By KEVIN ECKLEBERRY

Daily News

The summer season continued for the Sea Turtles, who enjoyed a successful weekend in Hiram.

The Sea Turtles is a LaGrange-based organization featuring a handful of soccer teams that compete in three-on-three tournaments across the area.

Five of those teams were at Hiram High on Saturday for the tournament.

All five of the Sea Turtles’ teams finished fifth or higher.

That included the two teams composed of members of the LaGrange High boys’ soccer team.

Sea Turtles one finished second, losing 8-5 in the championship game, and Sea Turtles two finished fourth after losing the third-place game in overtime.

Finishing third was the Sea Turtles 05 team, as well as the Sea Turtles 07 team.

The Sea Turtles’ girls’ team fell short in the third-place game and finished fourth.

Earlier this month, the Sea Turtles competed in another tournament and fared well.

Two LaGrange teams met in the finals, with Sea Turtles two beating Sea Turtles one in overtime.

The Sea Turtles opened for business in the summer of 2018, with LaGrange High boys’ coach Shane Pulliam founding the organization.

While many of the players are back for a second year, there are also some newcomers to three-on-three soccer, and Pulliam said it’s a learning experience for them.

The three-on-three game is drastically different than the 11-on-11 game the players are used to.

“The decisions are quicker because the field’s smaller, and so you have to think quicker, you have to talk quicker,” said Pulliam, who has had two successful seasons as LaGrange’s head coach. “Your skill has to be cleaner, because you don’t have as much time to bring the ball down because you’re under pressure.”

Pulliam’s message to the newcomers is to come into it with the understanding that there will be an adjustment process.

“The first time’s not going to go good,” Pulliam said. “They have to know that, and you become invested that you’ll continue to do it, and you’ll see the improvement.”