THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, May 3, 1995 TAG: 9505030555
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C4 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JULIE GOODRICH, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHESAPEAKE LENGTH: Medium: 52 lines
In Keston Smith's native country of Trinidad, soccer is king.
Crowds pack in to watch the matches, creating an electric atmosphere for the players and fans alike.
So it took a little bit of getting used to when Smith went out for the Indian River High School soccer team and found that fan support - at least on the high school level - is a dubious prospect at best.
That's unfortunate, especially because Smith recently had the kind of week that turns ambivalent soccer watchers into die-hard soccer fans. Smith scored a season-high four goals against then eighth-ranked Granby - including three in a five-minute period in the second half - and capped that performance with two goals in a 5-3 win over Oscar Smith to earn The Virginian-Pilot and The Ledger-Star male Athlete of the Week award.
``I just felt confident. We lost the last game (to Great Bridge, 7-0) and the whole team came out on a serious note,'' said Smith, a freshman forward for the Braves who just came to the United States this year. ``I still could have played better. I need a bit more practice on my skills.''
Like any serious competitor, Smith can rattle off exactly how he scored.
Against Granby, his first goal tied the game, 1-1, going into halftime.
``I took a cross from outside, chested it down, and placed it'' on net, Smith recalled.
The next three goals came back-to-back-to-back and put the Comets away.
``The second goal, I dribbled past two defenders and shot waist high. The third was a cross just like the first, and I half-volleyed it in,'' said Smith, who has 11 goals on the season. ``The fourth was a mistake by the defense, and I dribbled past the goalie'' and shot into the open net.
``I was amazed,'' said freshman halfback Karl Smith, no relation, of the scoring outburst. ``He's had some nice goals this year, but I'm not surprised, because he's good.''
According to Braves coach Peter Olanitori, the reason Keston Smith is so good at such an early age is simple.
``He's a foreigner. He's played soccer all his life,'' Olanitori said.
Smith, originally from Port-of-Spain Maraval in Trinidad, also plays for the U-16 Blast team in the Chesapeake Select Soccer club. He's got his eye on trying out for the Olympic Development Program team in the future.
``He's a player that knows how to get the ball and what to do with it,'' Olanitori said. ``Keston reminds me of when I watch that guy Michael Jordan.'' by CNB