For the first time in 12 years, Christopher Columbus High School is back in the state final four. That was some debut, too, as the Explorers captured their only state soccer title in the school’s history.
Now, a Key Biscayne standout is leading the charge.
With the leadership of a Key Biscayne player, Jorge Gonzalez-Tello, the Explorers (16-4-5) have returned to the pinnacle, playing Windermere at 4 p.m. Tuesday at Spec Martin Field in DeLand, site of the Class 7A semifinals.
Top-ranked Palm Harbor faces Seminole at 7.
Gonzalez-Tello, son of Jorge Gonzalez Capeillo and Mariana Tello Sucre, owners of The Golden Hog, who are on their way to Spec Martin Stadium in DeLand, FL, has had an outstanding prep career, finishing with 13 goals as a junior last season and leading the team with 21 goals and 45 points as a senior forward.
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Courtesy of Mariana Tello de Gonzalez
Columbus, ranked 26th nationally by MaxPreps, is coming off of a stunning penalty kick victory against Cypress Bay in Weston, as well as a 2-1 victory against No. 2 Doral Academy in a Region 4-7A semifinal contest, also on the road.
Against Doral, Gonzalez-Tello added to his lengthy highlight reel by assisting on a first-half goal and scoring the eventual game-winner in the second half. Against Cypress Bay, he booted home a critical penalty kick after a 3-3 tie in the first 100 minutes.
The high school standout is a product of the Key Biscayne Soccer Club, where he trained under coach Hernan Acosta.
Back in 2014, the state champion Columbus players were honored at a Miami-Dade Commission meeting.