No mistaking Khoury's talent on the field

Geordi Khoury didn't experience an identity crisis when he enrolled at Bishop England in 2005.

It was more like a case of mistaken identity.

Khoury was one of the Lowcountry's most promising soccer players, and most of the students and faculty wanted to know if the freshman was related to boys soccer coach Ed Khouri.

"It was the first thing anybody asked me," said Khoury, who has played on three state championship teams. "I heard it all the time, every day. I still hear it today from the new students, the freshmen."

Said coach Khouri: "Some of the referees, they asked me if he was my son."

Note the spelling: It's Khoury the player and Khouri the coach.

And remember the name: Geordi Khoury will end his career as the school's No. 2 all-time scorer. Lawrence Smith scored 110 goals in a remarkable career and the Lowcountry's most remarkable player, Temoc Suarez, finished his career with more than 80 goals. Khoury has 85 career goals and could end up close to 100.

Khoury the player said it is a privilege to be in such elite company. Khouri the coach said it is an honor.

"To be in the company of Temoc Suarez and Lawrence Smith, that says a lot," coach Khouri said. "Temoc was a national player, a two-time Parade All-American. Lawrence is in the pro ranks overseas. That's impressive company to be in, right there."

Khoury showed great promise as an eighth-grader, scoring 29 goals as a member of the junior varsity team.

He started at forward as a freshman and scored 13 goals for the state champion Bishops. He scored 33 goals his sophomore season and was on pace to break Smith's record. He had 46 goals, while Smith had 40 after two years. But then came the drought. He had only 18 goals a junior. That kept Smith's record safe for now.

"It's something I don't worry about," Khoury said "It's not all about me. I do what the team needs, and we did have a lot of players who did well that year. We had a lot of players step up."

Khoury is back on track as a scoring machine this spring. He has 21 goals in 14 games for the top-ranked Bishops. But goals aren't on his mind. He's thinking about gold — gold medals.

"We have a chance to win the state championship," Khoury said. "We have a chance, and if we do, it will be the first time in school history that the soccer team has won five straight state championships."

Khoury's club experience is just as impressive as his high school accomplishments. He's played in Belize, Mexico, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica and England.

When it came time to choose a college, he decided to stay close to home. He will play for the College of Charleston, which is coached by Ralph Lundy.

"When it came down to choosing a college, it came down to the College of Charleston and South Carolina," Khoury said. "Coach Lundy and coach Khouri have been my soccer mentors all my life. It was more natural to go to the College of Charleston."