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Following a pair of 1-1 draws at home to begin its season, South Georgia Tormenta FC led twice and erased a deficit once, only to drop a tough 4-3 decision at Nashville SC Saturday night.
    Tormenta (0-1-2) pressured early and forced Nashville (3-0-0) to concede an own goal in the seventh minute of action.
    Nashville answered with a penalty kick by Blake Wilson in the 21st minute following a touchy call in the Tormenta box.
    South Georgia pressed ahead on a penalty of its own in the 44th minute when Reed Norton — whose dangerous cross had resulted in the own goal earlier in the game — regained the lead for his side.
    “We were right where we wanted to be,” Tormenta coach John Miglarese said. “Nashville is a very good team, so to be up 2-1 at halftime was exactly what we wanted. It just didn’t quite last for us.”
    Nashville turned up the pressure in the second half, consistently threatening. They finally broke through in the 52nd minute when a set piece found the head of Tanner Dietrich and a deflection by Tormenta defender Trenton Whitely didn’t get enough to keep the ball from bouncing into the net.
    Nashville pushed ahead just minutes later when a physical tackle at midfield resulted in no whistle and a turnover by Tormenta. Nashville raced downfield against a scrambling defense and Martim Glavao tiptoed through a pair of Tormenta players before beating keeper Keegan Meyer to give Nashville a 3-2 lead.
    Tormenta got to play the part of comeback kids late in the game when a quick counter attack found the foot of Max Hasenstab for his first goal of the season at the 79-minute mark.
    “I was really proud of the effort our guys put forth tonight,” Miglarese said. “We endured a lot. There was a weather delay, a long road trip, a very good opponent and some tough calls. Honestly, I thought we deserved a better result.”
    Unfortunately for Miglarese and Tormenta, the afformentioned tough calls reared their head a couple more times.
    Following Hasenstab’s goal, forward Kieran Roberts attempted to retrieve the ball from the net and collided with the Nashville goalkeeper. Despite minimal confrontation, Roberts was shown a red card and ejected from the game.
    Down to 10 players, Tormenta would have been content to get out of town with a draw and another point to add to its total in the standings. Tentative back-and-forth play from both sides seemed to be leading towards that result until a seemingly innocent free kick in the 86th minute.
    Nashvill booted the ball into the Tormenta box from nearly 50 yards out and the ball was headed out of danger with no major pushing or shoving evident. But the official rushed in, calling Tormenta defender Leland Archer for a hold and awarding Nashville its second penalty kick of the night.
    The home side was happy to have a chance to steal away a late win and Fletcher Ekern did just that, crushing a low shot to the left of Meyer to retake the lead.
    Four more minutes of regulation time and four more of stoppage time gave Tormenta a chance to answer, but down a man, no threat could be built.
    “That’s a tough one to take,” Miglarese said. “I never got an explanation about the foul that led to the final penalty, so I still don’t know what happened. 
    “But we have to put that behind us and start looking at our next game.”

