Local athletes find a home at Clearwater

Abigail and Gabriel Marino at the 2010 National Tournament for the Clearwater Christian College womens’ soccer team. Photo Courtesy Clearwater Christian College CLEARWATER, FLA. — While Genesee Christian grad Gabriel Marino may have moved on from the women’s soccer team at Clearwater Christian College, her sister Abigail is continuing on with the Lady Cougars as they attempt to reach the top of the National Christian College Athletic Association II ladder. Last year, Clearwater lost to Toccoa Falls College, 2-1, in the first round of the NCCAA II South Regional Tournament, the exact same way the team’s 2007 season came to an end after getting eliminated by Southeastern University, 3-0, in 2008 and 2009.

“Gabriel graduated last year as a four-year soccer player for CCC. While not a starter her senior year, Gabriel was a hard working player that was always ready to support the team on the field and also as a trainer in practices and during pre-game,” said Clearwater director of recruitment and head women’s soccer coach Mark Bates. “Abigail, nick-named Amar among the team, was a starter at center-midfield when the 2010 season started but went down with a torn ACL during our third game of the season. She had ACL surgery in September and did her rehab during the remainder of the year. She has been training hard and played pretty well in the spring games. We are looking to her senior leadership and play this season to be an inspiration to the rest of the team.”

Last season, Abigail Marino earned an individual nod by winning the Coaches Award for a Clearwater team that went 5- 10-3 overall. Prior to that, Abigail played 21 games as a sophomore during the 2009-10 campaign, scoring once. With Clearwater finishing the season at 9-16 overall, Gabriel Marino, who was also a midfielder, had two goals in 17 appearances for her junior year.

“Abigail is one of the hardest working, competitive players on our squad and should be a help to our freshman players as they arrive and try to get used to the college game,” Bates said.

As a freshman in 2008-09, Abigail Marino took the field 18 times for the Lady Cougars and connected for a pair of scores. That season Clearwater ended up with a record of 2-14-2. This year the team starts things off with a United States College Athletic Association contest at Florida College on Aug. 30 after a scrimmage at National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics rival Florida Memorial University on Aug. 20 and playing an Alumni contest on Aug. 27. That sets up Clearwater for its home opener on Sept. 2 against Ave Maria (NAIA) before it travels to Tennessee Temple University (NCCAA) on Sept. 8.