In ACE-Central soccer showdown, two brothers faced off on the pitch

In a crosstown match last week between the ACE Gryphons and Central Chargers, two brothers got the chance to play a game of soccer together.

It seems simple on paper. DJ, a senior goalkeeper, and Jameson, a freshman defender, took to the pitch and played in a competitive game that ACE eventually won thanks to a strong performance in the second half.

It was fun for parents Danielle and Bernie Fanning to watch their sons play together, as the age gap between them often meant they could not play rec league soccer together despite the fact that they’ve both played the sport since they were about 3 years old.

There was just one problem — DJ and Jameson were not on the same team.

Indeed, the older brother was in goal for the Gryphons while Jameson played center back for the Chargers, pitting two family members against each other and creating quite the conundrum for their dedicated parents.

“The whole game I was either just yelling ‘Go players!’ or cheering whenever one of the two of them touched the ball,” Danielle said. “Both teams know us because we help out. We’re pretty involved, so they knew what was happening.”

As is often the case, the older brother got the last laugh when his ACE Gryphons eventually pulled away for a 3-0 win. The shutout in goal felt even better for DJ with his brother playing on the other side, he said. It meant no goals from Jameson, which was the older sibling’s main priority (other than ACE winning, of course).

“I was just hoping (Jameson) didn’t score, that was my big thing,” DJ said. “I said before the game that if Jameson scored a goal on me, I’d just never play soccer again.”

Though it would have been fun to watch, Jameson didn’t get much of a chance to score because he was playing at center back for Central — not a particularly offensive position, but one the freshman has played well for a Chargers team that has improved greatly this year. He played solid defense against a talented striker for ACE.

“It was definitely a lot of pressure on me, I felt like maybe more than DJ because he’s in goal,” Jameson said. “I know a lot of people on the ACE team. Their striker likes to talk about how good he is, so it was kind of funny to shut him down.”

While the two teams are region opponents, the game would not ordinarily be a particularly intense one in terms of fanfare. But with folks aware of the two brothers facing off, there was quite the crowd for the showdown between the two Macon schools.

“There were a lot of people there. It was really special to have my family there — not just my family but, like, my whole family. Everyone was there,” DJ said. “It was a whole different atmosphere.”

The family even had shirts made especially for the game that read “House Divided” and featured both schools. DJ said he might have to hang onto one of the shirts for sentimental reasons.

The experience had another layer of excitement when the game turned out to be closer than many expected.

“We’re trying to build a strong program here at Central, and we’ve made a lot of improvements. I think (ACE) beat us 8-0 last year? So we played really well and actually shut them out in the first half,” Central head coach Eric McDonald said. “And of course Jameson was really excited to play against his brother. I joked with him about scoring a goal. I even joked with DJ a little.”

All in all, it felt like a unique experience — both sides wanted to win, of course, but there is a special camaraderie between teams with a connection. 

“I have a unique feel about that match because I was the coach of Central’s varsity program and played there for four years,” ACE head coach Robby Jones said. “I always want us to win, but I don’t mind seeing Central do well.”

Jones has brought tremendous success to ACE’s soccer program — he’s also the coach of the girls team, which reached the Final Four last season — and wants to see that success spread to other schools in Macon, especially his alma mater.

“Any time there’s a human interest thing, people love to read and hear about it. People like to get connected, and this is a unique one,” Jones said. “Central should be excited by the way they’re playing, too. They’ve got a great future and a coach that wants to invest in them. They’ve got a chance to make the playoffs this year still.”

The matchup between a perennial playoff team and a young, rising squad — combined with the crowd — made it one of the season’s more memorable games, according to the Fannings.

“Even on the sidelines, there were Central parents sitting with ACE parents. Robby’s connection with Central made it really great,” Danielle said.

The action on the field was fun for the brothers for a different reason, too.

“It was my first time seeing him actually play in a long time. He’s just gotten so much better as a player,” DJ said of his younger sibling. 

DJ was always busy with his own games and unable to watch as his brother blossomed. That work has paid its dividends, as the elder Fanning has become a stout keeper for the Gryphons.

“It’s very hard to score on DJ. He’s been our goalie since last year, and he has not allowed a single goal to a region opponent in that time,” Jones said. “John Mendoza is his goalkeeper coach. He’s done a lot of work with DJ as far as more specifically being a goalkeeper.”

With their duel out of the way, the Fanning brothers — and the Gryphons and Chargers — will go their separate ways, as DJ is in his final year at ACE, making future matchups between the siblings highly unlikely. Impressed with his team’s halftime adjustments, particularly in the passing game, Jones thought ACE was in good position. Central is still very much in contention in region play as well.