Through Plant City High School’s first five boys soccer games, opponents have only been able to find the back of the net once. The young man guarding the net for four of those games was junior David Jalomo, who also plays club soccer for Tampa Dynamo FC.
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In your opinion, how are things going this season?
Great. We’re defending good, playing good, attacking. Not really letting the other team keep the ball. We must be doing something right on defense.
What were your expectations going into the season?
We set goals to have clean sheets, not getting scored on. So far, we’re achieving that goal. Our defensive work is really high right now. We’re not really getting shots taken on us. It’s really good.
What makes the defense work so well?
Everybody works hard. Everybody defends as a team. Nobody’s left out. We all pressure the ball and work together.
How far do you think this team can get?
At the beginning of the season we set a goal to reach the finals. That’s our goal. We’re trying to achieve all of those (districts, regionals, states).
How long have you been with the team?
Since my freshman year.
How long have you been playing soccer?
Since I was 8 years old.
What do you love most about it?
The excitement. The competitiveness. Everything. This is all fun.
What other positions have you played?
When I first started playing, I played striker. Then they brought me down to left back, then they kept me at keeper.
What do you like about playing keeper?
You can save the team. You can save the day. Save the game. A lot of excitement.
It’s a pretty high-pressure job. How do you keep calm when you’re about to play a penalty kick, face a breakaway or anything where you’re being counted on most to get the stop?
Just have a cool head. Just be calm, not overthink it.
What’s the most fun thing about playing with this group of guys?
We all get along together. We’re all friends. We’re like a family. We play together and have each other’s backs.
What’s been your favorite moment as a Raider?
Everything. Everything’s fun.
What’s the funniest thing you’ve seen with this team?
When Deonte (Oliver) scored his goal, he was really excited. He ran to the bench and yelled, ‘Finally, I got one!’ That was against Lennard this year.
Is there a sport you’ve never tried but would if you could?
Football sounds a bit fun but I don’t think I’ll be good at it. It sounds pretty fun.
Who’s your favorite soccer player?
Andres Iniesta.