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Teams Begin Quest For State

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By RICK HARMON Tribune correspondent

The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 21, 2009

The girls district soccer tournament began Monday, with championship games in four local districts scheduled for Friday. Next week, the boys start their quest for a state championship. Action begins Monday with Class 6A-7 play at Mitchell and 4A-8 action at Springstead. The other two tournaments - 2A-9 at Bishop McLaughlin and 5A-7 at Brooksville Central - start Tuesday. The two teams in the Jan. 30 championship games advance to region play on Feb. 5.

Here's a breakdown of the four districts involving Pasco County schools:

6A-7 AT MITCHELL

SCHEDULE: Monday - Alonso (3) vs. Gaither (6), 6 p.m.; Countryside (4) vs. Mitchell (5), 8 p.m. Jan. 28 - Sickles (2) vs. Alonso-Gaither winner, 6 p.m.; St. Petersburg (1) vs. Countryside-Mitchell winner, 8 p.m. Jan. 30 - Championship, 7 p.m.

NEED TO KNOW: Mitchell will have to play its best soccer of the season to get out of this district, historically one of the toughest in the state. The Mustangs finished 2-3 in district play, with wins against No. 1-seeded St. Petersburg and No. 6 Gaither. Countryside defeated Mitchell 1-0 in both games. St. Petersburg earned the top seed as a result of its 2-1 win against Sickles on Dec. 2.

5A-7 AT CENTRAL

SCHEDULE: Tuesday - Ridgewood (5) vs. Wesley Chapel (4), 7 p.m. Jan. 28 - Land O' Lakes (1) vs. Ridgewood-Wesley Chapel winner, 6 p.m.; River Ridge (2) vs. Central (3), 8 p.m. Jan. 30 - Championship, 7 p.m.

NEED TO KNOW: With the small playing surface at Central, anything is possible in this district, but Land O' Lakes is clearly the favorite. The best game of the tournament should be the River Ridge-Central semifinal match on Jan. 28.

4A-8 AT SPRINGSTEAD

SCHEDULE: Monday - Hernando (9) vs. Zephyrhills (8), 6 p.m.; Gulf (2) vs. Nature Coast (7), 8 p.m. Tuesday - Pasco (1) vs. Hernando-Zephyrhills winner, 4 p.m.; Hudson (3) vs. Wiregrass Ranch (6), 6 p.m.; Springstead (4) vs. Sunlake (5), 8 p.m. Jan. 28 - Gulf-Nature Coast winner vs. Hudson-Wiregrass winner, 6 p.m.; Pasco-Zephyrhills-Hernando winner vs. Springstead-Sunlake winner, 8 p.m. Jan. 30 - Championship, 7:30 p.m.,

NEED TO KNOW: Pasco is on a roll. The Pirates weren't expected to compete for the top spot this year, and after dropping their first two games of the season, it looked like they wouldn't. But Pasco is 14-0-3 since and claimed the No. 1 seed and the first-round bye. Gulf and Hudson seem to be the others in contention for the title. Pasco and Gulf played to a pair of ties during the regular season, while Gulf beat Hudson 3-2 on Nov. 17 and tied 1-1 on Dec. 12. They could meet again in the semifinals.

2A-9 AT B. MCLAUGHLIN

SCHEDULE: Tuesday - Academy at the Lakes (2) vs. Hernando Christian (3), 5 p.m.; Bishop McLaughlin (1) vs. Carrollwood Day (4), 7 p.m. Jan. 30 - Championship, 7 p.m.

NEED TO KNOW: Bishop McLaughlin went undefeated in district play, outscoring opponents 21-1, but Academy at the Lakes played the Hurricanes close both times (2-1 and 2-0). With a four-team district, it only takes one win to advance to the region tournament. Academy at the Lakes only district losses were to Bishop McLaughlin.

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