Plant's first boys region playoff victory since 2003 likely couldn't have come in more dramatic fashion.
The Panthers scored on what was probably their final attack of the game to equalize on a header by John Fernandez before Danny Johnson scored in the 97th minute to give his side a 2-1 victory against Countryside on Thursday night, setting off crazy scene's at Dad's Stadium, writes the St. Petersburg Times' Eduardo A. Encina.
Plant has had a remarkable second season under Coach Chris Carbon, but this victory is, at least on paper, its most impressive to date. Now the Panthers will hit the road to take on a Palm Harbor side that only advanced past Bloomingdale 1-0 in a penalty shootout.
While losing in a shootout is always disappointing, Bloomingdale looks like a team on the rise. The Bulls only lose five seniors from this year's team should the rest of the roster return, and will have the highly talented Tevin Gage returning for his senior season.
Speaking of penalty shootouts, Gaither managed to squeak through against Port Charlotte after goalkeeper John Nardozzi made a save in the first round of sudden-death for a 2-1 victory, David Briggs having scored on the prior kick for what proved to be the game-winner.
The Cowboys will now get a district final rematch with Sickles, which cruised to victory against Punta Gorda Charlotte 3-0. As the Times' John C. Cotey writes, the Gryphons throw-ins, provided predominantly by Ben Wiley on Thursday thanks to Tyler Deming's absence, were crucial to their advancement to the region semifinals for the first time in school history.
There will also be rematches in the other two local 5A semifinals as Newsome routed Brooksville Central 7-1 behind Steven Gonzalez's hat trick, and Plant City edged out Ocala Forest 2-1, although someone should probably mention that the Raiders first loss came in the Wharton Invitational to Hillsborough.
East Lake and Seminole will also face off again, both sides easing through to the region semifinals as the Eagles defeated Pinellas Park 5-0 and the Warhawks blasted Northeast 7-1.
In Class 4A, the "unofficial Pasco County Championship" game, so dubbed by Mitchell coach Oscar Ubillus, is on for Tuesday night as the Mustangs will face Land O' Lakes for a place in the region final. Mitchell defeated Wiregrass Ranch 5-1 on Thursday night, while the Gators defeated Wesley Chapel 3-0.
Jesuit also moved on, but had to survive a late rally by Lakewood Ranch to hold on for a 3-2 victory. The Tigers will need to be better against a Palmetto team that romped past Steinbrenner 5-0 in Tuesday's region semifinal.
Berkeley Prep and Clearwater Central Catholic will face off again for a place in the Class 3A-Region 3 final, the Buccaneers cruising to a 5-0 victory against Frostproof, while the Marauders got two late first half goals to advance past Mulberry 2-0.
Tampa Prep will also face a rematch against Indian Rocks Christian after Anthony Baumann (four assists) and Wes Sever (four goals) allowed the Terrapins to cruise past Bradenton St. Stephen's 6-0. IRC advanced with a 3-0 victory against Out-of-Door Academy thanks to Cody Sitton's hat trick, but Seffner Christian's run came to an end with a 4-0 defeat at Florida Air.
Showing posts with label Land O' Lakes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Land O' Lakes. Show all posts
Friday, February 5, 2010
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Preps: Big Prep Saturday highlighted by Land O' Lakes late winner
If you checked the TBO.com prep page this morning, you'll have noticed that Saturday was a really big day for local prep soccer. Two excellent private school games, and the start of the Wharton Invitational made for a very busy, but fascinating day.
First up, Land O' Lakes' Zach Higgins grabbed the Gators a late victory against Plant in a highly entertaining contest.
http://www2.tbo.com/content/2010/jan/17/sp-higgins-late-goal-lifts-land-o-lakes/sports-prepsports/
Plant was good, but as Coach Chris Carbon noted, the Panthers' inability to put away chances is something they have to work on if they are to first win Class 6A-8 and then make some inroads in the region tournament. With Countryside and Palm Harbor appearing the favorites to advance from 6A-7, the Panthers will have their hands full from the region quarterfinals on should they advance that far.
On the other hand, if Land O' Lakes is on its game, they are a match for anyone. If they advance from Pool C in this tournament, and I think they should with games remaining against King and Bloomingdale, the semifinal match-up against Sickles or Newsome could a a tremendous one for the neutral fan.
As for the district/region playoffs, Land O' Lakes quarterfinal against whichever side comes out of Class 5A-8, which could be anyone from Plant City, Newsome, East Bay or Durant, could be one of the best local games of the season.
