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Terrapins Roll To Title Defense

Photo By Scott Purks

Tampa Prep hoists the Class 2A championship trophy after defeating Jacksonville Providence 3-0 in Saturday's final at Lockhart Stadium.

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Bill Ward/The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 17, 2008

FORT LAUDERDALE Tampa Prep's 3-0 victory against Jacksonville Providence in Saturday's Class 2A boys state soccer championships was so thorough and clinical, it begged a question:

Could the Terrapins take on nationally ranked teams like Miami Varela, which won the 6A state crown, or, closer to home, Wharton, which took the 5A title?

"I'd like to see a tournament of champions to find that out," said Tampa Prep sophomore midfielder Anthony Baumann. "We could play it right after the state tournament."

No such tourney exists in the state for any sport - at least not yet. For now, the Terrapins will have to settle for another dominating performance at the 2A state final four, which produced their third state championship in four years under Coach Jose DaCosta.

With the players Tampa Prep (27-2-2) has returning, it stands a good chance of winning it all again next year. Among them was the 2A tournament MVP sophomore striker Wes Sever, who knocked in the Terps' lone goal in the semifinals and added two more Saturday against the Stallions.

Baumann and Sever hooked up once again Saturday, this time for the second goal that put a dagger into Providence's hopes of a comeback.

The goal - Sever's 39th of the season - was created with help from senior goalkeeper Brad Sienkiewicz. Sienkiewicz tossed a long outlet pass to defender Devin Dedrick, who passed it to a charging Baumann in the center of the field. From there, Baumann dribbled into the 18-yard box and sent a quick pass to Sever on the left.

With a defender draped on him and the goalkeeper covering the near post, Sever took the ball nearly to the goal line before slotting a shot from a ridiculously difficult angle. Somehow, the ball rolled just inside the far post to make it 2-0 with less than 19 minutes to play.

"It was a typical Anthony Baumann, playing me a ball through for a sick finish," Sever said. "It was just awesome."

Sever also had the Terps' opening goal, coming in the 13th minute. And his finishing touch on this one was nearly as "sick" as his second. He took the ball inside the 18-yard box, cut across the face of the goal and used his exceptional speed to shoot back to the far post past goalkeeper Tanner Doudna.

Of course, the Terps are going to miss seniors like Sienkiewicz and midfielder Ryan Griffin, who will play for the University of Tampa. While Sienkiewicz registered another clean sheet, Griffin was a monster in the midfield. Along with junior Alex Tuch, Griffin took charge of the match and could have easily earned co-MVP honors.

Griffin registered his first goal of the tournament in the 73rd minute, a free kick 25 yards from goal that sizzled through the Providence defensive wall and inside the right post.

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