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| Leesburg Memorial Field at Hubert O. Dabney Stadium, Home of the Jackets |
January 26, 2001|By Joe Williams of The Sentinel Staff
LEESBURG -- After 10 years of standing alone as Leesburg High School's career goal-scoring leader, Benji Edwards now has company.
On
a night dedicated to seniors, in Leesburg's final regular season game
Thursday night at Memorial Field/H.O. Dabney Stadium, Jason Custer
scored three goals in the first half to give him 45 for his career and
lead Leesburg to a 9-0 victory over Eustis.
The three goals not only ties him with Edwards, it also gives Custer
21 for the season, moving him into third place in the school's record
books for goals in a season. The only two players ahead of Custer are
Jeff Moffett (1989-90) with 26 and Jerry Ricketson (1987-88) with 22.
"It's
a great feeling to be here for three years and to do it,'' Custer said
about the career record. "I knew it was possible [to get the record]
coming in here, but it was Senior Night and I knew we were going to try
to get everyone into the game.''
Former Leesburg Coach Larry
Butler, who coached Edwards and now works as an assistant coach in the
school's program, said it is difficult to compare Edwards and Custer.
"They
are two different styles of player,'' Butler said. "Benji was probably
quicker, but Benji also played up front most of his career where Custer
came out of the midfield. Custer probably has more assists than Benji
had.''
After Custer got his three goals, and especially late in
the game with time running out, it became apparent that his Leesburg
teammates were making an effort to give Custer as many goal-scoring
opportunities as possible.
Custer almost broke the record late in
the first half when a shot by him beat Casey Compton but hit off the
cross bar. Custer had another shot in the 19th minute that was saved by
Compton, who was pounded by 26 shots from Leesburg in the half.
"Normally,
we don't try to run up the score,'' Leesburg Coach Jason Gray said
about Custer playing the entire game despite the score, "but they were
trying to get the ball forward to Jason to get the record.
"Jason is a great kid, he is a great leader. He is dedicated and he works hard.''
Leesburg
(10-15-2) will enter district play next week at Booster Stadium in
Ocala, giving Custer at least one more game to get the record. But
getting the record isn't what is most important to Custer.
"It is more important for us to win the game than for me to get the record,'' Custer said.
Eustis
(4-13-2) had few scoring opportunities. In fact, Leesburg keepers Ryan
Dahart and Greg Fielder, who played keeper in the second half, only had
to make two saves all game.
Custer got Leesburg's scoring started
in the seventh minute when he stole a pass about 50 yards out, dribbled
down the field in a one-on-one with Compton, forcing Compton to commit
before Custer hit a right-footed shot off the left post and into the
goal.
Eight minutes later, Custer deflected a corner kick taken by Stephen
Malinda into the goal and then scored his third goal in the 35th minute
when he made a run down the middle of the field, right past a Eustis
defender, before softly hitting a shot into the goal.
And Custer led what truly turned out to be a night for the seniors to celebrate.
Senior
fullback Brian Arleth got his first goal of the season, senior
midfielder Brett Colson had a goal and an assist, senior midfielder
George Singeltary got his second goal of the season, senior midfielder
Jamie Battle scored a goal and even senior keeper Dahart, who played on
the field in the second half, scored a goal on a header.
Malinda, a freshman, had a goal and two assists, and sophomore forward Danny Delgado had an assist.
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