An early adjustment plus more big play in the net leads Stratford to break its state championship drought

Photo: Michael A. Lough/Central Georgia Sports Report

By Michael A. Lough

The Sports Report

centralgasports@gmail.com

          A Stratford alum, with two state championship rings as a player, led the way to the Eagles breaking a boys soccer state championship drought.

          Head coach Iain Jones steered a team to a state title for the seventh time, the Eagles finishing off a dream season in style with a 3-0 win Friday night in the GIAA Class AAAA boys soccer finale at Stratford’s Hutchinson Complex.

          After the team counted down the final seconds and then sprinted across the field to the student section, Jones simply took a knee and watched, assistant coach David Resendiz on both knees with his face buried in his shirt.

Video: Michael A. Lough/Central Georgia Sports Report

          “It’s just a very proud moment for me personally,” said Jones, also the school’s assistant athletics director and head of student life. “My players have believed in the process since 2019, when I came back.

          “Had alums are here tonight that came back to support us. I told ‘em, ‘You’re not gonna win state, but you’re leaving a mark here, and that’s what matters.’”

          Gavin Aguirre showed why he’s an elite high school player.

          An off-balance shot of about 20 yards from Jude Burgess was stopped by St. Anne-Pacelli keeper Cannon Arceneaux, but the ball dribbled away from him.

          Aguirre stormed to the ball while Arceneaux tried to recover. Aguirre scooted a left-foot shot in just past the keeper’s foot for the first goal, with 4:33 left in the first half.

          St. Anne-Pacelli controlled the ball a bit more for much of the first half, especially early. And then …

          “We immediately made a tactical adjustment in the first five minutes of the game,” said Jones, who praised his team for its eagerness in watching film and compiling its own scouting report and game plan, so to speak. “And that changed the game. I don’t think Pacelli had an answer for that, because they haven’t been challenged in the manner that we were (challenging) in the midfield.”

          What was the adjustment?

          “That’s a coaching secret,” Jones said with a smile.

          Griffin Moore kept what would be the Eagles’ 17th shutout in an 18-match season intact later in the first half on a free kick.

Video: Michael A. Lough/Central Georgia Sports Report

          “I don’t care what league you play in,” Jones said. “That’s impressive. People say, well, we don’t play anyone. I can’t help if other schools in the area refuse to play us.”

          Stratford’s non-GIAA wins included Harris County and Crisp County.

          Aguirre all but sealed it early in the second half with another goal, his 19th this season, for a 2-0 lead. Ever so slowly, the spring in Stratford’s step created an increasing gap to that spring in the Vikings’ step.

          The Eagles kept the Vikings frustrated and at bay, pretty much closing the door in the 73rd minute. Aguirre left it behind him to Burgess, who put a 25-yarder in the air that glanced off the bottom of the crossbar, just over the keeper’s hands.

          That made it 3-0, with 17 minutes left until the inevitable trophy presentation, the first for Stratford’s boys since 2013 when the Eagles beat Mount de Sales, coached by Jones.

          The win came nearly 30 years since Jones was part of a state title at Stratford as a player.

          “We’ve got 38 kids out there,” he said. “And I couldn’t be prouder of them.”

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