Swish!

Emilio spent a lot of the Covid-shutdown shooting baskets, getting ready for 9th grade basketball, and when the season rolled around he was set on getting meaningful minutes. In the first game of the season, playing off the bench, he got more minutes than some of the starters.

And then he got quarantined and missed a game and a week of practice.

When he was finally cleared to return, he had lost his spot in the rotation and didn't get off the bench in the next two games.

And then he was quarantined a second time.

After missing another week of practice, he wasn't sure if he'd even be allowed to suit up. With just two more weeks to play in the season, he was beginning to wonder if he should just turn his attention to soccer.

On Monday, though, he learned that he would be able to rejoin the team if he wore a mask.

Monday night, I went to the game and was plugging game stats into my phone near the end of the first half, when I heard Case's mom shouting "Let's go, Emilio!" I was shocked. I looked up and #10 was at the scorer's table. The game was tight and despite missing the last week of practice, Emilio was coming in. (I later learned that it was because the coach was confident that Emilio knew the plays.) He played with energy and confidence, and he came in again late in the 2nd half.

When J.D. kicked an offensive rebound out to Emilio on the wing, Emilio did not hesitate to pull the 3-point trigger.

And he got nothing but net.

I was on the floor on the corner, trying to get video, but Emilio was on the other side of the court from me and I couldn't see him through the mass of bodies in the paint. I didn't see the release, but once it went through, I looked over the players I could see and realized Emilio was the shooter. Fortunately, the game was filmed and later put on the internet. The clip above comes from that feed.

It was a good night.

2020 Tree

Nina and Pablo got Emilio NBA 2K21 for the XBox--which he really wanted and didn't think they could afford. They hid it between two old bicycle helmets, and Emilio was sure they had gotten him a basketball (which he also wanted).

He was pleased and surprised.

Lisa, Melissa, and Norah got him a Mavs Gaiter that he temporarily wore like a do-rag.

15

When we were in Oklahoma City a couple of weeks ago, we bought Emilio new soccer cleats, new tennis shoes, and a new backpack for his birthday. This morning, he started the day with powdered doughnuts, and headed to school.

Shortly after 1 pm, he learned that one of his teammates on the 9th grade basketball team had tested positive for Covid-19, and Emilio and every other member of the basketball team was sent home with instructions not to return to school until November 30th. Emilio was really looking forward to playing two U19 soccer games this weekend, but now his soccer season may be over. He was also looking forward to particiapting in the academic team's "Math Meet" on the 19th, but that, too, may be out the window.

When I got home, I took him to the Urgent Care clinic to get a test, but they told us they are not taking walk-in appointments anymore. We got on their waitlist, but we later learned that they don't recommend that we come in until Saturday at the earliest.

I later took Emilio for his first driving lesson in the parking lot of "The Refuge" church.

When we got back to the house, Emilio agreed to pose for the birthday portraits in this post, and he spent most of the rest of the afternoon upstairs.

I picked up yellow rice and pizza for him from the Asian Buffet, and later I got him a Brownie Sundae from Braum's. When he came down to eat it on the back porch, we sang "Happy Birthday" to him and he blew out the candles, that were placed in the pear cake Aunt Carolyn had sent him, along with a card and a couple of Jacksons, that he was thrilled to receive. He was also delighted by the maroon, zippered hoodie and Luka Doncic t-shirt that Mom and Dad sent him.

His spirits are undimmed, and he is looking forward to sleeping in tomorrow.

Game 14: Turkey Shootout Showdown

Sunday morning, we left the hotel at 8:15 a.m. for a 9:30 match (Coach Vaughn wants us there an hour early).  Having tied our first two games, we needed a win to advance.

McAlester took at 1-0 lead, but we soon tied them up. 

Emilio took this foul in the penalty box.


Five minutes later, he got kicked in the foot. It hurt, but he got up quickly. No foul was called.
This clever run ended with a header/crosser that fell short of the mark.
Eventually, we fell 3-1, but I think Emilio gained confidence the more he played. And he looked comfortable at right forward.

Game 13: The Turkey Shootout Night Game

After spending our afternoon in our hotel room, we headed back to the soccer pitch for an 8 pm game under the lights against Elk City, which had lost to McAlester 2-1 earlier in the day.

They took a 2-0 lead over us, but again, we managed to tie the game in the 2nd half.

Game 12: Turkey Shootout in Edmond

The Ruiz Benton Five left Ada at 10 a.m. on Saturday morning to head to Edmond for the Turkey Shootout tournament that began with a match against Chickasha at 12:30. Three core members of our team--Saul, Augie, and Jose--were unable to attend because they were being quarantined after having a first-person interaction with a family member who had Coronavirus.

