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Berkeley Prep Falls In State Final

Tribune photo by MICHAEL SPOONEYBARGER

Jordan Crockett, TJ Roehn and Julian Crockett come of the field after losing to Jacksonville Bolles in the Class 3A State finals.

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By NICHOLAS MURRAY | The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 21, 2009

TAMPA - Despite scoring first, Berkeley Prep couldn't win its fifth state soccer title, as it fell to Jacksonville Bolles 2-1 in the Class 3A state final on Saturday afternoon at Pepin Stadium.

The victory was sweet for Bolles, which won its first state soccer title in its 14th visit to the final four.

Berkeley Prep (29-3) took the lead in the 14th minute when Bolles goalkeeper John Rush misjudged a long Joey Rosati free kick from 45 yards out. On a cross into the penalty area, Rush came out to catch the ball, only to see it fly over his head, bouncing off the right post and into the net.

The Bulldogs responded five minutes later after a quick throw-in down the left wing to Jacob Stenson. Stenson drove down the wing, then found Patrick Lanahan with a low cross, and Lanahan crisply fired into the net.

Bolles (22-6-4) took the lead 16 minutes into the second half when Berkeley failed to clear a Bulldogs attack. The ball found Bolles' Jake Keator just outside the penalty area, and he fired a right-footed shot from 20 yards out into the bottom right corner of the net.

Berkeley had a late chance denied after a sequence of headers put Julien Crockett in position to score, but Rush snatched the ball away with three minutes to go.

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