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	Photo by Graham Cullen Linganore's Teddy Gula flicks the ball over his head as Thomas Johnson's Tony Salatto closes during first-half play Thursday at TJ High.

He plans to attend Johnson and Wales University in Miami, where he can play soccer and study culinary arts. He wants to open a restaurant that combines culinary arts with magic because Stafford's also a magician.

"A lot of people at TJ know me as 'Magic Man,'" Stafford said. "Soccer, magic and the culinary arts are the three things I love."

The soccer part was on full display Thursday. Stafford scored the game-winning goal with 15 minutes, 35 seconds left to help the Patriots pull out a 1-0 win over Linganore .

It was an uplifting win for a TJ team coping with the loss of several injured players, including sophomore Jacob Brain. TJ coach J.P. Smith said Brain was still in the hospital after suffering what was believed to be a concussion in Tuesday's match against Middletown .

Smith called Brain before Thursday's match, seeing how the player was doing and asking what he wanted Smith to say to the team before it faced Linganore .

"He said, 'Just tell them to win,'" Smith said. "He definitely was in all our hearts and prayers tonight. And I think we won that game for him tonight."

Stafford played a prominent role in securing that win, scoring off a double assist from Daniel Alvarado and Sam Ebert-Zavos. Maybe his cooking helped him finish on a night when the Patriots had trouble cashing in on promising scoring opportunities.

"I will cook pasta 24-7 and keep my carbs up for the game," Stafford said. "That way, I can have things like the game-winner tonight. I had a big bowl of spaghetti before I came out here."

Stafford's in Frederick County Career & Technology Center's culinary program. He's competed in state and national competitions.

And then, there is his magic.

"He is very colorful," Smith said. "If we win, on the way back home, he'll do some interesting tricks for us."

Stafford does everything from card magic to coin magic to mentalism, which is reading minds and making predictions. He's been a aspiring magician since he was 4 years old.

"Most kids that age would get their first magic kit, play with it for about a week and then never touch it again," Stafford said. "For me, it was a different story. I took my first magic trick to my whole neighborhood and showed it to them. And from then, I just had a knack for doing it."

He also has a knack for scoring. His game-winner Thursday was his team-leading fifth goal, and that total came after he was out sick for some matches. He had a couple other scoring chances earlier before converting.

"I had so many chances all night," Stafford said. "I was like, 'This is the one I'm putting into the back of the net. I'm not missing another one this half.'"

Finishing has been a problem for the Patriots (3-3-3, 1-1-1). One of the team's top scorers, captain Matt Bertram, was only brought in so he could unleash his long throw-ins Thursday. Smith said the senior's been hampered with a strain or deep bruise on his thigh. The Patriots also played most of the match without striker Rolando Nieto -- another captain -- who's been bothered by a hamstring injury.

Fortunately, TJ has a tight defense that plays beyond its years. The back line is comprised of junior Nicolas Homble, freshman Chris Sloan and sophomore Tim Coss. And keeper Nick Moxley is a sophomore who doesn't let his size (Smith said he's about 5-foot-9) keep him from taking to the air to snatch passes destined for much bigger strikers. He had eight saves Thursday.

Linganore (4-5) suffered another one-goal loss, with the others coming against defending state champ Tuscarora, Liberty and South Carroll.

"A lot of close games," Linganore coach Josh Gilmore said. "We're still trying to figure out how to balance our defensive abilities and building the attack."

Logan Pomeroy had one save for the Lancers.