South Georgia Tormenta FC has played three very different games, only to end up with three identical results. 
    In a preseason exhibition, Tormenta led most of the way, conceding late in a 1-1 draw. Tormenta fell behind early in its Premier Development League season opener last weekend, but found its stride in the second half for another 1-1 draw.
    Tormentta earned its first lead of the PDL season in the first half of Thursday night’s game against Peachtree City MOBA, but South Georgia’s in-state rival equalized early in the second half and neither team found the net again, resulting in yet another 1-1 match for Tormenta. 
    “We’re still finding our personality,” Tormenta coach John Miglarese said. “We haven’t quite found our way yet. There are moments where things are clicking and there are moments when it’s not. It’s a long season and there are plenty of games to play, but that’s also something we want to address as quickly as possible.”
    In Tormenta’s opener, Miglarese lamented that it took the first half – and an early goal conceded – to get things going. That trend was flipped on its head as South Georgia got the better of possession and chances early in Thursday’s game. 
    Tormenta couldn’t find the open shot on a few early runs, but eventually worked its way in front.
    Late in the first half, Mikie Rowe helped Tormenta gain possession in its own half and drew a foul just as Tormenta crossed midfield. That reset allowed South Georgia to work deep into Peachtree’s half, ultimately resulting in another MOBA foul and a penalty kick.
    Charlie Dennis rifled a shot low and right that was saved by Peachtree goalkeeper Will Meyer, but the rebound bounced back into the middle of the box and Rowe charged in to find the net in the 36th minute.
    “It’s all about continuing to work,” Rowe said. “It’s a physical game. I was fighting hard to (get the foul call). On the penalty, it’s a shot you know that Charlie will get nine times out of 10. But you have to be ready for anything, so I was looking for the ball and it came right to me.”
    Tormenta continued to get the better of the action and carried a 1-0 lead into halftime.
    There was never a chance to settle into the second half before the match’s pivotal play.
    Just over a minute into the second half, Peachtree City was awarded a free kick on the left side of the field, about 35 yards out. Matthew Wooling lofted a perfect cross into the heart of the Tormenta box as three MOBA player all got a clean jump to go for the ball. Daniel Velenciano was the first to make contact, redirecting the ball on a header that froze Tormenta goalkeeper Keegan Meyer to knot up the score in the 47th minute.
    “That was about the worst thing that could have happened,” Miglarese said. “We missed a couple of tackles, picked up a foul and then they really executed well on the free kick.”
    With the tone of the game changed, neither team was able to establish much momentum throughout the rest of the match.
    Peachtree City had periods of solid possession, but couldn’t break through. Keegan Meyer was only taxed to make a stop once and only one other shot by Peachtree City — which sailed wide — had enough pace to threaten the net. 
    As the match entered the final 15 minutes, it was Tormenta that pressed the issue. A few long crosses opened up the attacking zone, with a pair of offsides calls and a low cross that never found a Tormenta foot serving as ‘what if’s’ in another game that was played well enough to warrant a win, yet ended in a draw.
    “We had our chances,” Miglarese said. “We maybe took a few more risks to create those opportunities and this was the first time we’ve had all four of those guys who were up top playing together.
    “You can look at these two ties as gaining two points or missing out on four. Maybe because these were home games, we feel a little more like we lost out on chances for more points, but we have also shown a lot of promise and things we can build on.”
    Tormenta now faces a quick turnaround and a tough challenge in its next match.
    The club will hop on a bus tomorrow and head for Nashville, where it will take on a Nashville SC squad that pummelled Peachtree City by a count of 6-1 in its season opener. Kickoff is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Saturday.
    “We know they’re a tough team that will have a lot of home fans supporting them,” Rowe said. “It’s a tough fixture after a game like tonight, but it’s what we’ve got to get ready for.”

South Georgia Tormenta FC was thrown into the fire to begin its 2017 season. The squad had only a couple of team practices under its belt before playing the Charleston Battery in an exhibition game. Just a few days later, Tormenta rebounded from an early deficit to record a draw in its first game of the Premier Development League season. 
    Now, with another week under its belt, Tormenta is aiming to put a dent in the win column as in-state rival Peachtree City MOBA visits for an 8 p.m. kickoff tonight at Erk Russell Athletic Park.
    And while the season is just a week old, the team is well aware of how much each match counts. Last season, Tormenta was one of the hottest teams in the league for nearly a month, but a rough patch at the beginning of the schedule proved costly as the team missed out on postseason play.
    “It’s early, but we know how important each game is,” Tormenta coach John Miglarese said. “We want to get to the last few games in a position to make the playoffs and we don’t want to have to look back to May and see games where we could have done more.”
    Tormenta seemed to get the urgency that is necessary for succeeding in the PDL’s short 14-game regular season. After falling behind in the early minutes of the season opener, Tormenta dominated the final hour of play and had several chances to earn the win outright.
    The club hopes to improve its own performance while getting a measure of revenge on its next opponent. Peachtree City wrestled away a late victory in Statesboro last season before defending its home turf in the season finale. Peachtree City MOBA was pummelled by a 6-1 count by Nashville SC in its opener last weekend and will be on the hunt for a much better result tonight.
    “We had a coach scouting the game,” Miglarese said. “(Peachtree City) lost, but they definitely have three or four players who are very good and who we need to worry about.
    “Our focus over the last few days has been to look at ourselves and work to make ourselves a better team. I think we saw some improvement even within our game (against Myrtle Beach). I don’t want to say we gave a win away — both teams played well — but we improved as the game went on and we need to have that kind of effort for a full game.”
    More time together for Tormenta should lead to a better executed game plan, but there is also the matter of Mother Nature that needs to be dealt with.
    A cluster of mild and pleasant afternoons greeted Tormenta players to Statesboro, but the temperature has since risen and figures to remain a burden throughout the rest of the season. A rough environment can make the day-to-day grind tough, but Tormenta is set up to turn the adversity into a positive. 
    In addition to normal athletic training services, Tormenta provides meals and training programs for its players to keep everyone running at optimal levels. 
    “We have a great setup,” Miglarese said. “It’s great that we have everyone set up for success with what the club provides. In the end, each guy is responsible for himself and has to make good choices. But that’s part of what we’re doing at Tormenta. This is a professional environment and we expect our players to behave in the same manner and prepare for success in each game.

