Caio Correa gives Whalers a leg up
Sets school scoring records in consecutive years
BY STEVE SHEPPARD
Caio Correa's reputation as a soccer player preceded him - when he was still in

Nantucket High School sophomore Caio Correa (above, left) leads all players in the state in scoring with 41 points on the season thus far. "He's got a rare talent," boys' soccer coach Rich Brannigan (above, right) said. "You don't see any kids in the U.S. doing what he can do." The likable sixteen-year-old credits his teammates for his successes on the field. The Whalers are poised to capture another Lighthouse League title and are gearing up for the state playoffs.

fourth grade.

"My mother was his first teacher on Nantucket," boys' varsity coach Rich Brannigan said last week. "It didn't take long for word to reach me that there was a Brazilian kid who could juggle a soccer ball with his feet."

When he arrived on the varsity squad last year, the talented striker helped lead Nantucket to its best record ever. He capped the season by setting the school scoring record with 40 points and finishing in the top three in scoring in eastern Massachusetts.

Less than a year later, as the Whalers prepare for a return to the state playoffs, the 16-year-old broke his own school record Sunday afternoon and is leading all players in Massachusetts in scoring with 24 goals and 17 assists for 41 total points, nine points ahead of the number two scorer. "He's certainly a special player," Brannigan says. "He scored 31 goals last year as a freshman. And then to follow that up. ... When the year began we weren't sure where the season would take him. We've never had anyone exactly like him, a player who's been able to make such an immediate impact."

NHS has had its soccer legends during its reign - the Pochman brothers, Jeremy and Justin, and Robby Sulzer come to mind, but Caio brings the ability to affect a game just by being in the lineup. Brannigan calls it "game changing potential - no one's been able to do that.

"When he's on the field, he makes everyone around him better."

Caio (pronounced KI-o) began playing soccer in his home city of Rio de Janeiro when he was five-years-old. "My dad was a professional soccer player there," he said. "I've seen tapes of my dad playing. People say I remind them of him."

"Whatever he picked up in Brazil is unbelievable," Brannigan points out. "You don't see any kids in the U. S. doing what he can do."

Caio is one of the rare student athletes who has the "it" factor that coaches drool over. His talent is undeniable, but Correa has inherent qualities that put him in the "I know it when I see it" category. His abilities are such that last summer he played with distinction alongside his father, Luiz, in the island's adult soccer league - so much so that he was named player of the year. His father helps him with his technique, points out admirable traits in other players, but he also reminds his son that there are other goals to conquer. "My dad says, 'Be a star in school; be a star on the field,'" Caio notes.

It will be advice that Caio will take with him, sooner rather than later. After the tournament games are over, he plans to return to Brazil, where he has an opportunity to play at a level beyond what is offered in this country, and a chance to enter the professional ranks. He's confident that he's ready for the move; it's something he has to try.

"Obviously, I'd like to see him stay," coach Brannigan says. "He could play for a Division One college when he graduates. But who knows where this will take him?"

For now, though, Correa is concentrating on finishing the season with the teammates he's been with since their junior soccer years. One player does not make a team, and this year's edition is special. Brannigan points to Caleb Mitchell and Toby Glidden as

his other "impact" players, forming a triumvirate that anchors each team aspect - Mitchell the midfield; Glidden the defense and Correa the offense. "The three are integral to the success of the team," Brannigan noted. "When everybody's firing on all cylinders it's pretty impressive."

The Whalers are so dominant as a team that, after Correa, the second leading scorer in the Lighthouse League is Philipe Bazilio (9 goals, 9

assists), and the leading goalie is Russell Bartlett with a 1.46 goals allowed on average. With an overall record of 10-2-1 Nantucket also boasts one of the best records in eastern Massachusetts as well. The Whalers can clinch the Lighthouse League championship with a win tomorrow at Cape Cod Academy.

It's truly a team to watch. "For this group of seniors it's their time to make a statement," Brannigan said.

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