Top-ranked Georgia Perimeter looks to defend its NJCAA Division I men’s title at the national finals that kick off Thursday in Tyler, Texas.
The Jaguars (21-0-1) are led by a pair of freshmen from the Miami area, Martin Nunez and Heber Hernandez, who ranked No. 2 and No. 4 nationally among JC scores and have combined for 54 of GPC’s 114 goals. Another freshman, Lucas Rogue, leads the nation’s two-year colleges in assists with 21.
Yavapai and Mercer County, two long-time JC powerhouses, square off in Thursday’s quarterfinals. Yavapai has won five national titles, beating Mercer in the 2002 and 2003 final. In 2004, Mercer beat Georgia Perimeter in the final for Coach Charlie Inverso‘s fifth NJCAA title and Vikings’ eighth overall. Both schools have a long tradition of producing players who move on to the pros. Trinidad & Tobago World Cup playerrs Stern John and Avery John went to Mercer and Yavapai, respectively.
NJCAA D1 MEN’S QUARTERFINALS
Nov. 16 in Tyler, Texas
#1 Yavapai (22-0-1) vs. Mercer County (13-2-3)
#3 Louisburg (15-1-3) vs. Northern Oklahoma -Tonkawa (17-3-0)
#4 Illinois Central (17-1-0) vs. Jefferson (18-3-2)
#1 Georgia Perimeter (21-0-1) vs. DuPage (15-1-4)