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Don't let his small stature fool you, Calhoun Academy's Stuart Brunt plays much bigger than he looks.
He helped lead the Cavs to a fifth-straight state semifinal appearance this season and because of his play he has been selected as The T&D All-Region Soccer Player of the Year.
Brunt was one of three captains for the Cavaliers this season and was given the offensive player of the year from his team. His biggest accomplishment was also his most memorable.
"Against Thomas Sumter I recorded my 100th goal," he said. "We were trailing, and that goal was the one that tied the game. I later scored number 101, but we ended up losing in a shootout. Even though we lost, that was still exciting because I had been anticipating scoring that goal during that contest."
Brunt came into the season fairly well known in SCISAA soccer after posting 29 goals and 22 assists last season, so he knew he would have a bulls-eye on his chest all year.
"Last year was really rough because people would try to make a name for themselves against me," Brunt said "I got pushed around a lot as a junior, but this year was different. Guys would still try to mark up on me, but I wasn't scared of them. There's was no bad blood this year, people were pretty nice and I was nice to them."
Brunt is a duel-threat on the field, being able to outrun defenders towards the goal, or find the open man to make sure the team gets a good shot. He has a number of moves in his arsenal.
"I just try to play my game," he said. "I like scoring goals, but I also like finding my teammates."
After an appearance in the SCISAA state title game last season, expectations were high for the Cavs to get back and possibly bring home a title, but they fell short in the state semifinals to Cathedral Academy on a late overtime goal that would end Brunt's season.
"I felt like the team gave their best shot in that game," Brunt said. "I'm don't want to take anything away from the other team, but nine times out of ten we would beat them. We just came up short on that day."
Calhoun Academy head coach Glenn Puckett calls Brunt a coach's dream and the team leader that the other players look up to.
"A lot of kids, when practice is over, they will turn the switch off," Puckett said. "Stuart concentrates on the things that he doesn't do well, and goes out and practices them. He's always been a bit of a perfectionist."
For Brunt the journey is not over, he has signed to play soccer for Anderson University and will try to earn a starting spot on the team's varsity squad in the fall.
"I'm real excited that I get to play past high school," Brunt said. "I look forward to continuing to play soccer, because it's my favorite sport, and go up against some great competition."
No team in The T&D Region may have taken a bigger positive step this season than the Branchville Yellow Jackets. Much of the credit can go to their head coach Craig Porter.
Porter led the Jackets to 11 wins on the season and its first spot in the state soccer rankings. For that, he was named The T&D Region Soccer Coach of the Year.
"I'm very proud of what the team this season," Porter said. "They always had a good attitude and a hunger to play well in every game. Every year you get three or four players with that attitude, but this year it spread to all 17 of our kids and that's what made us so good."
Like most coaches, Porter says motivation is the key.
"These kids were easily motivated most of the time and had a good work ethic among themselves," Porter said. "They were out on the field playing pick-up games in the fall honing their skills for the spring season. It was uplifting to see and made practice fun to come to. A vast majority of the time I was excited about going to practice, and I think they were too."
Porter's most memorable game came against Academic Magnet when his team played nose-to-nose with the No. 1 team in Class A only to fall late in the game after a barrage of goals.
"That game gave the kids confidence that they can play with anybody," Porter said. "We played with class all season and we looked forward to playing top-talent, not being scared of the toughest teams."
As for the future, Porter knows that he will be losing some talent, but he also knows that the foundation has been laid for the Jackets to continue to improve.
"The possibility exists for us to be competitive next year," Porter said. "You just cross your fingers and hold breath that all your players qualify to play and that they don't decide to transfer or leave the team."
First Team
Forwards (4)
Quinten Johnson - Soph. Blackville-Hilda: All-State selection
Lawrence Kelly - Sr. Branchville:
13 goals, seven assists
Travis Tourville - Sr. Orangeburg Prep: 14 goals, team captain
Rodney Lewis - Jr. Bamberg-Ehrhardt: All-State selection, North/South selection, 17 goals, 11 assists, team captain
Midfielders (4)
Wesley McKeowen - Sr. Calhoun Academy: All-Region selection, All-Star selection team captain
John Hitapoulos - Fr. Branchville: Led team in steals and interceptions
Aaron Ness - Sr. Bamberg-Ehrhardt: North/South selection, All-State selection, 10 goals, five assists, team captain
Aldo Villeda - Jr. Edisto: All-Region selection, five goals
Defenders (2)
Aaron Clossman - Sr. Calhoun Academy: All-Region selection, All-Star selection
Damien Jones - Sr. Bamberg-Ehrhardt: Outstanding defender award
Goalie (1)
Eric Bowman - Sr. Branchville: All-State selection
Second Team
Forwards (4)
John Brunt - Sr. Calhoun Academy: All-Region selection, All-Star selection
Ben Ford - Sr. Orangeburg Prep: 14 goals, team captain
Rondu Forbes - Jr. Bamberg-Ehrhardt: 13 goals, 11 assists
Warren Armstrong - Sr. Bamberg-Ehrhardt: five goals, three assists
Midfielders (4)
Chris Williams - Soph. Orangeburg Prep - six goals
Robert Dreher - Jr. Edisto: All-Region selection, led team with 18 steals per game
Que Verner - Jr. Bamberg-Ehrhardt: 11 goals, 10 assists
David Hammett - Sr. Bamberg-Ehrhardt: Outstanding midfielder award, academic/athletic award winner
Defenders (2)
Trenton Chavis - Sr. Edisto: 16 steals per game, co-captain
(tie) Drew Jackson - Calhoun Academy: All-Region selection
Miles Cooper - Orangeburg Prep: four goals.
Goalie (1)
Michael Williamson - Orangeburg Prep - 15 saves per game.