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Team Bass Keeps The Cougars On Top

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By DAREK SHARP

dsharp@tampatrib.com

Published: February 18, 2009

PLANT CITY - Freeman and Connor Bass certainly are not the only stars on the Durant boys soccer team, but it's hard to imagine the Cougars without them.

Although forwards Cecil Clarke and Billy Fanning have racked up the goals on offense, the other side of the field has been anchored by the Basses. Freeman, a senior, is perhaps the best sweeper in the area, and Connor, a sophomore, has come up big at the goalkeeper position.

With their help, Durant experienced the best season in program history. The Cougars were 25-2 after a dramatic 1-0 victory over Mitchell High on Feb. 10 in the Class 6A-Region 2 semifinals.

Durant's outstanding season came to an end Friday night with a 3-0 loss against nationally ranked Melbourne in a regional final. The visitors scored two goals off corner kicks early in the second period to build the three-goal lead, and Melbourne's defense shut down the Cougars.

Despite the loss, the Cougars advanced as far as any team in school history. That's thanks to the regional semi victory at Durant, a game where the Bass brothers came up enormous.

Mitchell probably had the better of the scoring chances for the first hour of play, though there were very few true opportunities to be had.

But with about 10 minutes left in a scoreless regulation, Freeman took over the game with a stunning play. Making a rare move up the field, he put on a strong run and controlled the ball for 40 yards, something Durant had been unable to do much against the Mustangs.

Just as the defense caught up, fed the ball to Fanning, who drilled a perfect shot home for his 26th goal of the season, two shy of the school record.

"Freeman is the leader and MVP of the team," Durant head coach Jamin Hollingsworth said. "Obviously it's a team game and you need way more than one guy, but he has been playing at an elite level since districts started, and then he makes that one run against Mitchell that opens up their defense."

Durant's first four games in district play and in the playoffs were all shutouts. Connor was the star of the district championship game, which was scoreless through 100 minutes. In the penalty-kick shootout, he made three saves, the victory assuring Durant would be at home through all of the regional rounds.

"He makes all the saves that we need him to," Hollingsworth said.

Jarrett Williams, Tommy McCandeless and Micah Garcia have been major factors in the defensive effort as well, and David Eisenhauer and Leo Mesquita have been instrumental in setting up Clark and Fanning for scoring chances.

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