All matches had 35-minute halves (instead of the usual 45). Our first match was against Chickasha, whom we'd beaten 1-0 earlier this season.  Emilio started at holding mid and later got some playing time at forward. He played well.

Play was rough.

Chickasha took at 1-0 lead into halftime. We tied them in the second half. 

Taylor's parents were there taking pictures, and I erased all the non-scoring goals (I posted Phillip's on the team's Facebook page).

After the game, Emilio requested a Green Passion Smoothie from Panera, which we took--along with Panera food for the rest of us--to the Hampton Inn, where we ate in an empty lobby. 

Games 10 and 11: A Memorable Goal (#9 of the season) and a Big Win

The first game of the day is a U16 matchup against an undefeated Chickasha Fusion squad that has scored 33 and given up 0 goals in four games.

11 minutes in, Emilio escapes a defender and launches a quick shot from the top of the box that a fully extended keeper just seems to deflect.


18 minutes later, a Fusion fullback shoves Emi and demonstrates a bit of poor sportsmanship.

We go into halftime down 1-0.

Early in the second, Emilio--now playing in the midfield--evades a defender, escapes down the sideline and sends a crosser to Noah.

Fifteen minutes into the second half, the Fusion have a 2-0 lead when Emilio weaves through the defense and feeds Augie. Augie's shot finds a Fusion defender's hand. The ref spots it, and we are awarded a penalty kick.

There is some discussion among the players about who will take the kick. There are several volunteers. Tyler volunteers. Devon, too. Augie is a candidate. Emilio is a bit sheepish, but Coach Tyler makes the call from the sideline. It's Emilio.

That clean, cool penalty is the first goal scored against the Fusion this season.

Final score:  Ada U16 1, Chickasha Fusion 3.

Next up: a U19 game against an undefeated Stillwater Pioneers team that has 5 wins, and 1 draw, having outscored their opponents 35-6.

The ASC U19 El Rayo, from left to right, first row:  Emilio, Caden, Augie, Dani, Jesus, Jose, Saul, Colton, Cam, and Jonah. Second row: Taylor, Sam, Isaiah, Eric, Landon, Phillip, Min, and Josiah.

Eleven minutes in, Phillip escapes down the left sideline. His crosser is knocked down by the keeper, but Jonah is there to pick up the deflection, which he taps into the net to give El Rayo a 1-0 lead.  That is the score when we go to halftime.

In the first half, Coach Vaughn chose to rest the U16 call-ups--Emilio, Augie, and Caden--because they had just finished playing a game earlier in the day.

Five minutes into the second, Coach Vaughn sends in Emilio.

Not long after, Emilio is filling down the middle when Taylor strikes from an acute angle to increase our lead to 2 (video below).

Four minutes later, Emilio taps a Taylor throw-in to Jonah, who fires a shot that bounces off the keeper's feet and into the goal (video below). We're now up 3-0.

Two minutes later, Jonah gets his head on another Taylor throw-in, and we're up 4-0. Seven minutes after that, Emi collects the ball near midfield and draws a defender to him, leaving Taylor open. Taylor calls for the pass ("Emi! Emi! Emi!"), Emi delivers, and then Taylor maneuvers and fires a shot from the top of the box that puts us up 5-0.
In the closing minutes of the game, Chickasha scores one. Phillip answers with one of his own, and the final score is 6-1. We are now 4-1 on the season, with a victory over the only team that beat us (a week one loss to Duncan).

The photos below were taken by Taylor's parents and by Caden's mom.

And here's the rare shot in which you can see both Emilio and me.
The following story, based on Coach Vaughn's report, appeared in the Ada News on 11/4/2020.

 

Ada 19U team drops Stillwater

By Jeff Cali | Sports Editor STILLWATER — Jonah Ascension scored three goals to help the Ada 19U soccer team vanquish Stillwater 6-1 Sunday afternoon.

“Jonah played a dynamic game, keeping Stillwater on their heels,” said head coach Josh Vaughn.

Taylor Byrd added two goals and had a nifty assist on a 25-yard throw from the out of bounds line all the way to the goal where Ascension headed the ball in for a score.

“Taylor Byrd played a very smart game finding ways to help both the defense and the offense,” Vaughn said.

Phillip Jones capped the scoring with a rocket shot from 20 yards out that hit the post then ricocheted in off the goalkeeper.

“My player of the game, among a lot of good performances, is Jose Palma. He ran every bit of five miles in this game. It seemed like every time a Stillwater player got the ball Jose was there,” Vaughn said. “He comes in tough and is relentless in his defending. Players like Jose are difficult to find and we are lucky to have him.”

Ada improved to 5-0* heading into the Edmond Turkey Shootout Friday and Saturday.

“We are playing really well right now,” Vaughn said.

*We are actually 4-1.