Joyner scored 28 goals to lead Suwannee to playoffs
-
Suwannee’s CJ Joyner is the LCR’s Boys Soccer Player of the Year. (KIMBERLY HARRELL PHOTOGRAPHY)
LIVE OAK — Prior to the season, Suwannee coach Chris Joyner wasn’t sure how many goals to expect from his standout son, CJ.
Chris Joyner figured with nine goals in just 10 games last season and 50 during his career, opposing coaches would do all they could to keep CJ Joyner in check.
Opponents certainly did. There were double teams on the SHS senior. At times, there were even triple teams.
It didn’t matter.
What Chris Joyner failed to fully account for before the year was his son outrunning any defender around him.
“Mostly (speed) is the key,” CJ Joyner said following his 28-goal, eight-assist season that also netted him the title of Lake City Reporter’s Player of the Year. “I provided movement off the ball and whenever my teammates sent it, I just outpaced all the defenders, got there and if I scored, I scored; if I didn’t, we either got a corner or finished on the next chance.”
Most times, he scored. He scored so often he threatened the Suwannee record of 34 by Paul Plöetner more than a decade ago. His 28 is third most in a season for a Bulldog, also trailing Jackson Brown’s 31.
“The biggest thing was team play,” Chris Joyner said about his son’s huge year. “A lot of the boys were unselfish and they fed him the ball.
“But I credit a lot of it to his speed. Him closing down and outrunning the backs.”
How fast is CJ?
Chris Joyner isn’t sure. All he knows is he’s fast enough.
“He just runs fast enough to get to the ball,” he said.
And once he had the ball, CJ knew what to do with it. That came from a bunch of work, both on trying to improve on defending as well as work on 1-on-1s, so he could be ready when the opportunities arose.
They arose quite often. Averaging more than a goal per game, CJ Joyner scored in all but six of the Bulldogs’ games during their 9-9-5 season. Nine times he scored multiple goals, including a pair of hat tricks (Lafayette on Dec. 3 and Gadsden County on Jan. 20). He netted four goals against Gadsden on Feb. 1.
“Just doing my absolute best to provide for the team and score goals,” he said.
But even as the goals kept finding the net, the Joyners didn’t realize just what kind of season he was having until late January, about the time he had hit the 20 mark.
That’s when Chris Joyner started trying to find out exactly what the school record was. It’s also when he let his son know what he was accomplishing.
That just led to more motivation. And more goals.
“Then I just kept trying to score as many goals as possible before the season ended,” CJ Joyner said.
That continued even after the season.
Chosen for the Florida Athletic Coaches Association All-Star Game — he also played in the Big Bend All-Star Game — CJ Joyner had a chance to square off against Mulberry’s Chandler Crawshaw, who registered 32 goals, the most in Class 4A.
Advantage Joyner with three more goals.
“That was really fun,” he said. “I just did what I needed to do, got chances to score and put the ball in the back of the net.”
All those balls in the back of the net have garnered plenty of attention.
“It’s impressive,” Chris Joyner said, “He’s got a lot of respect from the coaches and even the boys he’s played against. They know what he’s capable of.”
Now they’re trying to figure out if he’s capable of scoring more in college. Concord University in West Virginia and Culver-Stockton in Missouri have been talking with CJ. Huntingdon College in Montgomery, Alabama, has also started to show interest.
Any of those schools will be getting more than just a good goal scorer.
“Wherever he goes, whatever he does, whoever he plays for, not only are they gaining a great student, they’re gaining a great, phenomenal person and athlete,” Chris Joyner said.
ALL-AREA TEAM
F/MF: C.J. Joyner
Suwannee, senior
The LCR’s Boys Soccer Player dominated the area in scoring with 28 goals, 20 more than the next highest. He also had eight assists and just missed the school record for goals by six.
F/MF: Omar Carreon
Suwannee, senior
Led the area with 11 assists and also scored eight goals.
F/MF: Joel De La Cruz
Suwannee, sophomore
Scored eight goals and had five assists for the Bulldogs.
F/MF: Connor Bass
Fort White, sophomore
Tied for the team lead with six goals and also had two assists.
F: Jason Caballero
Columbia, junior
Led the Tigers with six goals and six assists.
MF: Noel Caballero
Columbia, senior
Scored four goals and had three assists for the Tigers.
MF: Hunter Scott
Fort White, senior
Led the Indians with seven assists and scored four goals.
MF: Peighton Simard
Fort White, senior
Tied for the team lead with six goals and also had one assist.
D: Jonah Wegner
Suwannee, senior
Top SHS defender helped hold opponents to just over two goals per match.
D: Jakob North
Columbia, senior
Helped the Tigers hold opponents to less than two goals per match.
GK: Alex Mabey
Suwannee, sophomore
Made 212 saves and played a part in two shutouts.
COACH OF THE YEAR
Chris Joyner, Suwannee
Led the Bulldogs to a 9-9-5 record and a return to the regional playoffs as the District 2-4A runner-up. His squad also won the Three Rivers Cup, going 2-0-2 against Columbia and Santa Fe.