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Jesuit Overcomes East Lake, Flu Bug For 3-2 Victory

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By BILL WARD, The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 6, 2008

TARPON SPRINGS - Jesuit overcame a determined East Lake squad, a flu bug that has run roughshod through its roster and the Eagles' boisterous home fans to post a 3-2 victory in Tuesday's Class 5A-Region 3 boys soccer semifinals.

The win propels the Tigers, 26-2 and ranked No. 5 in a national coaches' poll, into Friday's region final, where they will host Bradenton Southeast.

Jesuit twice came back from one-goal deficits to tie the game until senior midfielder Josh Menendez produced the game-winner on a blast from nearly 30 yards out with less than eight minutes to play.

With several of his starters battling the effects of the flu, it was the kind of effort that had Tigers coach Bob Bauman thinking back to his 2001 team, the last group of Tigers to hoist a state soccer trophy.

"When you're playing in a hostile environment, away on a different kind of field that's a smaller size, to get away with almost playing their game and come out a winner, that's huge," said Bauman, who has led Jesuit to five of its six state titles. "That's another example of the dynamic of this team."

East Lake had a lot to do with Jesuit's off night. The Eagles were hustling for every 50-50 ball from the opening whistle and forced the Tigers out of their control-oriented game. East Lake's hard work paid off in the 15th minute, when junior midfielder Juan Alcala took a throw-in and, after slipping past one defender, beat Jesuit keeper Max Renaldo to the far post from 15 yards out.

That was the first goal Jesuit had surrendered in its last six matches and only the second in its last 11.

"We knew that in order to compete with Jesuit, we'd have to keep our shape and play high pressure all over the field," said East Lake coach Sergei Stopek. "We did that, we just had a couple of breakdowns, a couple of situations where we were scratching our heads saying 'What was that?'"

One of those moments came in the final minute before halftime, where Jesuit's Russell Moore and Arthur Beil got behind the Eagles' defense for a quick give-and-go and an easy equalizer by Beil. There was some question whether the play was offside - or that East Lake's defenders might have momentarily froze when a whistle was blown from the stands - but the goal stood.

Although Jesuit's attack improved in the second half, East Lake regained the lead 2-1 when Alcala knocked in his second goal. This one came following an uncharacteristic mistake by Renaldo, who slipped and fell trying to collect the ball just inside his 18-yard box. That allowed Alcala to run on to the loose ball and score an uncontested goal.

But Jesuit rallied for another equalizer seven minutes later when center back Greg Sasser controlled a long free kick by Brad Sharp at the far post and beat Eagles goalie David Kirkbride the opposite direction.

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