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Palm Harbor Holds Off Freedom For 5A Crown

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By BILL WARD | TBO.com

Published: February 22, 2009

TAMPA - When asked which felt better - winning a boys soccer state title as a Palm Harbor University player or as the Hurricanes' coach - 23-year-old Alex Delgado didn't hesitate to answer.

Even though his memories of a capturing a state crown while wearing a jersey came just six years ago as a PHU junior, he says there's more emotion wrapped up inside him and that suit he sported Saturday night after watching his squad knock off Freedom 2-1 in the Class 5A championship at the University of Tampa's Pepin Stadium.

"It definitely means more to me now," Delgado said. "To me, it means the world to watch these guys, especially these seniors who are going to be leaving us, win a state championship. It's been such a pleasure to be part of it as their coach."

The Hurricanes (23-4-4) and their six starting seniors played like they've been here before. Runners-up in 2007, Palm Harbor, ranked No. 41 in the ESPN RISE national poll, came out on the attack against Freedom (17-3-5), which was making its state final four debut.

The Hurricanes' early aggressiveness seemed to put the Patriots off balance for much of the first half. And it paid off just 15 minutes into the match when Palm Harbor midfielder Alexandre Millette scored a well-deserved goal. Millette, one of those seniors, scrambled to win a 50-50 ball 10 yards from goal and, after beating a defender to the chase, sent a low shot to the left post for a 1-0 PHU lead.

The Hurricanes made it 2-0 just 10 minutes later after it was awarded a penalty kick after Ben Sweat was taken down by a Patriots defender in the 18-yard box. Andrew Smith converted the PK and for the remainder of the half, the Patriots spent much of their time on their heels - instead of settling down and developing some possession play.

"I think our nerves got to us a little bit at first because we were playing in this match for the first time," Freedom coach Dennis Derflinger said. "We were trying to push too much and trying to make too much happen. We just weren't patient enough."

But that all changed in the final 40 minutes. Led by midfielders Deion Jones, Eliot Toledo and Manny Martes, the Patriots finally got on track and found the attack that helped the squad score a combined 12 goals in two of its playoff games. Jones began to send some well-placed crosses into the PHU box, Toledo was winning loose balls and Martes was making strong runs down the flank.

Those efforts and others finally broke down the Hurricanes' defense in the 56th minute when Martes made a run with the ball to the corner flag and crossed the ball to the far post. Waiting for it was senior forward Doug Yablun, who knocked it in to cut the PHU lead to one.

From there on, Freedom threw everything it had at the Hurricanes. And in the final 10 minutes, everyone except goalkeeper Kyle Peel was past the half line trying to find an equalizer. With some solid play by PHU keeper Max Gallin and the defenders in front of him, that second Freedom goal never materialized. And when the final whistle blew, the Hurricanes' celebration in front of a strong supporting crowd began - just like last week when the PHU girls team won a state crown here.

"It's hard to describe what this feels like right now," PHU senior defender Sam Venker said. "It just tingles up and down my spine. It's kind of surreal after working so hard for this for so long."

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

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