Up next, Bob Bauman's 500th victory for Jesuit.
http://www2.tbo.com/content/2010/jan/17/boys-soccer-jesuits-bauman-earns-milestone-victory/sports-prepsports/
This is the Jesuit that needs to show up for the rest of the season. If that happens, they are a legitimate threat to win a state title in Class 4A. The question is if the side can maintain the focus. A Bauman himself noted, sometimes the Tigers make things more difficult than they should for themselves. Treat every opponent as they did CCC yesterday, and the Tigers should be at the University of Tampa.
Last, Tampa Catholic's stunning victory against Tampa Prep.
http://www2.tbo.com/content/2010/jan/17/boys-soccer-crusaders-surge-past-tampa-prep/sports-prepsports/
The difference between TC's Andrew Buckley before he scored and after was amazing. The moment he fired the Crusaders into the lead, you could see the weight lift off his shoulders, indicated further by his second goal two minutes later. If they face Berkeley in the Class 3A-10 final two weeks from now, that is going to be a must-see.
As for the Terrapins, don't dismiss them yet. Yes, there are issues with Tampa Prep right now, and the lack of goals is a big concern, but I believe that with the way the side is working right now, it is going to come for them. You get the impression that when the playoffs start, Anthony Baumann is going to put this team on his shoulders and will them to victory, and when he raises his game, which is already at a very high level, Wes Sever and Aaron Burrell are going to feast.
First up, Land O' Lakes' Zach Higgins grabbed the Gators a late victory against Plant in a highly entertaining contest.
http://www2.tbo.com/content/2010/jan/17/sp-higgins-late-goal-lifts-land-o-lakes/sports-prepsports/
Plant was good, but as Coach Chris Carbon noted, the Panthers' inability to put away chances is something they have to work on if they are to first win Class 6A-8 and then make some inroads in the region tournament. With Countryside and Palm Harbor appearing the favorites to advance from 6A-7, the Panthers will have their hands full from the region quarterfinals on should they advance that far.
On the other hand, if Land O' Lakes is on its game, they are a match for anyone. If they advance from Pool C in this tournament, and I think they should with games remaining against King and Bloomingdale, the semifinal match-up against Sickles or Newsome could a a tremendous one for the neutral fan.
As for the district/region playoffs, Land O' Lakes quarterfinal against whichever side comes out of Class 5A-8, which could be anyone from Plant City, Newsome, East Bay or Durant, could be one of the best local games of the season.
Up next, Bob Bauman's 500th victory for Jesuit.
http://www2.tbo.com/content/2010/jan/17/boys-soccer-jesuits-bauman-earns-milestone-victory/sports-prepsports/
This is the Jesuit that needs to show up for the rest of the season. If that happens, they are a legitimate threat to win a state title in Class 4A. The question is if the side can maintain the focus. A Bauman himself noted, sometimes the Tigers make things more difficult than they should for themselves. Treat every opponent as they did CCC yesterday, and the Tigers should be at the University of Tampa.
Last, Tampa Catholic's stunning victory against Tampa Prep.
http://www2.tbo.com/content/2010/jan/17/boys-soccer-crusaders-surge-past-tampa-prep/sports-prepsports/
The difference between TC's Andrew Buckley before he scored and after was amazing. The moment he fired the Crusaders into the lead, you could see the weight lift off his shoulders, indicated further by his second goal two minutes later. If they face Berkeley in the Class 3A-10 final two weeks from now, that is going to be a must-see.
As for the Terrapins, don't dismiss them yet. Yes, there are issues with Tampa Prep right now, and the lack of goals is a big concern, but I believe that with the way the side is working right now, it is going to come for them. You get the impression that when the playoffs start, Anthony Baumann is going to put this team on his shoulders and will them to victory, and when he raises his game, which is already at a very high level, Wes Sever and Aaron Burrell are going to feast.
Monday, January 11, 2010
Preps: Wharton Invitational schedule announced
The draw for this year’s Wharton Invitational has been announced, with the Pool D draw that will see current Coaches Poll No.1 face No.5 Newsome appearing the standout game of the first round.
Host Wharton has been drawn in the same pool as current poll No.2 and undefeated Plant City. The Raiders could also have the possibility of facing Sickles in the final should both sides find their way through the draw, which also sees Pasco County’s Land O’ Lakes included this season.
The tournament begins this Saturday at the Temple Terrace Spirit Fields on Highway 301, and will return to Wharton High’s stadium for Wednesday’s semifinals and Thursday’s final. The complete schedule is listed below.
