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History makers: Broncbusters soccer opens play in first national tourney
Published 11/19/2008 in Sports : GCCC
By MIKE KESSINGER
When he thinks back to the last week Garden City Community College men’s soccer coach Stephen Gorton uses one word.
“Crazy,” he said.
It would seem almost appropriate for this time of year when the Broncbusters have been preparing for their first appearance in the NJCAA national championship that starts Thursday at Paradise Valley Community College in Phoenix.
“It feels like you’re shaking everybody’s hand,” Gorton said. “Taking so many compliments that you just don’t know how to deal with it sometimes. I couldn’t be more happy — for myself, it’s OK, because I don’t want to be the big focus ever. I just kind of like to do my job and win, and have the kids feel like they’re important.”
In a season the Broncbusters made history by being the first men’s soccer program in school history to qualify for the national tournament, all of the focus will be on the players when play starts.
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Brad Nading/Telegram — Garden City Community College goal keeper Chris Raines knocks a Johnson County shot away from the goal during a game earlier this season at Memorial Stadium.
“Everybody’s getting ready,” Busters forward and team captain Mario Ojeda said. “This last week we haven’t gone as hard as we had because everyone’s need rest and everything. But it’s been good.”
One of 11 players from Miami on the Broncbusters rosters, Ojeda and his teammates have made in clear to what their expectations were this season. Before the season started, the Busters from Miami made a flag, and on it the team goal is made clear in five words “We’re here to make history.”
And history they have made.
“I feel like we’re ready,” Ojeda said. “I feel like everybody’s confident, and thank God for that.”
The Busters will open Thursday against Georgia Perimeter (16-3-1) at 3 p.m. central time. Garden City (18-1-1) landed the No. 4 seed despite having the second best winning percentage in the field. San Jacinto (Texas) (16-1-2) is the No. 2 seed, and its only loss was to Garden City 2-0 on Aug. 23.
The Busters though, aren’t worried about seeds. Besides knocking off San Jacinto, the Busters beat sixth-ranked Barton in the championship game of the Region VI in a penalty kick shootout, then beat No. 3 Jefferson (Mo.) College 1-0 at Memorial Stadium on Nov. 8. It’s become old hat for the team to be the underdog, but nobody on the team seems to mind.
“I have a couple of friends that go to Perimeter and I’ve been playing with their heads,” Ojeda said. “They call me and they’re like ‘We’re going to do this and that,’ and I’m like ‘Alright, just wait.’ I’ve been playing with them like that. They asked me if I think they’re going to be pushovers, and I told them ‘No, I don’t think you’re going to be pushovers, but we’re going to beat you.’”
Talk aside, the Busters understand the challenge ahead. It’s been the goal to make it to this point since the start of the season, and the team has made it with confidence and a little cockiness — but all within limits. “Overall, I think it’s been a tremendous experience for them,” Gorton said of his team.
If the Busters win their first game they will face the winner of the No. 1 versus No. 8 seed, Yavapai (Ariz.) College (23-0) and Schoolcraft (Mich.) (18-1-4) at 5:30 p.m. on Friday. A loss would put them in Friday’s losers bracket game at 12:30 p.m. The championship game is Sunday at 1:30 p.m.
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