TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Soccer Notes: Freedom Ends Scoring Drought

ADVERTISEMENT

Tribune staff

Published: December 10, 2008

Updated: 12/11/2008 07:00 pm

Until last week's match with Alonso, Freedom boys soccer coach Dennis Derflinger had been perplexed by the play of his squad. Yes, the Patriots were undefeated at 3-0-3. But they were coming off three consecutive draws and had scored a total of just four goals.

Funny what happens when your team scores seven goals – including five in the first half – against previously unbeaten Alonso. That scoring explosion, fueled by two goals and two assists each from seniors Deion Jones and Manny Martes, seemed to be just what the Patriots needed to get out of their funk.

Tuesday night, they lit up the scoreboard with seven more goals, this time against Armwood.

"I'd been waiting six games for this type of play from our guys," Derflinger said. "I can't quite put my finger on it, but I think a lot of it has been attitude and sometimes just going through the motions. I think this shows what we're capable of."

Last year, Freedom's season ended in the Class 5A regional semifinals with a double-overtime, golden goal loss to district rival Wharton, which went on to capture the state title. Friday, the two teams meet for the first time since that match.

Jones, who scored two more goals against Armwood to raise his season total to seven, says it was hard watching Wharton take the championship last season. Yes, there was some satisfaction is seeing a team from their district win it, but he says he couldn't help think the Patriots could have taken the same path.

"Maybe we weren't ready last season," said Jones, who also has eight assists. "But this year, we have a lot of seniors and I think we've matured a lot since then."

Friday's match with Wharton (4-1-1) will be at Freedom. Kickoff is scheduled for 8 p.m.

LIONS ROAR

As if Wharton and Freedom aren't enough power for one district (5A-8), King's boys have made that league even stronger. Under coach Chris Lewis, the Lions are still undefeated at 4-0-3 and have knocked off Wharton 1-0 and drawn 1-1 with Freedom.

King has been paced by juniors Steven Scrivens and Andres Diaz. Scrivens has tallied four goals while Diaz has five assists. Friday night, the Lions host Newsome, which at 5-2-1 is another solid squad in 5A-8.

BUCS, FALCONS ROLL ON

Thanks to some solid defense and consistent scoring, both Berkeley Prep and Leto's boys are off to a 7-0 start. The Bucs have allowed just three goals and have posted five shutouts while Leto has outscored opponents 39-7

Berkeley goalkeeper Leland Newhaller has four of those clean sheets and owns a goals against average of .477. Bucs senior forward J.D. Post has netted six goals while midfielder Joey Rosati leads the squad in assists with nine.

The Falcons' Jorge Chirinos and Hugo Ramos have both put seven balls in the goal and goalie Jessie Dickerson has a 1.20 GAA and three shutouts.

Meanwhile, Berkeley's girls are 9-2-1 and unbeaten in their last five games. Sophomore forward Taylor Richardson has been on a tear, knocking in 14 goals so far.

DURANT STILL UNBEATEN

Paced by senior forward Cecil Clarke, Durant is 6-0 and leads 6A-District 8 at 5-0-0. Clarke has eight goals and four assists for the Cougars and coach Jamin Hollingsworth, who is a former forward for Durant and South Florida. Clarke, a native of Jamaica, is one of the area's most feared strikers because of his footwork and nose for the goal.

FAMILY AFFAIR

In sports cliché terms, there is an endless litany of "team efforts" or "playing as a team," but every bit as common is a player or coach referring to their team as a "family."

The Newsome girls team might just come close as the Wolves' 24 player roster consists of five sets of sisters.

The Wolves are loaded with Cates [Ana and Maria], Evers [Ashley and Caroline], Grahams [Kendall and Paige], Raineys [Hannah and Allison] and Simpsons [Samantha and Jackie].

Wolves' coach Kelly Townsend said she expected some issues from sibling squabbles, but has seen none of it so far.

"It's really no different then any other team," Townsend said. "They don't fight because they have to play together."

Townsend related to her own family experiences, but says her team's sisters are after one goal and that is success as a team.

"They come to play soccer," Townsend said. "I was expecting a little bit of that because I have a younger sibling who is five years younger then me and we didn't get a long until I moved away."

"They have to get along because we have to succeed together."

NEWSOME DEFENDER OUT UNTIL JANUARY

Wolves' freshman defender Jackie Simpson sprained her left ankle in Newsome's 1-0 loss to Plant Dec. 4 according to Townsend. According to her coach, Simpson will not be back in time for next week's Sarasota Sailor Holiday Classic, but will likely be back for Newsome's match against Durant on Jan. 6.

Compiled by Bill Ward and Jarrett Guthrie

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT