He's Junior Bioh, and he's tough to slow down
By Staff
It was the only thing Junior Bioh did that even mildly annoyed his coach.
With 10 minutes left in Friday’s 6-0 boys soccer victory over Liberty, the Stonewall Jackson midfielder came out of the game, and went immediately to the sidelines to change clothes as action continued.
Bioh’s white No. 7 game jersey and shorts were replaced with baggy boxers, long pants and a Stonewall Jackson jacket. He returned to the bench looking as natty as someone possibly can who just played a soccer game and didn't shower.
The quick change routine is probably familiar to Bioh, a high school star who plays a ton of soccer. A pro team in France has offered to sign the junior speedster. George Mason University wants him to commit right now, and he scores goals for the D.C. United youth team on weekends.
“He kicks it around with Jaime Moreno in practice,” says coach Stonewall coach Hans Etienne.
With two assists and a goal, Bioh put on a bravura display against the Eagles.
In the sixth minute, Bioh took a direct route right through the left side of the LHS defense. Motoring past three would-be defenders, he sent a crisp crossing pass that Vasy Cin finished.
In the 14th minute, Wilson Mendez sent a blistering shot past Eagle goalkeeper Blake Weiss. It was set up by a Bioh pass.
The Raiders added four goals after halftime, one on a penalty kick by Bioh.
When it was all over, it was impossible not to be entertained by Bioh. “He’s a special player, you don’t see many like that in your lifetime,” said coach Etienne, who played at Southern Connecticut State.
“I saw an opening, and it just kept opening up,” Bioh said about his first half beeline towards the LHS net.
About his penalty kick, Bioh smiled. “I usually go right, I shot this one up the middle,” Bioh said of the placement on the sizzling shot.
Despite a loss that dropped them to 0-3 in the Cedar Run District, Liberty (1-6-2 overall) kept battling.
Down 5-0, Alex Sherman nearly scored on a breakaway in the 70th minute, but Stonewall keeper Carlos Soto ventured out of the goal to make a nice save.
Making the score worse for the Eagles was an own goal with 36 seconds left. Coming off a free kick it glanced off the head of an Eagle defender right past keeper Ryan Schmidt.
Three games into the season, it’s obvious Liberty’s chances of winning the competitive Cedar Run are probably gone, but that’s more a reflection of how tough the league is — a league that features Bioh.
Now 2-0 in the Cedar Run and 6-3 overall, Stonewall hopes to challenge Osbourn and Battlefield for the district title.