Soccer 2013 – Rodrigo Blankenship Blog

Rodrigo’s sophomore season ends with a flourish

Updated through May 9, 2013

Shielding his opponent away from the ball, Rodrigo prepares to secure high ball during season-ending 7-1 victory over Cambridge. Rodrigo was never dispossessed of the ball during the entire season.

Rodrigo’s sophomore soccer season ended too soon as Sprayberry fell one game short of making the state playoffs, but the final record of 11-7 was the program’s best in more than 10 years. The final game was a 7-1 rout of visiting Cambridge, as Rodrigo contributed a pair of assists to finish his season with 3 goals and 6 assists.

Included in Rodrigo’s season highlights were a perfect mark in shootout goals (4 for 4), a penalty kick goal in regulation and two free kick goals. With Rodrigo’s assistance, Sprayberry won three of its four penalty kick shootouts during the season.

Averaging more than 79 minutes per 80-minute game during the season, Rodrigo played five different positions for Sprayberry: leftback, rightback, holding mid/stopper, center mid and striker. At the end of the season, Rodrigo was named to the 7-AAAAA All-Region team as a center mid.

See below for game-by-game statistics.

GAME ONE: Sprayberry 2, Woodland 1, PKs

Shots: 3. Goals: 0. Ast: 0

Touches (good minus poor): 116 – 3: +113

Passes: 47/53, 89 percent

PKs: 1 for 1

Playing time: 90 min.

GAME TWO: E. Paulding 2, Sprayberry 1, PKs

Shots: 1; Goals: 0; Ast: 0

Touches: 75 – 3: +72

Passes: 25/27, 93 percent

PKs: 1 for 1

Playing time: 68 min. (injured first half, missed 20 min.)

GAME THREE: Pebblebrook 3, Sprayberry 0

Shots: 1; Goals: 0; Ast: 0

Touches: 56 – 0: +56

Passes: 12/13, 92 percent

1-touch plays – 39

Playing time: 58 min.

Rodrigo speeds upfield, leading fast break counter attack vs. Cambridge in season-ending 7-1 triumph.

GAME FOUR: Sprayberry 7, S. Cobb 0

Shots: 5; Goals: 0; Ast: 0

Touches: 76 – 1: +75

Passes: 29/31, 93 percent

1-touch plays: 52

Playing time: 80 min.

GAME FIVE: Sprayberry 3, Campbell 1

Shots: 3; Goals: 1; Ast: 0

Touches: 53 –1: +52

Passes: 13/14, 93 percent

1-touch plays: 35

Playing time: 77 min. (nose bleed, missed last 3 minutes first half)

Goooooal! Rodrigo blasts his penalty attempt into the left corner before goalkeeper can react, helping Sprayberry to penalty kick victory in season opener.

GAME SIX: Northview 3, Sprayberry 0

Shots: 1; Goals: 0; Ast.: 0

Touches: 83 – 0: +83

Passes: 17/20, 85 percent

1-touch plays: 43

Playing time: 80 minutes

GAME SEVEN: Sprayberry 3, North Springs 1

Shots: 1; Goals: 0; Ast.: 1

Touches: 71 – 0: +71

Passes: 29/31, 93 percent

1-touch plays: 58

Playing time: 80 minutes

Refusing to dive in on defense, Rodrigo corrals dribbler, slowing pace so teammates can get in front of the ball.

GAME EIGHT: Sprayberry 4, Sequoyah 3

Shots: 4; Goals: 2; Ast: 0

Touches: 90 — 0: +90

Passes: 34/37 (92 percent)

1-touch plays: 64

Playing time: 80 minutes

GAME NINE: Sprayberry 2, Douglas Co. 1

Shots: 1; Goals: 0; Ast: 0

Touches: 72 – 0: +72

Passes: 30/32, 93 percent

1-touch plays: 50

Playing time: 80 minutes

Season totals: 3g-1a-4pts.; 236-258 passes, 91 percent; touches 692 – 8: +684

Rodrigo puts full focus and effort into long upfield pass during shootout victory over Pope on Mar. 22. Rodrigo’s flawless game on 105 touches included 28 of 30 pass completions (93 percent.) plus an assist and shootout penalty kick goal.

GAME TEN: Kell 4, Sprayberry 3, OT

Shots: 0; Goals: 0; Ast: 1

Touches: 88 – 1: +87

Passes: 33/35, 94 percent

1-touch plays: 65

Playing time: 89 minutes

Season totals:3-2-5; 269/293 passes, 92 percent; touches 780 – 9: +771

GAME ELEVEN: Sprayberry 2, Pope 1, PKs

Shots: 2; Goals: 0; Ast: 1

Touches: 105 – 0: +105

Passes: 28/30, 93 percent

1-touch plays: 56

Playing time: 84 minutes

PKs: 1 for 1

Season totals:3-3-6; 297/323 passes, 92 percent; touches 885 – 9: +876

GAME TWELVE: Sprayberry 4, S. Paulding 1

Shots: 0; Goals: 0; Ast: 0

Touches: 64 – 2: +62

Passes: 23/26, 89 percent

1-touch plays: 35

Playing time: 80 minutes

Season totals:3-3-6; 320/349 passes, 92 percent, touches 949 – 11: +938

Aggressive, honest defending is one of the character traits of a center mid player, and here Rodrigo demonstrates the proper way to dispossess a dribbler who ventures too close.

GAME THIRTEEN: Riverwood 3, Sprayberry 0

Shots: 1; Goals: 0; Ast: 0

Touches: 72 – 1: +71

Passes: 31/31, 100 percent

1-touch plays: 41

Playing time: 80 minutes

Season totals:3-3-6; 351/380 passes, 92.1 percent; touches 1021 – 12: +1009

GAME FOURTEEN: Osborne 1, Sprayberry 0

Shots: 1; Goals: 0; Ast: 0

Touches: 76 – 0: +76

Passes: 27/28, 96 percent

1-touch plays: 45

Playing time: 79 minutes

Season totals:3-3-6; 378/408 passes, 92.6 percent; touches 1097 – 12: +1085

GAME FIFTEEN: Sprayberry 2, Creekview 1, PKs

Shots: 2; Goals: 0; Ast: 1

Touches: 97 – 0: +97

Passes: 30/32, 93 percent

1-touch plays: 46

PKs: 1/1

Playing time: 90 minutes

Season totals:3-4-7; 408/440, 92.7 percent; touches 1194 – 12: +1182

GAME SIXTEEN: Allatoona 1, Sprayberry 0, OT

Shots: 2; Goals: 0; Ast: 0

Touches: 85 – 1: +84

Passes: 19/21, 90 percent

1-touch plays: 45

Playing time: 78 minutes

Season totals: 3-4-7; 427/461 passes, 92.5 percent; touches 1279 – 13: +1266

GAME SEVENTEEN: Sprayberry 4, Forsyth Central 2

Shots: 4; Goals: 0; Ast: 0

Touches: 79 – 1: +78

Passes: 29/31, 93 percent

1-touch plays: 49

Playing time: 80 minutes

Season totals: 3-4-7; 456/492 passes, 92.6 percent; touches 1358 – 14: +1344

GAME EIGHTEEN: Sprayberry 7, Cambridge 1

Shots: 1; Goals: 0; Ast: 2

Touches: 80 – 1: +79

Passes: 21/24, 88 percent

1-touch plays: 34

Playing time: 68 minutes

Season totals: 3-6-9; 477/516 passes, 92.5 percent; touches 1438 – 15: +1423