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Rivalry's Stakes Raised

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By BILL WARD, The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 5, 2008

TAMPA - Tucked away in the northeast corner of Hillsborough County are two boys' soccer programs that consistently produce winning squads, standout players and, when they meet one another, amazingly close matches.

The two schools - located five miles apart - will face each other tonight at 7 in 5A-Region 2 semifinals at Wharton. The winner advances to Friday's region final, one step away from the state final four and a new level of respect.

Neither school has ever advance to the state final four. And if tonight's game is anything like many recent meetings, the difference will probably be a single goal.

"I don't know what it is about Freedom and Wharton but when we meet, it's so emotional the whole 80 minutes," said second-year Wharton coach Scott Ware, whose team enters tonight game with a record of 14-5-2. "It's always intense."

When the two schools met in last month's district final, the match was tied at 1 after two periods of overtime and Wharton prevailed on penalty kicks. During the regular season, Freedom (18-4) took a 2-1 victory. With less than a minute left in regulation of that game, Freedom had a frenzy of shots in front of goal, including one that went off a defender's foot, the keeper's chest and off the crossbar.

"Every time we play them, it seems to be a one-goal game," said sixth-year Freedom coach Dennis Derflinger. "I think a lot of it has to do with how well these guys know each other. They see each other during the club season and then they play each other in high school. That's going to make for some pretty close games."

In last season's district title game, Freedom striker Bobby Huertas came up with a spectacular overtime goal to lift the Patriots to a 1-0 win on a neutral field. The goal sent Freedom players and coaches into a frenzy and left the Wildcats stunned. This season, Huertas, a senior, leads his team in scoring with 36 goals. He has also produced 13 assists.

In 2006, Wharton beat Freedom 1-0 in the final minute of play to win the district championship.

"It's such a huge rivalry that both teams get up for the match no matter what kind of season they're having," said Huertas, who has verbally committed to Saint Leo University. "During the regular season, it was a pretty friendly game but by district finals it started to get pretty rough.

"I'm expecting this game to be even rougher because it's do-or-die for both teams."

Reporter Bill Ward can be reached at (813) 259-7456 or wward@tampatrib.com

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