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Accolade Culminates Stellar Career

By CHRIS ERRINGTON Tribune correspondent

The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 28, 2008

NEW PORT RICHEY - Not much surprises River Ridge girls soccer coach Skip Glover these days. Not the success of his program, not the talent of his players and certainly not the accolades both command.

So, when star forward Deana Rossi was named The Tampa Tribune's Pasco County Girls Soccer Athlete of the Year, the news was welcomed in typical fashion.

"It wasn't a surprise. It wasn't one of those ones that should have surprised anyone that she won it," Glover said. "She certainly didn't come out of left field to win it.

"It's just kind of a culmination for her."

Or, more like a coronation.

As the dominant player on a dominant team - the Royal Knights again captured the Class 5A-District 7 regular season and postseason titles with a 17-2-2 record - Rossi scored 29 goals and added 13 assists. And while these were typical numbers for her, it was a pair of goals in particular that set the season apart.

The first was her 100th career goal, one she knew about the minute it hit the back of the net. The second came as even a surprise to her.

After reaching triple digits, Rossi, who's signed to play next season at Florida International University, was agonizingly close to the school's all-time scoring record of 107 set by Lindsay Jones. It was a milestone Glover kept to himself.

"I had no idea that I was close to breaking the school record," Rossi said. "Coach would only tell me that I was close. My family always showed up to every game to watch it - even going to Wesley Chapel, which was weird - to see me break it, and I never caught on why they were there."

The record-setting goal came during a victory at Ridgewood and was followed by a game-ball presentation during the final home match. For her career, Rossi finished with 111 goals, but, for as consistent as her scoring was throughout her career, one unmistakable, unshakable fact plagued the Royal Knights again - a state playoff loss. For the third consecutive season, River Ridge fell in the region quarterfinal round, this time a 1-0 loss to Newsome. It's a blemish on her and the Royal Knights' record Rossi admitted she would have enjoyed removing.

"I think we did well, but we wanted to go further," Rossi said. "It's the one regret I have. I would like to have known what it's like to play for a state championship."
GIRLS SOCCER FIRST TEAM

Morgan Schellenberger, Mitchell

Brandi Mira, Zephyrhills

Deana Rossi, River Ridge

Shelby Wright, Mitchell

Lindsay Zullo, Hudson

Amanda Goble, Land O' Lakes

Courtney Cohen, Gulf

Rebekah Stockowski, Mitchell

Nicole Whittle, River Ridge

Marisa Russo, Mitchell

Brittany Hahn, River Ridge

Coach of the Year: Karl Kukec, Mitchell