Acting as goal keeper for the San Quentin Earthquakes, Don Spence kept a clean sheet in a 2-0 victory over the visiting Outsider soccer team.
“This is the first game all year we haven’t scored,” soccer program sponsor Andrew Crawford said after the game. “We played well, you guys played better.”
Both teams were short key players and had to borrow soccer players from the San Quentin B-Team.
“We have no strikers today, only a bunch of defenders,” Outsider midfielder Jordi Ortiz said.
For the San Quentin Earthquakes, the guys they borrowed made a difference.
After a scoreless first half, Jamie “Tre” Luis III, made his first goal of the season in the 53rd minute.
Luis normally plays for the B-Team.
“I finally scored against this Outsider team,” Luis said with a smile on his face.
In the 86 minute, Oscar “Flaco” Aguilar used his head to knock the ball between the goalkeeper’s legs for the second SQ Earthquakes goal.
Jerry Sancher-Muratalla G., a 60-year old San Quentin resident, acted as the goalkeeper for the Outsiders. He apologized after the game for allowing the goals.
“We played hard, your guys are definitely in better shape,” Outsider coach Terry Muller said. “We can’t win them all, says me after I lose.”
Overall, the Outsiders have an 8-3 record on the lower yard.
Some think uniting the best of both the SQ Earthquakes and the B-Team could lead to more wins.
“I think we could become a better team with more substitutions from the B-Team so everybody can go hard,” Aguilar said.
With the game in the record books, everyone formed a circle on the field to reflect on the game, but the moment turned into much more.
Both Garvin JoJo Robinson and Tare “Cancun” Beltranchuc expressed their gratitude to the Outsiders for providing the rehabilitative sports program that has progress beyond expectations. Last year’s guests included the former San Francisco Deltas, and this year the San Jose Earthquakes joined the program.
Plus both the San Quentin squads and the Outsiders now have uniforms and cleats.
Sponsor Crawford plans to hold a meeting with the San Quentin coaches to discuss how to make 2019 even better.
Beyond saying thank you, Beltranchuc conveyed his appreciation with a personal message about forgiveness.
“My mother was abusive to me growing up, so I was mad at her,” Beltranchuc said. “She died before I ever got the chance to tell her I forgive her and I love her. If you don’t forgive, it will tear you up inside.”
Fernando Dominguez of the Outsiders echoed Beltranchuc’s sentiments. He too fought with his father after he divorced his mother. His father died without the issues between them being resolved.
“I share the same pain.”