2010 Wharton Invitational
At Temple Terrace Spirit Fields
Highway 301
Pool play
Pool A
Saturday, Jan. 16
Wharton vs. Hillsborough, 3:45 p.m.
Lennard vs. Plant City, 5:45 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 19
Wharton vs. Lennard, 8 a.m.
Hillsborough vs. Plant City 8 a.m.
Hillsborough vs. Lennard, noon
Wharton vs. Plant City, 2 p.m.
Pool B
Saturday, Jan. 16
Freedom vs. Alonso, 3:45 p.m.
East Bay vs. Durant, 3:45 p.m.
Alonso vs. East Bay, 7:45 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 19
Freedom vs. East Bay, 8 p.m.
Alonso vs. Durant, 10 a.m.
Freedom vs. Durant, 4 p.m.
Pool C
Saturday, Jan. 16
Plant vs. Land O’ Lakes, 5:45 p.m.
Bloomingdale vs. King, 5:45 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan 19
Plant vs. Bloomingdale, 10 a.m.
Land O’ Lakes vs. King, 10 a.m.
Plant vs. King, 2 p.m.
Land O’ Lakes vs. Bloomingdale, 2 p.m.
Pool D
Saturday, Jan.16
Newsome vs. Brandon, 7:45 p.m.
Strawberry Crest vs. Sickles, 7:45 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 19
Newsome vs. Strawberry Crest, noon
Sickles vs. Brandon, noon
Newsome vs. Sickles, 4 p.m.
Brandon vs. Strawberry Crest, 4 p.m.
At Wharton High
Wednesday, Jan. 20
Semifinals
Pool A winner vs. Pool B winner, 6 p.m.
Pool C winner vs. Pool D winner, 8 p.m.
Thursday, Jan. 21
Final
Semifinals winners, 8 p.m.
Host Wharton has been drawn in the same pool as current poll No.2 and undefeated Plant City. The Raiders could also have the possibility of facing Sickles in the final should both sides find their way through the draw, which also sees Pasco County’s Land O’ Lakes included this season.
The tournament begins this Saturday at the Temple Terrace Spirit Fields on Highway 301, and will return to Wharton High’s stadium for Wednesday’s semifinals and Thursday’s final. The complete schedule is listed below.
2010 Wharton Invitational
At Temple Terrace Spirit Fields
Highway 301
Pool play
Pool A
Saturday, Jan. 16
Wharton vs. Hillsborough, 3:45 p.m.
Lennard vs. Plant City, 5:45 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 19
Wharton vs. Lennard, 8 a.m.
Hillsborough vs. Plant City 8 a.m.
Hillsborough vs. Lennard, noon
Wharton vs. Plant City, 2 p.m.
Pool B
Saturday, Jan. 16
Freedom vs. Alonso, 3:45 p.m.
East Bay vs. Durant, 3:45 p.m.
Alonso vs. East Bay, 7:45 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 19
Freedom vs. East Bay, 8 p.m.
Alonso vs. Durant, 10 a.m.
Freedom vs. Durant, 4 p.m.
Pool C
Saturday, Jan. 16
Plant vs. Land O’ Lakes, 5:45 p.m.
Bloomingdale vs. King, 5:45 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan 19
Plant vs. Bloomingdale, 10 a.m.
Land O’ Lakes vs. King, 10 a.m.
Plant vs. King, 2 p.m.
Land O’ Lakes vs. Bloomingdale, 2 p.m.
Pool D
Saturday, Jan.16
Newsome vs. Brandon, 7:45 p.m.
Strawberry Crest vs. Sickles, 7:45 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 19
Newsome vs. Strawberry Crest, noon
Sickles vs. Brandon, noon
Newsome vs. Sickles, 4 p.m.
Brandon vs. Strawberry Crest, 4 p.m.
At Wharton High
Wednesday, Jan. 20
Semifinals
Pool A winner vs. Pool B winner, 6 p.m.
Pool C winner vs. Pool D winner, 8 p.m.
Thursday, Jan. 21
Final
Semifinals winners, 8 p.m.
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Preps: Countryside advances past Palm Harbor, Land O' Lakes falls late
TAMPA – Countryside scored twice in the first 10 minutes and then held off a strong Palm Harbor rally in the second half to advance to the semifinals of the High School Soccer Classic at the Ed Radice Sports Complex on Tuesday afternoon.
