KEYSTONE HEIGHTS - With a sophomore first-time varsity starter in goal; Keystone Heights High boys soccer coach Trevor Waters was leaning on his speed on the field to keep the ball away from the front of the Indians net.

“When they got the first two goals on us, I just kept telling him to keep playing and the team would get it back,” said Waters, who faced off in his first game of 2024 against rival Crescent City High and saw his goalie; Elijah Ortiz, getting tagged with a penalty kick en route to a 2-0 deficit early in the contest. “Elijah had the game of a lifetime for a first-time varsity starter and made some great stops.”

Ortiz’ play enabled the Indians to preserve a 2-2 tie with Crescent City to put their record at 10-1-2 with the first tie a 1-1 tie with Middleburg in December.

“That Middleburg game was played on an ankle-deep muddy field over there with the ball not able to roll or bounce,” said Waters. “They are very good Middleburg and about as fast as this team. We are playing much better as a team than in past seasons.”

Against 3A-Crescent City, now 4-7-2, with both teams peppering the goalies with shots all night, the Raiders got on the scoreboard first with a header off a corner kick at 32:21 in the first half then got a penalty kick (24:00) to go up 2-0, but Keystone Heights came back with a high-energy attack after the water break get goals from lead scorers Aaron Wiley on a breakaway at 11:21 to and Luke Brant (penalty kick at 4:01 to go) to knot the score.

Wiley had numerous shots hit the goal frame and also got roughed up with Crescent City’s goalie bashing Wiley out of the box to keep him from getting a close shot on goal. Brant had a second penalty shot that was blocked.

“Their goalie challenged our guys up front and we had plenty of shots on goal that just missed,” said Waters. “A good goalie can cut that angle down and make shooters hit the ball earlier than they want.”