Florida's leading scorer ends high school career

Jacksonville Englewood midfielder Delmis Reyes averaged more than 3 goals a game

Delmis Reyes (11) controls the ball ahead of Ponte Vedra’s Tatum Townsend during a District 3-4A tournament semifinal on Monday, Feb. 3, 2020. Reyes entered the match with 62 varsity goals this season. However, she and the Rams were shut out by the Sharks 4-0. (Photos by Official Florida FC)

By Official Florida FC

Delmis Reyes scored an outstanding 62 goals this season for the Englewood High girls soccer team.

The senior midfielder scored at least one goal in 19 consecutive games heading into Monday night’s District 3-5A tournament semifinal. That run ended in a 4-0 loss to Ponte Vedra High School.

Delmis Reyes (11) showcases her close control during the second half of a Feb. 3, 2020 girls soccer game against Lillian Mace, right, and Ponte Vedra High School. Reyes, who leads Florida with 62 varsity goals this year, ended her season with Englewood’s 4-0 loss.

Reyes, whose goal-scoring exploits lead the state, ended her season with 62 goals and 15 assists.

“She could singlehandedly take over a game,” said Englewood girls soccer coach Lee Geiger. “She led our team in assists. She is not a girl who is only looking to score. At times, I think she is too unselfish.”

Geiger could not say enough good things about the midfielder who was a member of youth national teams in her native Honduras.

Reyes moved to Jacksonville a few years ago and was encouraged to play high school soccer by a friend.

According to Geiger, the high school friend who introduced the coach to the midfielder showed him a picture of Reyes playing for an Under-15 Honduran national team while she was 12. Despite taking a few years away from the game, Reyes returned during the 2018-19 season and made an immediate impact.

She scored 30 goals and assisted 12 others in 16 games to be named to the honorable mention All-First Coast girls soccer team by the Florida Times-Union.

“Playing internationally, you can tell she sees the field and is technically gifted,” Geiger said. “Her ability to hold her own and dribble through people (is phenomenal).”

What took Reyes to a different level this season was she had an offseason to regain her fitness. Once she did that, there was little stopping her.

Delmis Reyes, a midfielder for the Englewood High girls soccer team, leads Florida with 62 goals scored this year. Reyes was held off the scoresheet by Ponte Vedra defender Lillian Mace and the rest of the Sharks during Ponte Vedra’s 4-0 win in the District 3-5A tournament semifinals on Monday, Feb. 3, 2020.

Ponte Vedra may have won the game; but, Sharks players and coaches were impressed with the midfielder who may be diminutive in size, but possesses a gigantic impact.

Every time the Sharks lost the ball, all three levels had one mission: “watch (No.) 11.”

“She has stuff you can’t coach,” said Ponte Vedra girls soccer coach Dave Silverberg about Reyes. “You’re born with it. Making the right passes, she is as good as I have seen on the ball and with her soccer instincts. She is fun to watch.”

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