RSS Feed
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
History, then heartache
Gulf Breeze needed overtime to beat Merritt Island 1-0 in the semifinals, marking the school's first ever state championship appearance in boys soccer. But the Dolphins gave up a pair of 'set piece' goals to defending state champion Nease, who went on to repeat with a 2-1 win. The Dolphins finished the season at 21-6-5, while Nease, from Ponte Vedra Beach, finished 25-5-2. "I think the big difference was we were never able to get (forwards) Brad (Parrish) and Leland (Davis) free," head coach Bruce Savage said. "They did a very good job of shutting them down." The Dolphins finished the title match with 17 fouls, two of which led to both goals for the Panthers.
Three minutes later, the Dolphins tied the game at 1. Christian Mauldwin, from midfield, launched a high kick into the Nease box. Leland Davis headed it into the air and it landed on the foot of Stuart Parks, who knocked it in for only his second goal of the season. Nease scored the eventual game-winner in the 34th minute, when the official ruled that Josh Pagonis had pushed a Panther player down from behind in the box. Benson made a sliding save in the box as the foul was called. Nease's A. Jay Nelson put the penalty kick in for a 2-1 lead. Dolphins 1, Merritt Island 0 (OT, 82 minutes) Daniel Shull picked the perfect time to register his first point of the season. Less than two minutes into the first overtime in their state semifinal match with Merritt Island Thursday, Shull made a run up the middle, sent a ball up to Parrish, who pushed a shot past MIHS keeper Zech Lange to put the Dolphins into the title game.
With standing water on parts of the field, the Florida High School Athletic Association postponed all of Wednesday s games, including the Dolphins 7 p.m. game. GBHS played at 2 p.m. Eastern time Thursday. "It's really a great accomplishment. It shows a lot about their character," Savage said. "Plus, we have 13 seniors, that really helps."
The injury to Mauldwin marked the first time the Mustangs (23-4) marched into the Dolphin box. In the 12th minute, Merritt Island had its first corner kick, but Scott Jaffe headed the ball out. Richard Benson tipped a Merritt Island shot over the crossbar a few minutes later before Gulf Breeze had its first quality scoring chance. Moments before the first half water break, Jesse Ortiz sent a ball up to Brad Parrish. He had a one-on-one with Lange and pushed one past him, but wide right of the right post. The Dolphins made 21 substitutions in the first half, which ended with no score. "Our biggest concern was keeping fresh legs in there," Savage said.
Benson, staring into the sun the entire second half and the overtime, made a diving stop in the 66th minute. GBHS had another corner kick in the 69th minute, but MIHS Ryan Zimmer knocked a Dolphin shot off the line. The Mustangs' final scoring chance in regulation came in the 74th minute, but Benson made a sliding save. Gulf Breeze had only one shot in the overtime before Parrish scored the game-winner.
"This season was awesome," Parrish said. "I couldn't ask for a better season. We all came together so well and I think it shows out there on the field."
|
for larger version       Ads have a Patent Pending. Click Here for More Information |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
)
)
)
)
)
