Tiger Sharks Seek Second Win in Season

The young boys soccer team in Port St. Joe is gearing up for their second win of the year in 2025 as they face off against Rocky Bayou Christian on January 9th. Coach Brian Burkett, along with assistants Jeff Root and Bo Spring, have been guiding a team primarily made up of eighth graders and freshmen, with no seniors, through a challenging season that has led to a current record of 1-6.

Their season opened on November 8th at Rutherford with a tough 5-1 loss. Freshman Lucas Rodgers managed to score the sole goal, assisted by sophomore Stratton Levins. Freshman Finley Spring and junior Grant Bartley were the standouts with three steals each. Sophomore Ollie Fonseca, despite the loss, made an impressive seven saves, while Levins contributed three to the effort.

Moving on to their home opener on November 12th against Marianna, the team faced another shutout with a 4-0 loss. Junior Josah Beach led the team with three steals, but goalkeeper Evan Fogle had to take the loss this time. Fonseca guarded the net with seven saves.

In their game against Franklin County on November 19th, the Tiger Sharks experienced a similar defeat at the hands of their district rivals. Beach stood out again with six steals, while freshman Brandon Sandoval added four to the tally. Fonseca, with an impressive 15 saves, took the loss for the team.

Their first win came on December 3rd against Bozeman, with a solid 4-1 victory. Beach scored two goals and an assist, with junior Asher Peacock and Sandoval adding goals as well. Bartley and sophomore William Shoaf impressed with steals, while junior Connor Howell had a key role with 10 saves to secure the win.

Unfortunately, on December 12th, the team took another tough loss in a shutout against Rutherford, 4-0. Bartley had an outstanding six steals, while Howell made seven saves for the team.

The following game against Maclay on the next day resulted in a challenging 10-0 shutout by the Marauders. Finally, to close out 2024 on December 16th, Port St. Joe faced off against St. John Paul II in Tallahassee, resulting in a 4-1 loss. Sandoval scored the sole goal with Peacock leading the team in steals. Howell once again had 10 saves in the game.

This dedicated team, made up of talented individuals like eighth grader Emilio Angel, sophomore Greg Dean, and junior Josiah Beach, is working hard and giving it their all in every game. Despite the ups and downs, they are determined to keep pushing forward and aiming for more wins in the future.