Athlete of the Week: Gavin Ford, Salesianum soccer

Athlete of the Week: Gavin Ford

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GAVIN FORD, junior, Salesianum soccer

THE WEEK: Scored the first goal in the 37th minute as the top-ranked Sals downed No. 2 Charter of Wilmington 2-0 in an early season showdown last Thursday.

THE GOAL: Salesianum transitioned quickly after a Charter attack, with midfielder Jason Blackwell sending a perfectly placed ball through to Ford. He made a sharp move and sent a 15-yard laser between two defenders just inside the near post. “We were working on counters all week. Coach had enforced that really hard,” Ford said. “I got through, beat the first guy, took on the second, found a gap and just fired it through.”

THE COACH SAYS: “He’s that offensive guy that can put the ball in the net,” Salesianum coach Scott Mosier said. “Those are rare to find, probably in every sport… Having that guy that can dribble players and beat players and go to goal is really important for us, and he does that.”

THE STRENGTH: “I like to dribble a lot,” Ford said. “That’s mostly what I work on during practice. I focus on one-on-ones.”

THE MOVES: “The best part of his game is taking players on, for sure,” Mosier said. “… In the attacking third when there’s a big crowd around, he can beat guys and create mismatches and draw second and third defenders. Then he can either score, or he can pass it to somebody where a defender left.”

THE HEAT: Salesianum has won six consecutive state championships, which makes every game a big game. “That leads to some pressure, because we get everyone’s best game,” Ford said. “They always want to beat us.”

THE ELUSIVENESS: “He has that quality that is unique from a lot of other players,” Mosier said. “He’s not big, but not as messy. Being quick on the soccer field is more important than being big… Gavin has an uncanny knack to make people miss.”

THE CLASSROOM: Ford’s favorite subject is Math. “I’m pretty good with numbers,” he said.

THE FUTURE: Ford hopes to continue his soccer career at the collegiate level. “I haven’t looked anywhere yet, but that’s a goal of mine, hopefully to play Division I soccer,” he said.

Send Athlete of the Week nominations to bmyers@delawareonline.com. Follow on Twitter: @BradMyersTNJ

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Salesianum soccer player Gavin Ford poses for a portrait at Salesianum School on Monday afternoon.