Ex-Vaquero soccer star dies in Turkey

Jordan Tabor, one of the top midfielders in SBCC men's soccer history, died on Wednesday during a vacation in Turkey, according to several news reports. The stories said the 23-year-old fell from a hotel balcony.

Tabor, a native of Oxford, England, was a captain on the 2011 Vaquero team that won the Western State Conference title, advanced to the State Final Four for the first time since 1998 and finished with an 18-2-4 record.
 
Tabor was the No. 12 scorer in California with 11 goals and 12 assists and earned first-team All-WSC honors. He recorded two of the longest goals in SBCC history, from 45 and 50 yards.

J.J. Saul was an SBCC teammate and good friend of Tabor's.  

"He was the best player I've ever played with," said Saul, who's entering his senior year on the Chico State soccer team. "He had the best left foot and he was a special player. Every time he got the ball, something good happened.

"I lived with him for a year and a half and he made everyone laugh. People loved being around him. He was a real charmer."

Tabor played four years with Chelsea's Youth Academy in England until 2009. Last year, he played for AFC Hinksey in Oxford, England.

"He was one of the best center mids we've had here if not the best and definitely the best left foot," said SBCC coach John Sisterson. "And I'm saying that with no disrespect to the other good left-footed players we've had.

"He was one of the main reasons we won the WSC championship that year and reached the Final Four. He was a very good player and an extremely popular member of the squad who will be sadly missed by everyone who knew him."