SAVANNAH — Last week, South Georgia Tormenta FC announced that it had dreams of soon playing as a professional franchise. Wednesday night at Daffin Park, the club proved that it can already play on the level of the pros.
    Playing an exhibition against United Soccer League squad Charleston Battery, Tormenta led for much of the game, ultimately walking away with a 1-1 draw.
    “I think that 1-1 was a fair result tonight,” Tormenta coach John Miglarese said. “There were points where I thought we were unlucky not to get another goal or two, but that’s how games can go. What I’m more impressed with is how all of our guys were here to play.”
    Early in the match, neither side was shy about testing the speed and athleticism of its opponent. Several long bombs down the field produced foot races in both directions, drawing excitement from the crowd, but failing to produce solid scoring opportunities. 
    Charleston forced a handful of turnovers with aggressive midfield play and had the earliest offensive chances with a pair of corner kicks, but weren’t able to get anything on net.
    Tormenta pushed back, seemingly breaking through the Battery back line twice in the first 15 minutes, but — like Charleston — unable to unleash a shot. Josh Phelps got to a cross in the middle of the box and beat the Charleston keeper with a header in the 18th minute, only to watch the ball slip wide of the left post.
    In the 24th minute, Tormenta finally found the scoreboard.
    Charlie Dennis lofted a corner into the box that was parried away, but controlled by Tormenta. Another high ball into the box was settled by Dennis who turned and struck at point-blank range to put Tormenta in front.
    “We kept fighting,” Miglarese said. “We had a lot of good chances leading up to that goal and finally put one away.”
    The score held into halftime, but Charleston amped up the pressure over the final 45 minutes of action.
    The Battery quickly took control of the possession battle in the second half as Tormenta settled in on defense. For nearly 30 minutes, the ball stayed in Tormenta’s half of the field, with only the stray clearance or goal kick giving the South Georgia back line time to breathe. 
    But for all the pressure, Charleston wasn’t able to find a solid shot on Tormenta keeper Matt Rosenberg.
    “We’ve preached defense in the short time we’ve been practicing,” Miglarese said. “Credit Charleston for keeping up the pressure, but it was also some tactics. We didn’t want to press high and go up and down for 90 minutes. We stayed back and defended well.”
    Charleston finally pulled level on what started out as another weak chance. A cross was launched a few yards into the Tormenta box, but had little chance of being possessed by the Battery. A collision sent a soft ricochet just outside of the box and right to Ataulla Guerra who sent a volley screaming into the right side of the net in the 85th minute. 
    Not content to play for the draw, Tormenta’s offense found a spark and controlled the final few minutes. South Georgia earned three corners in that span and nearly clinched a victory when a Walker Dawkins shot from the top of the box was just barely deflected away by Charleston’s Joe Kuzminsky.
    With an exciting exhibition in the books, the real fun is about to start.
    Tormenta returns to Statesboro where they will host Myrtle Beach at 8 p.m. Saturday in the Premier Development League season opener.

Since the Atlanta United, Major League Soccer’s newest expansion program, burst onto the scene, the hype surrounding soccer has amplified throughout Georgia.

Savannah soccer fans will get a taste of that hype as two of Atlanta United’s development squads face each other in a friendly at 8 tonight at Daffin Park. One of the newest minor league soccer franchises will face the oldest.

The Tormenta FC, based in Statesboro, is preparing for its second season in the Premier Development League, which officially begins Saturday, and will face the United Soccer League’s Charleston Battery, which was founded in 1993 and is the oldest continuously operating professional soccer club in the Unitede States.

Comparing soccer to the minor league system in baseball, Tormenta FC team president Darin Van Tassell said the PDL would be the equivalent of Single-A that the former Savannah Sand Gnats competed in, while the USL would be Triple-A.

Van Tassell said he is hoping today’s match will become an annual event in Savannah.

“When we formed an affiliation with the Battery, the first thing we wanted to do play a game in Savannah,” he said. “I look forward to playing the fifth annual match against the Battery five years from now. The people of Savannah are in for a real treat.

