Chiles High attended the Hickory Point Invitational Tournament at the Hickory Point Recreational Complex in Tavares December 28-30. It is a tournament hosted by Leesburg High, and had schools from metropolitan Orlando, Gainesville, Jacksonville and Tallahassee.

Chiles, Class 4A, started the tournament 3 pm Tuesday afternoon against class 6A Boone High out of Orlando. A welcome break from the frigid temperatures in Tallahassee the few days before the trip, it was warmer and partly cloudy, but fairly windy as Chiles took on Boone. Boone jumped on top early scoring at 5:30 mark. Boone later scored on a pk after Turner fouled the Boone attacker in the box to put Boone up 2-0 at the half.

The sides played pretty evenly the second half, with Chiles having good scoring opportunities but none found the goal. Boone score its final goal late in the second period on a throw in which must have grazed a player before rolling in. The final score was 0-3. Mike Turner was in goal for the entire game.

It was a game which, had a few breaks gone a different way, the boys could have won. However, the breaks went against the boys and we were in the consolation bracket, facing the possibility of an early trip home should we loose another.

After the game the boys cleaned up and, all dressed in their maroon Chiles soccer polo shirts, and had dinner at Vincent’s, a locally owned Italian restaurant. After plenty of pasta and pizzas, a quiet evening in the hotel found the boys playing cards and watching TV, with the boys in the rooms by 11, lights out by 12.

Knowing the boys would have an early ride home if they dropped their second game (and upon threat of extra practices if they didn’t win) the boys went into the elimination match with Class 6A Orlando Evans determined to stick around another day. From the opening whistle the boys controlled the ball, easily outplaying the Trojans. Chiles opened the scoring when Pat Deasy crossed the ball into the box at the 14^th minute to Tyler Williams who put a header past the Evans keeper. At the 21^st minute Gary Warner was fouled just outside the box. In a heads up play by Gary he immediately took the shot before the Evans defense was set and put Chiles up 2-0 at the half. The second half showed continued domination by Chiles. At the 46 minute mark Tyler Williams crossed the ball to Bryan Allen who deftly one-touched the ball in with the outside of his foot, putting Chiles up 3-0. Chiles’ only defensive breakdown occurred at the 47 minute mark, when the ball was played to an Evans forward at midfield who outraced all of the Chiles defenders and was able to beat the Chiles keeper. Nevertheless, Chiles continued to control the game, and at the 63^rd minute of the match Nick Gilpin crossed the ball to CJ Heard who scored on a header, and, finally, at the 79^th minute mark Bobby Ryan took a shot which was blocked by the keeper, but Danny Cammarata got a rebound and pushed it into the net, making the final score 5-1. Mike Turner was in goal the first half; Bryson Parrish in goal the second half, and neither having to make any saves.

After cruising to the victory over Evans the boys all headed to Applebees for dinner. Stepping off the bus was Coach Gill in a tie-dye shirt and Coach Bultmann in a too small golf t-shirt, supplied by the boys, and worn in celebration of the victory. As we were leaving the manager of Applebees thanked me profusely, asking us to come back anytime and noting how well the boys behaved. Back to the hotel for a quiet evening of tv and cards, the boys rested up for a 9 am match the following morning. Curfew at 11, lights out at 11:30.

Having dispatched Evans High on Wednesday afternoon Chiles met Class 4A West Orange at 9 am Thursday morning. It was a windy and cool morning for the game, a game which was controlled mostly by Chiles.  Chiles had many opportunities early, and got its first goal at the 31^st minute of the match. Pat Deasy took a corner kick and sent it into the box. Nick Gilpin, on the back post, collected the ball and easily pushed it past the keeper to put Chiles up 1-0. The two sides battled scoreless for the remainder of the half.

Chiles continued to outplay the opponent in the second half. At the 52^nd minute of the match midfielder David Struhs found Tyler Williams who beat the keeper to put Chiles up 2-0. Chiles had more opportunities and many good shots, but none found the back of the net as the final score remained 2-0. Mike Turner was in goal and had 3 saves.

After the match with West Orange Chiles knew that despite its initial setback it could have a successful tournament if it could dispatch Class 4A Stanton Prep (Jacksonville) in the afternoon match. The boys made a quick trip to the hotel to check out, get a snack to eat, and back to the pitch to take on Stanton Prep at 1.

Chiles jumped on Stanton Prep early. Barely 2 minutes into the match Tyler Williams fed a ball to Gary Warner who easily slid it past the keeper. Chiles kept up the pressure with Williams taking the ball down the field and beating the keeper at the 12 minute mark, putting Chiles up 2-0.

At the 12:50 mark, though, Stanton struck back, bringing the score to 2-1. This, however, was Stanton Prep’s only serious threat, as the defense completely shut down Stanton Prep and the offense continued to keep the pressure on.

After many near misses David Struhs got his first goal taking the ball down the left side and taking a shot, the ball kissing off the right post into the net in the 16^th minute, putting Chiles up 3-1. Then at the 32 minute mark the Stanton defense tried to clear the ball out of the box but Williams intercepted it and struck it home to put Chiles up 4-1 at the half.

The boys continued to dominate the second half, even with wholesale substitutions, although the boys did not score any more. Mike Turner played goal for 65 minutes; Bryson Parrish for 15 minutes

Chiles won the game 4-1 and finished the tourney 3-1. Our only setback was to Boone, won the tournament.

At the hotel a number of parents were staying on the same floor as all of the boys and the coaches. The parents noted that they did not hear the boys in the halls, running up and down the hallways, or causing any problems. A successful trip, and one in which the boys represented Chiles well.