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Freedom Enjoys Fantastic Finish

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By BILL WARD

wward@tampatrib.com

Published: February 20, 2009

TAMPA - This was not how Freedom boys soccer coach Dennis Derflinger and his players envisioned starting their first appearance in the state final four tournament: waiting for a school bus on the other side of town from the site of their semifinal match against Niceville.

But after scrambling into six cars and driving themselves to the University of Tampa's Pepin Stadium, the Patriots played with the same sort of urgency Friday night and knocked off the Eagles 1-0 to advance to the Class 5A championship game.

There, Freedom (14-2-5) will take on another area squad, Palm Harbor University, which won its semifinal match earlier Friday 2-0 vs. Coconut Creek Monarch. Kickoff is tonight at 7:30 at Pepin Stadium.

"Our night didn't start off too well but it sure finished great," Derflinger said. "Our guys kept their composure and once we got here, they completely focused on the game."

Oddly enough, the bus the Patriots were meant to take arrived at Freedom just as they were pulling out. And then it somehow beat them to Pepin Stadium. Maybe the driver wanted to see a good match. At the pace this one was played, it certainly was one of tournament's most entertaining games.

True, just one goal was scored, but the level of play throughout the match was downright frenetic. In the cool, near-ideal playing conditions, the two squads gave the crowd an end-to-end soccer game. Both sides were creating - but not finishing - chances during the first half but both were coming very close.

Led by the play in midfield of Deion Jones and Manny Martes, the Patriots began to take control of the match's tempo near the end of the first half and they continued that trend to start the second half. Niceville, meanwhile, seemed content on counterattacking whenever the Patriots had come forward with too many players.

Jones' persistence paid off in the 61st minute when he won a 50-50 ball just outside the 18-yard box and fed it to freshman midfielder Evan Kruk, who had made a looping run around a Niceville defender to get open. After controlling Jones' pass, Kruk slotted a right-footed shot to the far post for the match's lone goal.

"I knew Deion would find me if I could get around the defender," said Kruk, whose two goals this season have both come in the playoffs. "Once I had it, it was just a matter of finishing the chance. You have to in a big game like this."

After the goal, Niceville regained some of the initiative and began to push forward with more numbers. With 32 seconds left on the clock, the tactic nearly paid off when Eagles midfielder Tanner Duttweiler blasted a shot at goal from 8 yards out. But his attempt sailed just inches over the bar and, after falling to the ground, he repeatedly pounded the dirt with his fist in frustration.

Reporter Bill Ward can be reached at (813) 259-7456.

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