“This is easily the highest-level soccer team to play in Savannah – at least in recent history and maybe forever.”

High expectations

Tormenta FC went 6-5-3 in its inaugural PDL season in 2016, barely missing the playoffs.

“It says a lot about our franchise and where it’s come in a short period of time for a USL team like Charleston to agree to play us in Savannah,” Van Tassell said.

Tormenta FC has a mix of collegiate and post-graduate players, including two current players on Georgia Southern’s roster – sophomore defender Justin Little and senior midfielder Nick Wells. Head coach John Miglarese, who is in his first season with Tormenta, played at Georgia Southern and is returning to Statesboro after coaching stints at PDL Southern West Virginia King’s Warriors and at UNC-Pembroke.

Since Miglarese returned to Statesboro, he’s been surprised by the support he’s seen from the community. The team drew an average of about 2,000 fans to its home games last year.

“I’ve been pretty blown away by it,” Miglarese said. “There a lot of people who are just pumped. They recognize (the players) in the community. It’s amazing to see how a football town has embraced this minor league soccer team.”

Last season, Tormenta was coached by Ben Freakley, who left to take a job with Major League Baseball’s Toronto Blue Jays. So far, Miglarese is excited about the talent he’s inherited.

“Ben did a great job of getting them on the map,” Miglarese said. “Year 2, our plan is to win it. We want to win the division.”

The players appear to think an Eastern Conference Championship is a real possibility this season.

“I think this year, we have a very good team, so we should make a run for a conference championship,” Tormenta FC defender Reed Norton said. “I think with this year’s team, we have a little more solid foundation of solid players. I think the chemistry is good. When you have good chemistry and a good foundation, you can be pretty dangerous.”

Tormenta FC will officially open its PDL season Saturday against the Mytrle Beach Mutiny.

Playing for Battery a privilege

Before Atlanta United, Charleston Battery was the most prominent club among the Georgia and South Carolina soccer faithful.

“I actually grew up growing to a lot of Charleston Battery games,” said Norton, who played two years at Georgia Southern in 2012 and 2013 before transferring to North Carolina State. “They’re an historic organization.”

Norton, who was born in Statesboro and later moved with his family to Augusta, had his opportunity in February to earn a roster spot with the Battery as he spent four weeks going through the team’s trial period. When he didn’t make it, he rejoined Tormenta FC.

“I enjoyed my time there,” Norton said. “I was a little disappointed with the end result. All you can do is take it in stride and stay motivated for your next opportunity.”

That opportunity might start today, and a good season in Statesboro could keep the door open. Norton is using his friend, Savannah native Nico Rittmeyer, as an example. Rittmeyer, who was the Savannah Morning News Athlete of the Year in 2011 while at Savannah Country Day, worked his way up from playing at Tormenta FC last season to signing with Charleston this spring. He went through the same trial period as Norton. Now Rittmeyer will be playing against his old club for the first time.

Norton said he has been friends with Rittmeyer since they played soccer as kids.

“It’s kind of funny how we ended up crossing paths,” Norton said. “I’m looking forward to seeing him. I spent the majority of my time in Charleston hanging out with him. I’m looking forward to playing against him because he’s a really good player.

“I think he’s a great subject to talk about in Savannah soccer. He’s definitely one of the better players to come out of that area.”

Tormenta FC had a stellar first season of competition in the Premier Development League, but the team came up just shy of the postseason.
    South Georgia needed a win in Friday’s regular season finale at the SC United Bantams, but a 2-2 draw left Tormenta two points shy of advancing to next week’s division playoff round.
    “This is the first time all season where the emotion is really hitting,” Tormenta coach Ben Freakley said. “We played hard all season and we really made some strides.”
    South Georgia (6-5-3) won six of its final nine games and accumulated 21 points on the season. If not for a sluggish start that saw them go scoreless in their first four contests, Tormenta could easily still be in the mix.
    “It’s easy to see where just one more win or draw would have made all the difference,” Freakley said. “That’s a takeaway for the future. We played great at the end of the season. It just has to be there at the beginning.”
    For over half an hour of play, South Georgia had the playoffs in its sight. Forward Nico Rittmeyer set the tone with a goal in the 16th minute and Tormenta carried its 1-0 advantage into halftime.
    Tormenta continued to control the action until the 61st minute when Leandro Browne was taken down in the box to earn the Bantams a penalty kick. Joe Vyner lined up for SC United and solidly struck the penalty past Tormenta goalkeeper Anton Widen.
    South Georgia’s season was pushed to the brink when Browne finished off a goal of his own in the 81st minute. James Brighton – Tormenta’s youngest player at just 16 – drew his side even with a strike in the 93rd minute, earning the team a point but ultimately falling short of the goal at hand.
    “It’s not the end we wanted, but we had a lot of great moments,” Freakley said. “Every player on this roster made a statement and an impact.”
    Freakley went on to credit his team for becoming a contributing part of the Statesboro community during their summer in town. He also recognized the “incredible” outpouring of support from Tormenta’s fans, from showing up to preseason events, to being one of the loudest and best-represented home crowds in the league.
    “The coolest part of this whole thing has been the people,” Freakley said. “When all of this started a year ago, I had no idea what to expect.  It’s been amazing to see how hard our fans, our players and everyone involved in the organization has worked to make this such a special team.”
    With the season now over, many of Tormenta’s players have classes to get back to. The majority of PDL players are currently playing on collegiate teams around the country. They’ll return to school for the upcoming fall season, but could well be back with Tormenta when the 2017 season begins in May. 