The Cougars capitalized on a pair of errors by the Hurricanes to jump out in front quickly, Max Seijo and Zack Schriver finding the net for a 2-0 lead. Countryside assistant coach Colby Beckman, filling in for Coach Dave Sica, said his side had made an adjustment to its starting formation that paid big dividends.
“We decided we wanted to push an extra guy forward,” Beckman said. “Not play out normal flat back four to try and jump on them early, that was the idea to put them on their heels, and luckily our guys were skilled enough to do it.”
Countryside’s Jagger Martinez added a third for the Cougars early in the second half, but the Hurricanes roared back getting goals from P.J. McDonald and Ben Sweat to make the score 3-2. Palm Harbor coach Alex Delgado said he thought the introduction of Austin Sweat gave his side the lift it needed.
“He came in, and he sparked the whole comeback, I think,” Delgado said. “He came in and changed things around.”
Beckman said he thought as the second half wore on his side played more not to lose than to win, but the Cougars were able to add an insurance goal just before the final whistle, Martinez’s second of the game, that allowed them to move on.
Countryside will face New Orleans Jesuit in the semifinals, but after a challenging week that has seen a lot of things go against the Cougars, Beckman is looking forward to another big challenge.
“A great side, it’ll be a great test for our team to see if we can fight through the tired legs,” Beckman said. “We’re looking forward to the opportunity.”
Land O’ Lakes could, and likely should, have joined the Cougars in the semifinals, but after creating the better chances and controlling the majority of play in the second half against Orlando Bishop Moore, the Gators allowed a late goal to give the Hornets a 2-1 victory.
Land O’ Lakes fell behind early, and was not playing up to its normal standard, but the Gators got back on level terms just before halftime as Jake Frahm scored on a brilliant strike from 25 yards out to make the score 1-1 at the break.
The Gators then had opportunities to take the lead in the second half, but a pair of good headers went over the bar, as did a pair of shots, and Andrew Garcia may have been guilty of a little too much unselfishness as he passed up a good shooting opportunity after beating his man to try and set up Frankie Villar instead, the opportunity ending up going to waste.
That came back to haunt the Gators late, as an indecisive piece of defending allowed speedy Bishop Moore forward Steven Taylor to pick up possession and break in on goal. Land O’ Lakes goalkeeper Kody Parker got a hand to the shot to try and turn it wide, but saw it deflect in off the left post, sending the Hornets through.
Bishop Moore will face Melbourne in the semifinals after the Bulldogs scored three goals in the first half to romp past an Orlando Dr. Phillips side that was reduced to 10 men before the break.
The Cougars capitalized on a pair of errors by the Hurricanes to jump out in front quickly, Max Seijo and Zack Schriver finding the net for a 2-0 lead. Countryside assistant coach Colby Beckman, filling in for Coach Dave Sica, said his side had made an adjustment to its starting formation that paid big dividends.
“We decided we wanted to push an extra guy forward,” Beckman said. “Not play out normal flat back four to try and jump on them early, that was the idea to put them on their heels, and luckily our guys were skilled enough to do it.”
Countryside’s Jagger Martinez added a third for the Cougars early in the second half, but the Hurricanes roared back getting goals from P.J. McDonald and Ben Sweat to make the score 3-2. Palm Harbor coach Alex Delgado said he thought the introduction of Austin Sweat gave his side the lift it needed.
“He came in, and he sparked the whole comeback, I think,” Delgado said. “He came in and changed things around.”
Beckman said he thought as the second half wore on his side played more not to lose than to win, but the Cougars were able to add an insurance goal just before the final whistle, Martinez’s second of the game, that allowed them to move on.
Countryside will face New Orleans Jesuit in the semifinals, but after a challenging week that has seen a lot of things go against the Cougars, Beckman is looking forward to another big challenge.
“A great side, it’ll be a great test for our team to see if we can fight through the tired legs,” Beckman said. “We’re looking forward to the opportunity.”
Land O’ Lakes could, and likely should, have joined the Cougars in the semifinals, but after creating the better chances and controlling the majority of play in the second half against Orlando Bishop Moore, the Gators allowed a late goal to give the Hornets a 2-1 victory.
Land O’ Lakes fell behind early, and was not playing up to its normal standard, but the Gators got back on level terms just before halftime as Jake Frahm scored on a brilliant strike from 25 yards out to make the score 1-1 at the break.
The Gators then had opportunities to take the lead in the second half, but a pair of good headers went over the bar, as did a pair of shots, and Andrew Garcia may have been guilty of a little too much unselfishness as he passed up a good shooting opportunity after beating his man to try and set up Frankie Villar instead, the opportunity ending up going to waste.
