- November 4, 2024
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As every game season after season go by, some players never know the thrill of scoring a basket, touchdown, goal, you name it. It’s usually not their jobs to do so, because they’re defenders, but, more than likely, they all observe their teammates’ ecstatic reaction after scoring for the team, and, at one time or another, they want to experience it.
Flagler Palm Coast’s Alex Turner and Jonathan Clarke are two senior defenders on the soccer team, and they’ve witnessed hundreds of goals scored by their teammates over the years, but their boots were never responsible for kicking in any of them…until last week.
In the Bulldogs’ 8-0 shutout against Father Lopez, they both made personal history, scoring for the first time in their high school careers, with less than 10 games remaining this season and in their high school careers.
When asked if he ever thought he would get that eluding goal, Tuner replied, “No way. I just hoped I’d be ready, if my teammates gave me the chance.”
Turner says that, after scoring his goal, he ran to the corner of the field and hugged his teammates. And, in the following game against Pine Ridge, he found the back of the net for a second time in his career, helping FPC accomplish the come-from-behind victory 2-1. Turner was selected as player of the game.
Clarke also admitted he never thought he’d get one. After scoring his first, it actually “took a little bit to sink in,” he said. “It felt good. I always imagined it would be either a simple tap in or a penalty kick.”
Since taking up the sport at age 7, Clarke has played soccer every year, including all four years with FPC. Other than his lone school goal, Clarke has scored three other times in the PDA league, but none have meant more to him than the last one.
“I love this school, and I am going to miss the fin I have had here.”
Morale of the story: Never give up on your goals.
