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Tampa Prep Advances To Final Four

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By MATTHEW POSTINS, Tribune correspondent

Published: February 9, 2008

BRADENTON - Two of Tampa Prep's less heralded players gave the Terrapins a much-needed lift in their 3-2 Class 2A-Region 3 final win against Bradenton St. Stephen's Episcopal on Friday.

Senior Devin Dedrick and sophomore Travis Simmons scored within three minutes of each other to rally the Terrapins (25-2-2) from a one-goal deficit and past the Falcons (17-3-3). The Terps, the defending 2A state champions, will play in the state final four Thursday in Fort Lauderdale.

How thankful were the seniors that Dedrick and Simmons scored? Afterward they hoisted Dedrick on their shoulders and chanted both players' names.

Down 2-1 at halftime, Tampa Prep head coach Jose DaCosta adjusted by moving senior Ryan Griffin to the front and dropping sophomore Anthony Baumann - a sophomore who scored the Terps' first goal of the game - into the middle.

"That created a lot of energy and great intensity," DaCosta said. "We pushed them into their half and we knew it was just a matter of time."

It paid off in the match's 71st minute. Tampa Prep failed on several attempts to turn crosses into goals until Dedrick volleyed the ball across the penalty area, and the ball floated into the right corner of the net to tie the match at 2.

"I don't know if he was going for goal or was trying to put it back in the box," Simmons said. "We weren't expecting it to go in. But that gave us a huge lift."

It was only Dedrick's second goal of the season.

Simmons' tally looked a bit more textbook.

Baumann lifted in a cross from the right that found Simmons at the far post, and he headed low to the left corner."I didn't even think about it," Simmons said. "I just did it. It was the best header of my life, considering what kind of game this was."

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