That came back to haunt the Gators late, as an indecisive piece of defending allowed speedy Bishop Moore forward Steven Taylor to pick up possession and break in on goal. Land O’ Lakes goalkeeper Kody Parker got a hand to the shot to try and turn it wide, but saw it deflect in off the left post, sending the Hornets through.
Bishop Moore will face Melbourne in the semifinals after the Bulldogs scored three goals in the first half to romp past an Orlando Dr. Phillips side that was reduced to 10 men before the break.
Monday, December 21, 2009
Preps: Countryside takes advantage of opportunity, will face Palm Harbor in Classic quarterfinals
TAMPA – After seeing Orangewood Christian grab victory late on Saturday afternoon, the potential for Countryside to reach the knock-out stages of the High School Soccer Classic appeared dim.
But a 3-1 win by Gulf Breeze against Orangewood opened the door for the Cougars, and a pair of second half strikes by Max Seijo allowed them to walk right through, a 3-1 win moving Countryside into the tournament quarterfinals on goal difference and a game against Palm Harbor on Tuesday at noon.
“The guys fought really hard,” assistant coach Colby Beckman said. Beckman and the remaining Countryside assistants were present in place of head coach Dave Sica, who was ejected from Friday night’s regular season game against East Lake. “Max has been a great player. Up top, he holds the ball up very well, and some of the finishing has been where he has struggled lately, but he showed the type of player he is today.”
The Cougars, who entered the game knowing they needed a two-goal victory to advance, got off to a great start as a counter-attack from a Gulf Breeze corner was finished off by Nino Hadzialic. The Cougars then added a second goal through Seijo, who finished well from inside the penalty area.
Gulf Breeze then pushed forward, knowing just a goal would send it through, and not Countryside, and the Dolphins got their goal shortly after the second half water break. But Seijo added his second with seven minutes to go, finishing a cross by Derya Ekren well to restore the two-goal lead the Cougars needed.
The Cougars will face Pinellas rival Palm Harbor in the quarterfinals, the Hurricanes getting goals from Robby Mattei and Ben Sweat to defeat Clearwater Central Catholic 2-0. Beckman said he was looking forward to taking on a local rival for a place in the semifinals.
“Palm Harbor is nothing new to us,” Beckman said. “We always get up to play those guys, they’ve been a rival since I played here in the early 2000’s. Their coach Alex Delgado is a great friend, and we always enjoy playing Palm Harbor.”
Land O’ Lakes joined the Cougars and Hurricanes in the quarterfinals with an impressive 5-0 victory against Sarasota. Tim Falcon, Nate Dalton, Justin Lyles, Andy Garcia and Evan Reidy all got their names on the scoresheet for the Gators, who will play Orlando Bishop Moore in the quarterfinals.
“We got a lot of people in, got some people some extra playing time and got some rest for the starters,” Gators coach Mark Pearson said. “It was a good team win, we didn’t let down at all, did very well, I was very pleased.”
Orlando Bishop Moore advanced at the expense of Tampa Prep, handing the Terrapins their first loss of the season as goals by Connor Keymont and Claude Daigler gave the Hornets victory. Zack Hebert pulled a goal back with around 20 minutes to go for the Terrapins, but while Jake Peterson and Twain Glaser hit the woodwork late in the first and second half respectively, Terps coach Doug Smith thought the Hornets deserved their win.
“It’s tough to play two games in one day, but we got outworked, particularly in the first half,” Smith said. “We were getting beaten to every ball, every second ball, we were losing all the tackles, and frankly that set the tone for the game. Our effort in the second half was good, and we did do a better job, but it was almost too late by that time to remedy some of the stuff that had happened in the first half.”
Tampa Prep had earlier defeated Gaither in a shootout to eliminate the Cowboys after a goal by Travis Simmons in the 74th minute had given the Terrapins a 2-2 tie in regulation. A victory against the Hornets would have sent the Terps through, but they were unable to find a way to win.
Mitchell came close to joining Pasco county counterpart Land O’ Lakes in the quarterfinals, but lost an early two-goal lead before falling in a penalty shootout to Orlando Dr. Phillips 5-3 after the game ended in a 2-2 tie. With both the Mustangs and Panthers having defeated Jacksonville Stanton Prep, the two teams entered the game tied with three points apiece.
David Vasquez and Max Rockwell had goals within the first six minutes for the Mustangs, but the Panthers rallied through Shawn Moffitt and Devin Boshears to send the game to a shootout. Mustangs coach Oscar Ubillus said he thought his side let down after gaining such a quick two-goal lead.
