MOULTRIE —
The Colquitt County varsity soccer teams will have new coaches this season, both of whom are plenty familiar with the program.
Jimbo Jarvis, who has been the coach of the Lady Packers since the school began playing girls soccer in 1999, will head the boys team this season, replacing Mell Wier.
And former girls assistant coach Andy Chapura will get his first varsity head coaching assignment, moving up to take over the Lady Packers.
Both Jarvis and Chapura will see their new teams in action today when Colquitt County plays host to Lee County in a pair of scrimmages at Packer Park.
The girls match will start at 10 a.m. The boys should start at about noon.
The regular season will start next Thursday when Monroe visits for a pair of matches starting at 5:30 p.m.
The first Region 1-AAAAAA matches for the Lady Packers and Packers are scheduled for Tuesday, March 12, also at Packer Park.
Both Jarvis and Chapura should have better handles on their teams by then.
Now, they are just eager to see them compete.
Jarvis is relishing the opportunity to coach the Packers.
“I’ve thoroughly enjoyed coaching the girls,” he said. “But I needed a new challenge. I just felt like it was time. The opportunity arose and I jumped on it.”
One thing Jarvis found out quickly: “The game is so much faster.”
“It’s just made me work harder as a coach,” he said.
Jarvis inherits a team that went 6-11 last year. A large number of players from that team are back.
“I think we have a strong group of players,” he said, noting that the team has eight seniors and 13 juniors.
There are no sophomores and just one freshman, forward Luis Martinez.
“And every one of them can play,” Jarvis said. “There is a lot of depth.”
Three juniors – Jose Vega, Matthew Moody and Will Pitts – are battling for the starting keeper position.
Jarvis said Luis Padilla will be the foundation of the team’s defense.
Also playing defense will be Francisco Gomez, Adan Jimenez, Adam Crosby, Dylan Globerman, Carlos Martinez, Eric Gould and Josh Smith.
Among the attackers will be Brian Vidales, Fernando Miranda and Alejandro Cardenas.
Jarvis is expecting a big season from senior Jorge Villalobos, a midfielder who transferred from Tift County.
“He’s fast and has good ball skills,” Jarvis said of the left-footed Villalobos. “And he’s a smart player.”
Jarvis also has been impressed with the play of Daniel Gonzalez and can’t talk enough about the ball striking ability of Roberto Vega.
“It sounds like a cannon,” he said.
Also expected to contribute for the Packers are Jay Tolbert, Manuel Vasquez and Luis Martinez.
Marcus Efrain Lopez has suffered a knee injury and it is unclear when he will be able to play.
Jarvis said he expects the region race to be wide open.
Each team will play the other six one time that will count in the standings. The Packers will continue to play Lowndes, Valdosta and Tift County home-and-home, but just one of the games has been designated to count in the standings.
The Packers will play host to Brunswick and Coffee and will travel to meet Camden County.
Eric Wingate will serve as the varsity boys assistant coach. Wingate, the former Packer who coached the middle school girls last season, also will assist junior varsity boys head coach Justin Nelms.
And although the 8-8-1 2012 Lady Packers graduated several outstanding players – including Lauren Kelshaw, who is playing soccer at West Georgia; Region Player of the Year Meagan May, now playing softball at North Georgia; Alex Norris; and Jordan Hammack – Chapura’s first varsity team will have plenty of experience with nine seniors, including eight who played last season.
Among those seniors is veteran keeper Natalie Griffin, who will be unavailable until after the girls basketball team’s season is finished.
Christy Crosby, expected to be the Lady Packers’ other keeper, has suffered a back injury and when she can return to the field is uncertain.
Looking for someone to fill in in the nets, Chapura asked freshman Christin Hunnicutt if she would be willing to give the position a shot.
Her reply: “Wherever you need me to play, coach.”
Hunnicutt is one of three freshmen – along with Amber Kling and Reagan Kelshaw – that Chapura has elected to keep with the varsity.
“I am really impressed with those freshmen,” he said.
Flor Ciniceros and Aubrey Norris are expected to be the starting forwards.
In a diamond formation behind them will be Reagan Kelshaw, Jaycee Lott, Kling and Ferrell Tyndall as the defensive midfielder.
The back four will come from the group of Macie Chitty, Madison Turner, Taylor Hoes, Amber Boyd and Taylor Page.
Also on the varsity roster are Courtney Carnes, Chabelli Hernandez, Aubrey Rice, Rayley Wallace, Diana Durham and Kali Summerlin.
Former Lady Packer Whitney Hood will be Chapura’s assistant. Crosby and Vanessa Vega will serve as managers.
Farran Burnette will coach the junior varsity girls.
Chapura said today’s match will be a good test for the Lady Packers.
“Lee always has a good program,” he said. “They’ll let us see what we need to work on.”
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Soccer teams feature new coaches this season
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The Colquitt County soccer teams recently held their annual banquet. Winning individual awards for the Lady Packers were Flor Ciniceros, Offensive Player of the Year; Madison Turner, Defensive Player of the Year; Diana Durham, Most Improved Player; and Natalie Griffin, Coach’s Award. Winning top awards for the Packers were Alejandro Cardenas, Offensive Player of the Year; Adan Jimenez, Defensive Player of the Year; Jay Tolbert, Most Improved Player; and Jorge Villalobos, Coach’s Award. Shown at the banquet are, front, from left, Austin Hunnicutt, Richard Garcia, Luis Padilla, Alex Cardenas, Fernando Miranda, Ryan Littleton, Garrett Moore, Garrett May, Elias Moreno, Jorge Villalobos, Adan Jimenez, Hudson May, Josh Smith, Jay Tolbert, Mathew Moody and Eric Gould; back, Kali Summerlin, Diana Durham, Karli Horne, Flor Ciniceros, Elizabeth Charles, Madison Turner, Macie Chitty, Taylor Hoes, Natalie Griffin, Jaycee Lott, Ferrell Tyndall, Kailey Middlebrooks, Kristina Scott, Katie Croft and Bert Vega.
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