  South Georgia Tormenta FC played the most exciting game in its young history Wednesday night, lighting up the scoreboard for a 3-3 draw against Peachtree City MOBA in metro Atlanta/
    Tormenta (6-5-2) battled back to tie the match on two separate occasions before Todd Fidler’s long strike in the 81st minute pushed Peachtree City to a 3-2 lead. Not to be outdone, Sidney McClain scored his first goal of the season just after stoppage time began to draw the score even for a third and final time.
    “We were seeking a win, but we at least got a point,” Tormenta coach Ben Freakley said. “This wasn’t how we drew things up, but I give our guys credit. We fought hard to keep coming back when we were down.”
    The script was very nearly a better one for Tormenta.
    Less than a minute before Fidler’s late strike, Nico Rittmeyer’s first touch off of a long, lofted pass found the back of the net, only to be nullified by a questionable offside call. Tormenta had another goal taken away due to an offside flag in the first half — the second time this season that multiple goals have been yanked away from South Georgia due to offside calls.
    The first negated goal came just minutes before Peachtree City made a permanent dent in the scoreboard. MOBA earned a corner kick and Nick Spielman lept above the pack, heading a goal into the right side of the net to give Peachtree City a 1-0 lead that stood through halftime.
    Intent on upping the pressure, Tormenta controlled the early minutes of the second half and equalized on a strike by Eli Dent in the 66th minute. But as soon as South Georgia pulled even, Peachtree City struck again. An awkward shot drew Tormenta goalkeeper Alex Guerra off his line and an initial deflection was caromed into the net by Fidler for a 2-1 MOBA advantage.
    Playing for its postseason life, South Georgia sold out on the attack over the final half hour of play. Georgia Southern products hooked up for a second equalizer as Hunter Loyden found the head of Jeremy Rector for a 2-2 deadlock at the 77-minute mark.
    Rittmeyer’s negated goal and Fidler’s second strike came in the ensuing frantic minutes before Tormenta – throwing all caution to the wind – got multiple attackers behind MOBA’s back line, resulting in McClain’s goal.
    With just one game remaining in the regular season, the playoff picture is far from clear and the brand-new Tormenta franchise is still in the thick of things. 
    If the division-leading Charlotte Eagles finish with the most points in the Eastern Conference, the South Atlantic Division (Tormenta’s home) will see its top three teams advance to the playoffs. Currently tied for fourth place and trailing third place SC United Bantams by three points, Tormenta just so happens to have a date with the Bantams Friday in the Palmetto State. 
    A win over the Bantams could mean as much as a three-way tie for third place, but Tormenta’s season-long goal differential would give it the likely advantage and a push into the playoffs in its inaugural season.
    “We talked about our situation at halftime tonight,” Freakley said. “We know that we have to win. We almost accomplished that tonight, but now everyone knows exactly what we have to do in our final game.”

James Brighton certainly isn’t inclined to shy away from the big moment. But he understands his place, too.

So when a penalty kick was called in the dying minutes of last weekend’s Premier Development League game in West Virginia, the Hilton Head Island teen moved off to take up a position outside the penalty area. Surely one of his older Tormenta FC teammates would take the kick.

Then one of those teammates tossed the ball his way.

”Hey James, take it.”

“I’ve never felt so nervous in all my life,” Brighton recalled. “But it was such an exciting moment, too. I just stuck to what I trained for and put it in.”