“Definitely there was,” Ubillus said. “I told them at halftime that might have been the worst thing that could have happened because then they were forced to come out. They got that first goal,not really earned because out ‘keeper made a mistake, and then beat us on a run for the second goal, but they really outplayed us for the rest of the first half.”
Jesuit was eliminated before it took the field on Monday night, New Orleans Jesuit having already won the group with a shootout win against Fort Myers Bishop Verot, but the Tigers did defeat Verot’s shutout streak, earning a 2-0 win in the process. Berkeley Prep had a chance to advance, but dropped an early lead against Melbourne to send the Bulldogs into the quarterfinals with a 2-1 win. The Buccaneers managed the same feat against Seminole, holding a 1-0 lead at the break before falling 2-1.
Can't make it to the Ed Radice Sports Complex for today's quarterfinals and semifinals? Just join the Tampa Bay Soccer Blog on Twitter at twitter.com/tbsoccerblog for updates from all of the day's action in the championship bracket.
But a 3-1 win by Gulf Breeze against Orangewood opened the door for the Cougars, and a pair of second half strikes by Max Seijo allowed them to walk right through, a 3-1 win moving Countryside into the tournament quarterfinals on goal difference and a game against Palm Harbor on Tuesday at noon.
“The guys fought really hard,” assistant coach Colby Beckman said. Beckman and the remaining Countryside assistants were present in place of head coach Dave Sica, who was ejected from Friday night’s regular season game against East Lake. “Max has been a great player. Up top, he holds the ball up very well, and some of the finishing has been where he has struggled lately, but he showed the type of player he is today.”
The Cougars, who entered the game knowing they needed a two-goal victory to advance, got off to a great start as a counter-attack from a Gulf Breeze corner was finished off by Nino Hadzialic. The Cougars then added a second goal through Seijo, who finished well from inside the penalty area.
Gulf Breeze then pushed forward, knowing just a goal would send it through, and not Countryside, and the Dolphins got their goal shortly after the second half water break. But Seijo added his second with seven minutes to go, finishing a cross by Derya Ekren well to restore the two-goal lead the Cougars needed.
The Cougars will face Pinellas rival Palm Harbor in the quarterfinals, the Hurricanes getting goals from Robby Mattei and Ben Sweat to defeat Clearwater Central Catholic 2-0. Beckman said he was looking forward to taking on a local rival for a place in the semifinals.
“Palm Harbor is nothing new to us,” Beckman said. “We always get up to play those guys, they’ve been a rival since I played here in the early 2000’s. Their coach Alex Delgado is a great friend, and we always enjoy playing Palm Harbor.”
Land O’ Lakes joined the Cougars and Hurricanes in the quarterfinals with an impressive 5-0 victory against Sarasota. Tim Falcon, Nate Dalton, Justin Lyles, Andy Garcia and Evan Reidy all got their names on the scoresheet for the Gators, who will play Orlando Bishop Moore in the quarterfinals.
“We got a lot of people in, got some people some extra playing time and got some rest for the starters,” Gators coach Mark Pearson said. “It was a good team win, we didn’t let down at all, did very well, I was very pleased.”
Orlando Bishop Moore advanced at the expense of Tampa Prep, handing the Terrapins their first loss of the season as goals by Connor Keymont and Claude Daigler gave the Hornets victory. Zack Hebert pulled a goal back with around 20 minutes to go for the Terrapins, but while Jake Peterson and Twain Glaser hit the woodwork late in the first and second half respectively, Terps coach Doug Smith thought the Hornets deserved their win.
“It’s tough to play two games in one day, but we got outworked, particularly in the first half,” Smith said. “We were getting beaten to every ball, every second ball, we were losing all the tackles, and frankly that set the tone for the game. Our effort in the second half was good, and we did do a better job, but it was almost too late by that time to remedy some of the stuff that had happened in the first half.”
Tampa Prep had earlier defeated Gaither in a shootout to eliminate the Cowboys after a goal by Travis Simmons in the 74th minute had given the Terrapins a 2-2 tie in regulation. A victory against the Hornets would have sent the Terps through, but they were unable to find a way to win.
Mitchell came close to joining Pasco county counterpart Land O’ Lakes in the quarterfinals, but lost an early two-goal lead before falling in a penalty shootout to Orlando Dr. Phillips 5-3 after the game ended in a 2-2 tie. With both the Mustangs and Panthers having defeated Jacksonville Stanton Prep, the two teams entered the game tied with three points apiece.
