Destin Marlins look to start season Thursday

With only two games before the Christmas break, the Destin Middle School boys soccer team is looking for their season to begin this Thursday when they take on the Shoal River Mustangs at 5 p.m.

“We still have a lot of games to go,” Destin Marlin Coach Carlos Goncalves said while on the practice field Monday afternoon.

The Marlins lost their first two games to Lewis and Liza Jackson.

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“Every season I expect to win and have a better team,” Goncalves said.

“What I see now is we have a lot of young players, a lot of talent. So, I’m looking forward to the next three or four years, to have a very good program over here.”

But for now, the Marlins season begins Thursday.

“I believe that now that they got the idea that we have to play much better,” things will turn around, he said.

“The two games that we’ve played we got beat, but  I see potential, especially the last game we played against Liza Jackson. We had a very good first half and then we fell apart, but I still believe we can have a very good season.

“We’re going to start our next game, Thursday against Shoal Rivers. I believe that after we got the first win, I believe we’re going to have a very good season,” Goncalves said.

As for the strength of the team, “I believe we have very good midfielders,” he said.

The Marlins lost a couple of defenders to basketball, but have others stepping into the ranks with potential.

“I see the new players that I brought to the team, they are going to have more potential, more playing time,” Goncalves  said.

The Marlins are very young with a lot of fifth and sixth graders on the squad.

“I believe in soccer that the age doesn’t matter if you have the potential. That’s my goal is  to build and to make sure they have everything they need to know for high school.”

Last year Destin finished third in the county with a loss to Liza Jackson in the semifinals.

“Our season, I believe starts Thursday – that’s our goal,” Goncalves said.

“We’ve lost all the games we’re suppose to lose, now it’s time to win some games.”

ON THE TEAM

Blake Whitson

Wesley Turpin

Cameron Hunter

Daniel Fadida

McCoy Lamb

Sam Romair

Jake Purvis

Gabe Tironi

Logan Pakiz

Lucas Burke

Levy Ticarat

Broc Mcpherson

Richard Marques

Aaron Reyes

Austin Paugh

Carson Hickock

Theo Cross

Anthony Ziburlea

Griffin Wilbur

Connor Spraggins

Antwone Walker