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When Carrollton Creekview senior puts best foot forward, look out
11:51 PM CST on Wednesday, March 1, 2006
By BRANDON GEORGE / Staff Writer
CARROLLTON – Carrollton Creekview's Jaime Benitez calls a soccer field his own little world. Few who have attempted to defend him would argue.
Benitez's coaches and teammates are often left in awe of the 19-year-old's video-game-like moves. The senior midfielder amazes his peers while maintaining intense focus on the field.
"I don't have any distractions when I'm playing – I don't let anything get into my head," Benitez said. "It's like my own place, where I can get away from everything."
Except the attention that shadows him. Despite his size (5-5, 130), Benitez has a rare combination of a sprinter's speed, a basketball player's footwork and a running back's leg power.
His dazzling moves and lightning shots helped him garner interest from some of the top college programs in the nation. Benitez recently signed with SMU, choosing the Mustangs over North Carolina, Memphis, Tulsa and others.
"He's one of those special players," Creekview coach Shane Bybee said. "He sees the field in a special way that's hard for you and me to think about."
Benitez leads Creekview with 13 goals. Bybee said Benitez is one of the top attacking players he's ever seen in high school.
Brennan Peacock, a senior forward, said Benitez isn't a fun matchup in practice.
"I don't ever get too close to him or he'll smoke me," Peacock said.
Bybee said Benitez's power comes from his experience playing futsal, an indoor soccer game played on a basketball-like court in which a much heavier ball is used.
"He played that a lot growing up," Bybee said, "and that's what he credits for his powerful shots."
Power isn't the only attribute of Benitez's shots on goal.
"His shot always has some kind of funky curl to it," Bybee said. "His shots come in fast and hard, and because of the way he strikes the ball, it bends to the goalkeeper's right. It's like a sinker or curveball in baseball."
Bybee said he's seen Benitez make several goalkeepers look foolish.
"I can't tell you how many goalkeepers I've seen in the last two years where they will jump to the left because that's where it looks like the ball is going," Bybee said.
Benitez, who is left-footed, is also difficult to mark. Though he has a dominant left foot, he can have defenders knotted up by using either foot.
"The things he does – his ideas with the ball – are just amazing," Peacock said. "He's also different than any other soccer player because you can't read him. He's unpredictable. He keeps the defense confused all the time."
Peacock said one of his best recollections of Benitez's dazzling ability came in a match against Carrollton R.L. Turner. Benitez was facing a free-kick situation from 45 yards out.
"One of the Turner players knew he had a good shot – but from 45 yards, no one around can make a free kick from 45 yards – so the kid looked at him and said, 'You got such a good shot, why don't you shoot it, Jaime?' " Peacock recalled. "So, Jaime shot it and put it in the back of the net. I just started laughing. The kid had this clueless look on his face, like ... 'How did that happen?' "
JASON JANIK/Special Contributor
Carrollton Creekview's Jaime Benitez (second from right) leads the team in scoring and in an end-of- practice get-together. Bybee said Benitez has a rare ability to play a soccer ball between a defender's legs while he and his defender are in a full sprint, almost toying with his opposition.
"It's not something I've ever seen a high school player do as consciously as he does it," Bybee said. "It's an amazing thing to see him do it."
Benitez said he was born to play soccer. He's played since he was 3.
"I grew up watching my dad play and watching games on TV – I quickly fell in love with the sport," Benitez said. "But really, I think I was already in love with the sport in my mom's stomach."
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JAIME BENITEZ
School: Carrollton Creekview, Sr.
Position: Midfielder
Notable: Benitez transferred to Creekview last season from W.T. White. He played on W.T. White's varsity as a freshman and sophomore. ... Benitez grew up in Dallas and learned the sport from watching his father play with friends. ... Benitez's brother, Dennis, was a midfielder at W.T. White before graduating in 2004. ... Benitez plays center midfield for Creekview in its one-forward offense but said he will probably play outside midfielder at SMU. ... Benitez plays forward for FC Texas '88 Black.
Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2006 10:46 pm