David Vasquez and Max Rockwell had goals within the first six minutes for the Mustangs, but the Panthers rallied through Shawn Moffitt and Devin Boshears to send the game to a shootout. Mustangs coach Oscar Ubillus said he thought his side let down after gaining such a quick two-goal lead.
“Definitely there was,” Ubillus said. “I told them at halftime that might have been the worst thing that could have happened because then they were forced to come out. They got that first goal,not really earned because out ‘keeper made a mistake, and then beat us on a run for the second goal, but they really outplayed us for the rest of the first half.”
Jesuit was eliminated before it took the field on Monday night, New Orleans Jesuit having already won the group with a shootout win against Fort Myers Bishop Verot, but the Tigers did defeat Verot’s shutout streak, earning a 2-0 win in the process. Berkeley Prep had a chance to advance, but dropped an early lead against Melbourne to send the Bulldogs into the quarterfinals with a 2-1 win. The Buccaneers managed the same feat against Seminole, holding a 1-0 lead at the break before falling 2-1.
Can't make it to the Ed Radice Sports Complex for today's quarterfinals and semifinals? Just join the Tampa Bay Soccer Blog on Twitter at twitter.com/tbsoccerblog for updates from all of the day's action in the championship bracket.
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Preps: Land O' Lakes hopeful Senior Night opponent can be found
Land O’ Lakes boys coach Mark Pearson sent out the e-mail on Friday afternoon.
The Gators had just received word from Gulf High that it was going to have to cancel their scheduled Jan. 13 game. Not a good situation for Land O’ Lakes, since their final regular season home game of the season was meant to be Senior Night for the team. So Pearson sent out a request to numerous local high school coaches in search of a replacement.
Fortunately for the Gators, it appears as though a solution, and replacement, is going to be found.
“(Clearwater Central Catholic) are trying to see if they can move a game, as well as Gaither and possibly even Sickles,” Pearson said. “We’re keeping our fingers crossed and hoping that someone can come through for us and pick up that game for us.”
The common thread between the three schools Pearson mentioned and the Gators is Hillsborough County United, at which Pearson and CCC coach Jim Harte, Gaither coach Eric Sims and Sickles coach Tony Calvo all coach at outside of their high school soccer positions.
“One thing about our community is that we’re very close-knit,” Pearson said. “We’re very competitive against one other, but we’ll try to help each other out whenever we can. It’s great to know that you can send out an e-mail and get responses back like that. It’s unfortunate it came out the way it did, but we’re hoping it can get resolved.”
The Gators had just received word from Gulf High that it was going to have to cancel their scheduled Jan. 13 game. Not a good situation for Land O’ Lakes, since their final regular season home game of the season was meant to be Senior Night for the team. So Pearson sent out a request to numerous local high school coaches in search of a replacement.
Fortunately for the Gators, it appears as though a solution, and replacement, is going to be found.
“(Clearwater Central Catholic) are trying to see if they can move a game, as well as Gaither and possibly even Sickles,” Pearson said. “We’re keeping our fingers crossed and hoping that someone can come through for us and pick up that game for us.”
The common thread between the three schools Pearson mentioned and the Gators is Hillsborough County United, at which Pearson and CCC coach Jim Harte, Gaither coach Eric Sims and Sickles coach Tony Calvo all coach at outside of their high school soccer positions.
“One thing about our community is that we’re very close-knit,” Pearson said. “We’re very competitive against one other, but we’ll try to help each other out whenever we can. It’s great to know that you can send out an e-mail and get responses back like that. It’s unfortunate it came out the way it did, but we’re hoping it can get resolved.”
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Preps: Sweat gives Hurricanes opening win; Gators also victorious
TAMPA – Palm Harbor’s Ben Sweat helped get his team off to a good start at the High School Soccer Classic at the Ed Radice Sports Complex as his second-half goal gave the Hurricanes a 1-0 victory against Lake Mary in an entertaining clash on Saturday evening.
Sweat scored in the 60th minute, latching onto a long clearance from goalkeeper Joshua Paul before firing home low past the goalkeeper. That it took so long for either side to score was surprising, for both teams has good opportunities to break the deadlock before Sweat finally did, but Palm Harbor coach Alex Delgado was very happy it was his side that had come out on top.
“We definitely ducked some chances on their part in the first half, and as soon as we scored, there was a great opportunity for them,” Delgado said. “But I told (my players), it seemed like they had exhausted themselves in the first half to get that first goal … They didn’t put their chances away tonight, and a great ball by Josh, our keeper, put Ben in, and he put it away.”
