight in the 77^th minute of a hard-fought match. The Irish goalkeeper timed his leap perfectly and… the ball missed his outstretched hand by a millimeter or two, plummeting into the depths of Grace King’s goal.

About 30 minutes before kicking his first varsity goal, sophomore midfielder Chris Tadros takes a shot from 20 yards out.

The Jays who were closest to the goal went crazy and the Jesuit bench erupted in celebration. Tadros leaped in the air and hugged the closest teammate, who was not even in the game.

The party quickly subsided because there were three minutes left to play. And the Irish made the most of it, drawing a free kick just outside the Jesuit goal box in stoppage time. The Jays erected a wall and the kick was blocked. When the final whistle blew, there was a big exhale from the Jays.

Tadros admitted his first goal felt “real good.”

“We had talked about how the Irish keeper wasn’t too good with his hands, so I decided to give my guys a chance and tell him to try and catch it,” he recounted after the match. “I got a little lucky and we got the win because we kept playing our soccer. It was a good competitive game, it was good stuff from us. But as coach said, we have to keep our focus after scoring a late goal so that we don’t concede in the very end.”

Tadros’s goal sent the usually impassive Hubie Collins, who spent the better part of the match testing his vocal chords, into a hyper state of excitement. But only for a moment.

When Chris Tadros put his foot into a free kick from near midfield in the 77th minute, the ball could not have been placed in a better spot. Braden Brignac (9) and the Irish goalkeeper both go up for the ball. Brignac never got his head close. As for the goalie, his right hand just misses deflecting the ball…

“I want the players to understand there’s a sense of urgency so we don’t get out of our play, but we just have to play a little quicker, a little faster,” he said, explaining why Jesuit fans on the bleachers had no trouble hearing him. “Our opponent sometimes is fatigued, they’re tired, we’ve worn them down, and the only way to capitalize on that is to play at a faster pace, a faster twitch.”

Coach Collins was probably twitching on the sideline. The Jays played most of the game on Grace King’s side of Alumni Field, managing three shots on goal and nine corner kicks. The Irish were shut out all the way around: zero goals, zero shots on goal, zero corner kicks.

Nothing until Tadros was given his shot.

“We got a free kick out wide on the left flank and Chris Tadros, who is a good server of the ball, tipped one in,” said Coach Collins. “I think the goalkeeper thought it was coming short for him to catch, but Chris connected on it and it sailed over his head. It was a great finish.”

It was one of those nights for the Jays, who lately have been scoring early and often — 28 goals in the last eight matches, seven resulting in wins, along with a scoreless tie (against Ehret back on January 3). The Jays’ defense has certainly played tough. The last goal allowed was on December 19 in the St. Paul’s Holiday Invitational Tournament, when Jesuit emerged with a 2-1 win over, guess who, Grace King.

That was then, this is now. Try as they did against the Irish on Tuesday, the Jays kept coming up empty.

… Chris Tadros’s kick sends the ball sailing into the far reaches of the Irish goal, giving the Jays a hard-fought 1-0 win.

“In fairness to GK, they dropped in and played five and six across the back at times and they were really looking to play off the counter attack against us,” explained Coach Collins. “We had the majority possessions, we passed, we moved the ball well. In and around the goal box, it just wouldn’t drop for us. We created some great chances and we missed the target just barely on several of them. But I think we kept our composure, we kept our focus, we didn’t panic, and we didn’t let any anxiety creep into the game. We played soccer for the full 80 minutes and deserved the win.”

Jesuit faces Brother Martin in what will be a non-district game on Thursday, January 19, at The Ryan with kickoff at 6 p.m.

Coach Collins said the Jays are looking forward to the game. “The Crusaders are playing well and they’re doing well in the polls and the rankings,” he said. “They’ve been knocking up the victories, too. I think our boys are looking forward to the game. The last time we played them over at the St. Paul’s Tournament, they nipped us 1-0 on an own goal from us. I think we’re ready for Thursday night’s game and we’re excited about it. We’ll get back to training, get refocused, and be ready for that match.”

At 1:46 p.m. Thursday, the much-anticipated non-district match between the two rivals was canceled because of the threat of severe weather. The Jays and Crusaders will meet on Brother Martin’s field on Saturday, January 28, at 1 p.m. in a district match.