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Durant Cruises Into Playoffs

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By DAREK SHARP

dsharp@tampatrib.com

Published: February 4, 2009

PLANT CITY - It took a half for their nerves to settle, but once that happened the Durant boys soccer team cruised into the 6A playoffs.

Durant defeated Plant City 5-0 in the Jan. 28 District 6A-8 tournament semifinals, assuring a spot into the postseason regardless of the result in the championship game.

The Cougars were set to face East Bay last Friday. The winner will be at home on Thursday as the boys soccer playoffs begin, while the loser will be travelling to play either Mitchell or Gaither

Seeded No. 1 thanks to a perfect district mark, Durant was given a good challenge by the Raiders. It was 0-0 at the half. But an early goal after intermission started the Cougars on their way and started Cecil Clarke on a hat trick.

"We were nervous in the first half; we were tight," Durant head coach Jamin Hollingsworth said. "But once we got that first one, the pressure was off and the guys were on their way."

Clarke scored the first two goals. Billy Fanning made it 3-0, and Clarke completed the hat trick after that.

Fanning added a second goal.

The district tourney was played at Sarasota High School, but both Sarasota schools were gone early. Plant City did the honors in the first round, defeating Sarasota Riverview 2-0 to set up the match with Durant.

East Bay eliminated the hosts 3-2 in overtime in the other semifinal.

Durant's girls saw their playoff journey end quickly with a 1-0 loss to Alonso in the first round last Thursday.

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