Land O’ Lakes also took victory in its opening game, a first half goal by Tim Falcon proving enough for the Gators to earn a 1-0 victory against Monteverde Academy. Land O’ Lakes coach Mark Pearson was very happy with his side’s performance, especially in the defensive end where the Gators only allowed three shots on goal.
“We played very well,” Pearson said. “It was a great team effort, the kids played fantastic. We knew what to look for coming into the game, and we did everything that we wanted to do. We were unfortunate not to grab another couple of goals late on the counter-attack, but we did everything right for the first game.”
The same could not be said of Gaither, who went behind in a poor first half against Orlando Bishop Moore, and were unable to break down the Hornets tight defense in falling 1-0. Cowboys coach Eris Sims said adjusting from the small high school fields his side had played on throughout this season to the more conventionally-sized pitches at the Radice Complex was an adjustment his side had struggled with.
“It was a fair result, I thought they were a good side, and they deserved to win,” Sims said. “When they play on the small fields in Hillsborough County, you don’t have to run far before the ball's going out of bounds. It was an adjustment we weren’t able to make, I just hope we play better on Monday.”
Seminole also fell, a hat trick by Melbourne’s Ryan Price in the final 20 minutes of the game giving the Bulldogs a 3-0 victory. Melbourne had started the better of the two sides, Price having a volley well saved and hitting the post with another first half effort, but as the game wore on the Warhawks began to come into the game more against the defending Class 6A champions.
In the end, though, Price’s speed and the timing of his runs to beat the Seminole offside trap proved decisive.
“He was the difference in this game, in my opinion,” Seminole coach Rick Masi said. “I thought it was a pretty good game up until that point, but as I was just telling the boys I thought after the second goal we caved in.”
Countryside also fell on a late goal to Orangewood Christian, the Rams earning a 2-1 victory, putting a place for the Cougars in the quarterfinals a long way away.
Sweat scored in the 60th minute, latching onto a long clearance from goalkeeper Joshua Paul before firing home low past the goalkeeper. That it took so long for either side to score was surprising, for both teams has good opportunities to break the deadlock before Sweat finally did, but Palm Harbor coach Alex Delgado was very happy it was his side that had come out on top.
“We definitely ducked some chances on their part in the first half, and as soon as we scored, there was a great opportunity for them,” Delgado said. “But I told (my players), it seemed like they had exhausted themselves in the first half to get that first goal … They didn’t put their chances away tonight, and a great ball by Josh, our keeper, put Ben in, and he put it away.”
Land O’ Lakes also took victory in its opening game, a first half goal by Tim Falcon proving enough for the Gators to earn a 1-0 victory against Monteverde Academy. Land O’ Lakes coach Mark Pearson was very happy with his side’s performance, especially in the defensive end where the Gators only allowed three shots on goal.
“We played very well,” Pearson said. “It was a great team effort, the kids played fantastic. We knew what to look for coming into the game, and we did everything that we wanted to do. We were unfortunate not to grab another couple of goals late on the counter-attack, but we did everything right for the first game.”
The same could not be said of Gaither, who went behind in a poor first half against Orlando Bishop Moore, and were unable to break down the Hornets tight defense in falling 1-0. Cowboys coach Eris Sims said adjusting from the small high school fields his side had played on throughout this season to the more conventionally-sized pitches at the Radice Complex was an adjustment his side had struggled with.
“It was a fair result, I thought they were a good side, and they deserved to win,” Sims said. “When they play on the small fields in Hillsborough County, you don’t have to run far before the ball's going out of bounds. It was an adjustment we weren’t able to make, I just hope we play better on Monday.”
Seminole also fell, a hat trick by Melbourne’s Ryan Price in the final 20 minutes of the game giving the Bulldogs a 3-0 victory. Melbourne had started the better of the two sides, Price having a volley well saved and hitting the post with another first half effort, but as the game wore on the Warhawks began to come into the game more against the defending Class 6A champions.
In the end, though, Price’s speed and the timing of his runs to beat the Seminole offside trap proved decisive.
“He was the difference in this game, in my opinion,” Seminole coach Rick Masi said. “I thought it was a pretty good game up until that point, but as I was just telling the boys I thought after the second goal we caved in.”
Countryside also fell on a late goal to Orangewood Christian, the Rams earning a 2-1 victory, putting a place for the Cougars in the quarterfinals a long way away.
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