Emilio's First Cross-Country Meet: Purcell

From left to right: Sam Rhynes (Jr.), Saul Palma (Sr), Carlos Morales (So.), Emilio Benton (So.), Elliott Riden (Jr.), Jose Palma (Jr.), Caden Mitchell (So.), and Carver Gregory (Fr.).

Before the race, the team walks the route using a map handout.

Looks like a prayer circle to me.

85 runners are about to clock an official time in this 2-mile race. I counted 13 team colors.

Emi reported later that at the start of the race his legs felt like jelly.

Emi said that when the race started, he wasn't sure he was going to be able to finish.  It was 93 degrees.

At this point in the race, Coach Jones urged Emi and Sam to pass ten runners, and Emi took off.

Emilio was flying at the end, and it looks like the guy ahead of him was somewhat concerned. One of the two guys behind Emilio is from Lexington. Because Emi beat him, Ada beat Lexington by a single point.

Emi finished 2nd on the Ada team and 25th out of 140 . His official time: 11 minutes, 53 seconds.

Emilio and Saul (#15, 11:35) finished in the top 25 and won medals!

The boys team finished in 5th place behind Seminole, Sulphur, Bethel, and Tecumseh and ahead of Lexington (we beat them by 1 point!), Washington, CHA (?), and Luther. Sam (#35, 12:09), Jose (#39, 12:18), and Caden (#52, 12:45) also scored for Ada. Carlos was immediately behind Caden (#53, 12:46). Elliot Riden finished #60, 12:53.

I was thankful that Nina joined me for the trip. We stopped afterwards at Sonic.

Seven on Seven in McAlester: Game Day Three

We played Atoka at 2pm. Caden's mom, Kim, took these photos.

Our starting line-up: Colton in goal; back line: Saul, Augie, Caden; front line: Sam, Emilio, Minh.

It wasn't too hot at the start of the 2pm game, but the temperature rose over the course of the afternoon.

 Emilio creates lots of chances that don't produce goals (or assists). Then, sometimes, he gets an assist for a long shot like this one by Caden, which is much more Caden's than it is Emilio's, but I'm posting it here for documentary purposes. I've also included a "chance created" below.

Emilio says this kid did not hit him with his knee.


Emilio threads the needle perfectly: Assist #2.

We beat Atoka 6-0.

At 5 pm, we played McAlester "A," without their best player (Diego?). While McAlester only had one reserve, Coach Jones gave our reserves a lot of playing time--including some 9th graders who were playing for the first time. I think we ended up losing by one, but this game felt more like a practice than a game.

Just when you think Emilio is going to go with a conservative back pass, he turns the corner and sets up a teammate. This is assist #3.

Emilio creates a great chance for Caden on this ball.

 
Assist #4.

Through 6 games, Emilio has 4 goals and 8 assists. Sam has 6 goals and 5 assists. Jonah has 7 goals (in 4 games). Minh has 5 goals (in 4 games). Saul has 2 goals and 1 assist; Caden has 1 goals and 1 assist. Tyler Taylor, Jose, and Korbin each have 1 goal.

Seven on Seven in McAlester: Game Day Two

I was the only family member able to make this one. The weather was cooler and there was some wind (as you can hear).

We started the first game against McAlester "A" with Colton in goal (Caden Balthrop was out), and a back line of Carlos, Augie, and Saul (Minh was out), and a front line of Jonah, Emilio, and Sam. Sam scores, Emilio assists.

Emilio scores, Sam assists.

Jonah also scored twice in this game.

  
The second game was against McAlester "B."
The Nutmeg (and a chance created)!



Emilio scores #2


Emilio scores #3, Sam assists #2. 

We lost the first and won the second, just like last week. Emilio scored 3 and had an assist.

Through 4 games, he has 4 goals and 3 or 4 assists (3 definitely; 4 generously). Sam has 4 goals and 4 assists. Jonah has 7 goals. Minh has 2 goals (in 2 games). Corbin has 1 goal.

Seven on Seven in McAlester: Game Day One

Emi's playing on the Ada High seven-on-seven soccer team on Thursday afternoons this summer, with games on July 8, 15, 22, and August 5. Each game features two 25-minute halves and they have two games on each game day.

Olivia and Charles met Nina, Mari and me in McAlester for this first one, and you can hear Olivia shouting encouragement and giving suggestions from the stands in the videos below.

Our starting lineup included Caden Balthrop in goal and Saul, Emilio, Augie, Sam, Minh, and Jonah in the field.

It was VERY hot on the field (if they'd asked me, I would have recommended evening games). Sam was coming off a vacation flu and was a shadow of his usual active self. Emilio was also battling a cold.

We lost the first game to McAlester 2-1. Emilio scored our goal near the end of the second half, when he got fouled in the box. The fouling player hurt Emilio's foot, but Coach Jones sent Emilio in for the penalty kick, and he nailed it.

The other highlight of the game for this dad was Emilio's ankle breaking move which is captured on video and in a photo below.

All the photos were taken by Caden Mitchell's mom, Kristi. I am very grateful to her for sharing them.

The second string started the second game against Atoka, and when we went down 1-0 in the first half, Coach Jones sent the starters in, and they scored 2 goals in 2 minutes. We eventually won the game, 5-3, and Emilio had two or three assists; Sam had 2. Jonah scored three goals, and Minh scored two.

The Ankle Breaker!

Fouled in the Box

PK: First Goal of the Summer

Assist #1

Assist #2

From left to right: Caden, Augie, Emi.

Freshman Formal

With Siena Smith.

After meeting for dinner at the Torres Family restaurant with Tyler Cantrell and Daphne Draper, Emilio and Siena headed to the Freshman Formal at the Wild Rose event center.