Columbus East’s Martin Simon Rodriguez looks up as he dribbles into the box to take a shot during a soccer match against Jennings County at the BCSC Soccer Complex in Columbus, Ind., Thursday, Sept. 14, 2023.
Mike Wolanin | The Republic
After Columbus East scored only 12 goals the entire 2022 boys soccer season, coach Josh Gonsior had hopes of increasing that total dramatically this year.
Then, Martin Simon Rodriguez arrived, and the hopes became even greater.
An exchange student from Spain, Simon Rodriguez has scored 19 of the Olympians’ 32 goals this season. Two weeks ago, he had back-to-back four-goal games in leading East to wins against Franklin and Jennings County, and on Saturday, he netted a hat trick in a 4-1 win against Jeffersonville to close the regular season.
“It took about 30 seconds to tell that he would be able to play,” Gonsior said. “I asked him where he played, and he said on the wing or the guy that scores all the goals, and I said that’s exactly what I want.”
Columbus East’s Martin Simon Rodriguez looks up as he dribbles through the Jennings County defense during a soccer match against Jennings County at the BCSC Soccer Complex in Columbus, Ind., Thursday, Sept. 14, 2023.
Mike Wolanin | The Republic
Simon Rodriguez didn’t arrive in Columbus until Aug. 16, two weeks after school started and 2 1/2 weeks after official practice began. He had to get in the IHSAA-required eight practices before playing in a game, meaning he would have to miss the Olympians’ first three scheduled contests.
But after East was rained out of its season opener against Perry Meridian and managed a 2-2 tie against Roncalli, the Olympians’ rivalry game against Columbus North was moved back two days because of a heat wave. That allowed Simon Rodriguez to have enough practices in to be able to help East to a 1-1 tie against the state-ranked Bull Dogs.
“Thankfully, we were very happy to have him for that game for sure,” Gonsior said.
Columbus East’s Martin Simon Rodriguez, left, gets past Jennings County’s Tyler Marksberry during a soccer match against Jennings County at the BCSC Soccer Complex in Columbus, Ind., Thursday, Sept. 14, 2023.
Mike Wolanin | The Republic
Simon Rodriguez started playing soccer in his hometown of Madrid at around age 9 or 10 and also played a little rugby and tennis when he was younger. When he decided to come to America as an exchange student, he knew he wanted to play soccer while he was here.
“I wanted to have the experience of one year here in the United States,” Simon Rodriguez said. “The competition is very high. I like it because I have to put my max in to accomplish things.”
“I got a message from his host mom the week before he came that he was coming and wanted to play,” Gonsior added. “He actually has a fellow foreign exchange student, a Brazilian, living in his house, as well, and I was like, ‘Hey, can we get him to play, too,’ and he ended up not wanting to play. So we were happy to get Martin in, and we are very pleased.”
Columbus East’s Martin Simon Rodriguez, left, celebrates with teammate Emilio Quintero Aguirre after scoring a goal in a soccer match against Jennings County at the BCSC Soccer Complex in Columbus, Ind., Thursday, Sept. 14, 2023.
Mike Wolanin | The Republic
Simon Rodriguez, who plans to return to Spain next year and go to college to become an animal biologist, is staying with host parents Scott and Jill Nabors while in Columbus.
“It’s been wonderful,” Simon Rodriguez said. “I’m very happy. I think I am a lucky person because my host father is very good, and I love the soccer team at the school.”
Gonsior also credited senior goalkeeper Gus Sciano with transporting Simon Rodriguez to and from practice.
“He stepped up and has been his ride since he got here, and the Sciano family has welcomed him in like one of their own,” Gosnior said. “Our team is all about family, and I think that sends the perfect message.”
Martin Simon Rodriguez
With East set to play in this week’s North Sectional, beginning with a 6 p.m. Tuesday game against Franklin, Simon Rodriguez hopes to challenge Chris Quisenberry’s single-season school record of 26 goals.
“Obviously, him putting the ball in the net has been huge for us,” Gonsior said. “I thought this season was going to be quite a bit better in goal scoring without him, but him added to the mix is kind of making everybody better. He’s one of those players that makes all the players around him better with how he trains and just how he sees the game. He gives a lot of our technical players a better opportunity to play a different kind of game than typically we would. Just having that quality there means the world to this team.”