The kick went hard past the diving goalkeeper into the net’s lower right corner — the first career goal for the only 16-year-old in a league populated by collegians. “The best feeling ever,” Brighton said.

And likely just the start of many for Brighton, whose soccer dreams have suddenly attained fast-track status in recent months.

First came the invitation to join South Georgia Tormenta, playing its first season in the PDL. Much like summer collegiate baseball, the league provides opportunities for college talent to continue developing when school takes a break.

The opportunity, though, required Brighton — who has had his driver’s license only three months — to leave home in May and relocate to Statesboro, Ga. “That’s been a new experience,” Brighton said.

As the PDL season winds down, another move is coming next month — to Atlanta, where Brighton has a spot reserved in the youth academy of that city’s new Major League Soccer team. Atlanta United won’t make its MLS debut until 2017, but the academy starts this fall.

“My wife and I sometimes look at each other and think we’re crazy,” said John Brighton, James’ father. “But we’ve enjoyed watching all our kids pursue whatever they’re passionate about. In his case, it’s athletics. We’ve taken the time to research the opportunity, and we’ve become comfortable with it.”

In a way, Brighton has always been head of the class. He was a multisport talent in his preteen years, excelling in baseball and basketball in addition to soccer. There’s baseball in his bloodlines, too — grandfather Mike Wysocki pitched in the San Francisco Giants’ minor-league system in the late 1960s.

Baseball, though, never managed to grab young James as much as soccer.

“I just love the ball at my feet. Always have,” Brighton said, just finishing a practice session at Tormenta’s training base near Georgia Southern University. “It just never gets old. I think baseball started to get a little old, and with soccer I woke up every day wanting to play. That’s when I knew.”

Part of Storm Soccer Academy since the club’s 2010 inception, Brighton’s goal-scoring instincts made him a standout at every level.

“When I had him as a youth player, it’s hard to remember a game when he didn’t score or create a chance to score,” said Ben Freakley, now Tormenta’s coach.

“He’s by no means a finished product, but he’s definitely a polished one. He’s extremely competitive, always wants to win. You look at the qualities that you want a forward to have — a competitive mindset, technical skills, risk-taking abilities — James has it all.”

All of which made Brighton the perfect youth candidate when Tormenta FC was formed this spring. The club and Storm have a working partnership, with Storm founder Jeremy Aven holding co-ownership in the franchise.

Though the club is stocked with college players, it also was envisioned to offer the next step of development for Storm’s most elite players.

“That’s part of the development process around the rest of the world,” Aven said. “When kids hit age 15 or 16 and are very talented, they get thrown into the deep end with guys that are four or five years older.

“One of the reasons that we started this PDL team is to take guys like James Brighton … and put them out where the rest of the world would be. It continues to speed up the developmental process.”

Tormenta’s roster is dotted with players from such programs as Georgia Southern, South Carolina, Mercer, Florida Gulf Coast and College of Charleston. A few are on loan from clubs in the third-division United Soccer League, raising the median age even further.

A total of 70 clubs populate the PDL, which is divided into 10 regional divisions. Tormenta FC plays in the South Atlantic division, which stretches from West Virginia into Charlotte and Atlanta and down to Statesboro.

Of more than 1,700 players in the PDL this summer, Brighton is the youngest.

“It was a little intimidating,” acknowledged Brighton, who rooms with Tormenta captain Ayao Sossou. “It took a couple of weeks to really get used to the group and feel part of the guys because I’m so young. It was nerve-wracking, for sure.”

It took about two weeks to make the adjustment, as Brighton became adjusted to the speed of the higher level of play. After sitting the bench in the first few games, Brighton now comes on regularly as a second-half substitute.

“He is not a token player,” Freakley said. “I think James is one of those rare young players that understands the amount of work that it takes to be a pro. There would be no invitation without those qualities already on display.”

Now the question is how quickly Brighton can progress. Still two years from graduating high school, he’s verbally committed to playing collegiately at Clemson. After the whirlwind of recent months, though, he’s also expressed hopes of a pro contract when he turns 18.

“The pace is fine with me. I love that it’s moving fast,” he said. “I want to be playing the English Premier League or La Liga in Spain. That’s everybody’s dream, but it’s mine as well and has been for a while.”

Said Freakley: “He’s been on this journey for a very long time. I kind of think his journey is just starting, really.”

Great piece by Jeff Shain of the Island Packet