Raiders seeded No. 3 for girls soccer district tournament

Plant City High, with its first playoff trip in a decade in its sights, entered this week's District 5A-8 girls soccer tournament as the No. 2 seed. Tonight the semifinals are scheduled at Newsome High, which is hosting and the overwhelming favorite to take the title.

Newsome was a perfect 18-0 heading into its season finale on Thursday and is regarded as the top team in the county.

But the good news for the Raiders: Two teams make the playoffs out of the district and, as the second seed, they would not have to face Newsome until the district final. Both finalists qualify for the postseason - a place the Raiders have not been since 2000. And Plant City has never won a playoff game in its history. Back then the Raiders fell 4-2 to Kissimmee Osceola.

The 5A-8 tournament was scheduled to begin Tuesday and Plant City was expected to cruise past bottom-seeded Armwood, whom the Raiders defeated 8-0 earlier in the season. Assuming a win there, the Raiders likely would be facing No. 3 seed East Bay at 6 p.m. today with a spot in the finals due the winner.

When the Raiders faced East Bay on Dec. 14, the teams tied 2-2.

On the other side of the bracket, Newsome receives a bye and will take on the Durant-Riverview winner at 8 p.m. today. When those teams faced off in December, the Cougars edged Riverview 1-0. Durant enters as the fourth seed.

Tonight's winners will square off at 7 p.m. Friday for the district crown. The winner will be at home for the first round of the playoffs, which begin Jan. 27. The district runner-up must head out on the road, which probably means a journey to Ocala.

While Plant City doesn't have to beat Newsome to make the playoffs, the teams would match up in the second regional round if both win.

Plant City was 11-4-1 prior to its season finale. Freshmen Ericka Lott and Stephanie Galloway were leading the squad with 17 and 16 goals, respectively.