GAINESVILLE -- Rick Howard has won a lot of games -- including state and region titles -- but Saturday's victory proved pretty special indeed.
Not only did the 2-0 defeat of Loganville at City Park secure a Region 8-AAAAA title for the Red Elephants, it also sealed Howard's 250th career win -- a milestone Gainesville's players celebrated by hoisting the coach into the air after a plaque presentation at midfield.
True to form, however, Howard was much happier for his players and their accomplishment.
"This (win) ranks up there, because (Loganville) made us earn it today," Howard said. "These guys are a good group that has persevered, and all the credit goes to them. I'm just glad to be a part of it."
The Red Elephants' outpouring of affection showed that it is very much a two-way street.
"I just want to thank Gainesville and coach (Wayne) Vickery (Gainesville's athletic director) for letting me be a part of it," Howard said. "There are so many players and coaches, past and present that have been a part of this. I've been very fortunate."
The Red Elephants (12-3, 8-0 Region 8-AAAAA) were anything but fortunate on Saturday, working hard to punch through a determined Red Devils defense. But after keeping Loganville under pressure throughout, the goals finally came -- Dunio Turcious breaking the deadlock with 15:24 remaining before Estaban Bautista sealed the win with a second strike with just 1:26 left to play.
"We were beginning to run out of gas a little bit, but I never doubted my guys; it was just a case of finding the right combination," Howard said.
That combination looked like it might come via the right flank in the first half, as Juan Robles, Turcious and Cesar Salcido took turns storming down the right side and looking for scoring opportunities -- and each manufactured scoring opportunities that Loganville goalkeeper Andrew Gillman proved equal to, as the Red Devils held off Gainesville's assault.
It was one-way traffic, however, and the Red Elephants looked certain to break through at some point. Yet Loganville fought doggedly, and, as the two teams met the half in a deadlock -- one that continued after the interval -- the Red Elephants lost some momentum,
Turcious fully restored the Red Elephants' momentum with just over 15 minutes to play, however, as the freshman reacted quickly to a corner kick that Gillman faild to gather -- Turcious poking it past the prone keeper for a 1-0 lead.
Bautista finished the visitors off with just over a minute to play,completing an impressive move started by Salcido on the left wing and continued by Jose Ortiz, who fed Bautista inside. The junior, picked up a pass just outside the Red Devils penalty area, cut past one defender and buried a 17-yard shot into the right corner.
"We're getting there as a team," Howard said. "The biggest thing was that, as a team -- especially in the second half -- if we made a mistake, we didn't make it worse by not tracking back. We kept our shape really well, especially in the second half."
Gainesville will wrap its regular season Tuesday against Apalachee, with the state playoffs looming the following week.
