Pasco's defense stifles Land O' Lakes in quarterfinals

The Pasco High boys soccer team sat back and played defense Thursday night. The result: the upset of the year.

The Pirates (21-2) needed just one goal to topple rival Land O'Lakes, 1-0, in their Class 4A-Region 2 quarterfinal match, a win that has Pasco hosting Sunlake in Tuesday's region semifinal.

"We knew it would be close, but we came in with a game plan and it worked," Pasco coach Barry Grayling said. "Two evenly matched teams playing rock' em, sock' em. ... This was two teams playing football. We played football tonight."

After playing to a scoreless first half in which the Gators (23-2) outshot the Pirates, 5-2, Pasco came out firing and scored in the 52nd minute. Defender Steven Mazza sent a long cross from the right side as midfielder Dillon Dunbar headed in the game's lone goal past a diving Kody Parker.

Then, the Pirates pushed most of their players back on defense, including playing a 4-5-1 formation at some points. Despite that, Land O' Lakes had numerous scoring opportunities late in the game. One came with less than 2 minutes left, when midfielder Justin Lyles sent a corner kick that Miguel Laliberte sent wide right.

"Pasco was content to sit back and absorb the pressure and it worked," Gators coach Mark Pearson said. "Give them credit for doing that because it was all they needed tonight."

Mike Camunas

4A-2: Sunlake wins

The Landry brothers of Sunlake stole the show in the Class 4A-Region 2 quarterfinals against host Hudson. Jordan and Jared Landry combined for five goals as the Seahawks won, 6-1.

The Seahawks got it going early, with Jordan Landry taking a pass from Jared in the third minute and burying the ball past the Cobras keeper. Just 8 minutes later the Landrys struck again when Jared was set up nicely by Connor Gilboy and gave the Seahawks a 2-0 lead.

Before halftime, Jordan Landry had his second goal of the game. Gilboy and Austin Gobel set up the goal, and Sunlake had a 3-0 lead.

In the second half, it was more of the same. The Landrys each had a goal to give Jordan a hat trick and the Seahawks a 5-0 lead just 15 minutes into the second half. Sunlake would make it 6-0 when Alex Piruzza blasted a goal from 35 feet.

Hudson's Jonothan Mendez scored late to avoid the shutout.

Sunlake will host Pasco in the region semifinals Tuesday night. Seahawks coach Sam Kolduk said his team is up for the challenge.

"We lost to them earlier this season (2-0), but it was a real good game." Kolduk said. "I think we're pretty evenly matched teams."

Steven Campbell

4A-3: Steinbrenner advances with win

Oliver Ortiz said it was during a first-half water break that he figured he could find the net - maybe multiple times - against Palmetto.

"Coach (Chad Ebright) told us Palmetto was a little slow in the backfield," Ortiz said. "That's when I knew."

In the second half, Ortiz scored twice as Steinbrenner (16-4-2) defeated Palmetto, 3-0, in a Class 4A-Region 3 quarterfinal.

First Phillip Jorge, from midfield, made a long pass to Ortiz, who found the net from about 20 yards out.

Fifteen minutes later, Logan Siben beat a defender down the sideline and crossed a pass in front of the goal to Ortiz, who scored again.

Siben added another goal.

"We had been trying to beat them one-on-one instead of using the second forward for a two-on-one," Ebright said. "And anytime you see the side of the net moving, you're happy. You know you're hitting them."

Nick Walter

4A-3: Jesuit ousted by Lakewood Ranch

Jesuit was 2 minutes away from a region quarterfinal victory, but a late goal tied it and the Tigers eventually lost to Lakewood Ranch, 3-2, in a match decided by penalty kicks.

Seth Browning's goal in the final minutes off a Padilla corner kick tied the game at 2.

In penalty kicks, Jesuit struck first when Christopher Conlon hit the inside of the top crossbar. However, Lakewood Ranch goalie Daniel Murray saved four of five penalty kicks for the Mustangs, including the game clincher when he deflected Alexander Rados' final attempt.

Padilla and Shane Baumann scored in the third and fourth round, respectively.

Joshua Litton

3A-3: Berkeley cruises past Frostproof

Same game, same opponent, same dominating outcome.

Berkeley Prep received a goal and an assist each from Tanner Bailey, Theo Wells and Tyler Sacone and made a definitive statement with a resounding 5-0 victory against visiting Frostproof in a Class 3A-Region 3 quarterfinal.

A season ago, the Buccaneers defeated Frostproof, 5-0, in the quarterfinals before falling to eventual state champion Bishop Verot.

The win sends Berkeley Prep (17-3-2) into Tuesday's region semifinal.

"I'm proud of the guys, because we generated a lot of opportunities," Berkeley Prep coach Timothy Cooper said. "They know what it takes from now on and they know we're going to have a tough game coming up."

The Buccaneers controlled play throughout the first half, but failed on numerous scoring opportunities before Frostproof goalkeeper Shawn Gary was called for a foul in the goal box in the 39th minute. Bailey easily converted the penalty kick for the only goal Berkeley Prep would need.

"I think that PK seemed to settle us down a bit and made us more relaxed," Cooper said. "We're the type of team that when we get one goal, we get hungry for more."

Just four minutes later, Chris Murphy received Sacone's cross from the left side and one-timed a left footer into an open net. With Frostproof unable to mount any offense - the Bulldogs finished without a shot - the 2-0 lead proved insurmountable.

Second-half goals from Wells, Mark Biddinger and Sacone ended any hopes of a Frostproof comeback.

Chris Errington

2A-3: Tampa Prep stops Shorecrest

Behind two goals from Destin Lyons, and a goal each from P.J. Field and Jordan Hayes, Tampa Prep (17-4-1) cruised by Shorecrest, 4-0, to advance to next week's Class 2A-Region 3 semifinals against Bradenton St. Stephen's Episcopal.

The Terrapins outshot the Chargers, 31-7, and for the second consecutive game faced an opponent content to pack the defensive end and play for a low-scoring game.

Tampa Prep took the game's first 11 shots, including a penalty kick, but failed to score on those chances thanks to solid goalkeeping from Shorecrest's Ahmed Dajani. With 21 minutes left in the half, Field finally punched one in, which appeared to ricochet off a Shorecrest (9-10-2) defender.

The next goal would not come until 23:52 remained in the game, when Hayes scored from point-blank range. Lyons scored the last two goals.

"Once we got the first goal, and really the second goal, it started to open up for us," Tampa Prep coach Doug Smith said.

Bart O' Connell

2A-3: Bishop McLaughlin falls to St. Stephen's

Bishop McLaughlin's season ended when it fell to St. Stephen's, 7-0, in a Class 2A-Region 3 quarterfinal.

The Hurricanes (18-6) gave up four second-half goals to St. Stephen's (17-3-2). Brett Messieh had two goals and three assists for St. Stephen's.

Bishop's six shots on goal came in the first half.

"We've got to figure out a way to get next to Tampa Prep and St. Stephen's," Bishop coach John Mayer said. "I believe those schools have JV programs and we've got to figure out a way to get more kids."

Mayer said the Hurricanes played out of sync after midfielder Andrew Cao suffered a dislocated thumb near the end of the regular season. Cao did not play Thursday.

"We had a great season," Mayer said. "And I think some of our younger guys really grew up."

Nick Walter