Boys Soccer 301239988
BROOKSVILLE –
Quarterfinals in the Class 3A, District 6 Tournament were held Tuesday at Shark Tank Stadium, and only one of four county squads survived.
A key game pitted fourth-seeded Weeki Wachee against fifth-seeded Tavares, with the Hornets falling 5-3 in penalty kicks to absorb a 4-3 defeat.
The Bulldogs’ offense started strong with a goal from Kyle Warfel in the ninth minute.
The Hornets (7-7-5) were quick to respond with a goal from Andrew Jensen, but we’re unable keep up with Tavares’ surging offense in the first half.
The Bulldogs’ strikers would find the net twice more before halftime.
In the second half, the Hornets looked like a completely different squad. The Weeki Wachee defense was able to repel any potential attacks from the Tavares offense.
The Hornets aggressively seized control of the second half collecting goals from Mike Tinari and Jensen to tie the game before the two squads clashed in overtime.
At the end of two ten-minute periods of extra time, the two teams were still tied at 3-all.
Tavares and Weeki Wachee moved into a thrilling penalty kick shootout in which the Bulldogs emerged the victors.
The two teams kept pace with one another on their penalty kicks with both squads’ first three kickers succeeding in their attempts to score.
Jensen, the fourth kicker in the shootout, narrowly missed a shot that would’ve kept it tied, which allowed Tavares’ Ryan Lindsey to seal the deal for the Bulldogs.
Hornets head coach Shane Tarbox was disappointed in the final result but pleased by his team’s resiliency and ability to make a comeback.
“If we’d played the first half the same we played the second, it’d be a whole different game,” said Tarbox, who is also very satisfied by the way his team, now eliminated, played this whole season.
“This team’s all heart,” said Tarbox. “They had a 0-18 (record) last year. To have a winning record this season means a whole lot.”
Citrus, who trounced Hernando Tuesday afternoon, 7-0, and will play Tavares in Thursday’s semifinals.
“We’re more confident,” said Tavares head coach Sefton Anderson. “I feel like we’ll have a good chance against Citrus, we’ll be prepared.”
Sharks move on
Third-seeded Nature Coast met the sixth-seeded Eustis Panthers. The Sharks put on an impressive demonstration both offensively and defensively, and captured a 4-0 victory.
The Sharks (11-8-4), frequently on the attack, pounced on nearly every opportunity and would not let up.
They kept possession predominantly throughout both halves and had 15 shots on goal as a result.
Nature Coast’s Jared Weeks, assisted by Austin Lacy, was the first half’s lone scorer before the Sharks opened it up in the second half. Frank Villaizan, Morgan Vraspir and Cody Van Natter all with individual goals, contributed to the offensive onslaught.
“I didn’t want it to be my last game,” said Van Natter, a senior. “We’re at the point where it’s win or go home, and a lot of guys stepped up tonight and that’s how we were able to get the win.”
The Panthers didn’t have much to show for Tuesday night’s performance. The offense was shut down by a solid Nature Coast defense with only two shots on goal in the entire game.
“We definitely didn’t play at our level, possession just wasn’t there for us, nor the shots (on goal)” said Eustis coach Ben Baca.
Sharks head coach Ian Wald was proud of the way his boys played.
“I was very excited that we won, we knew it was a big game, we just wanted to get back to the semis where we lost last year, “said Wald.
Wald is referring to the semifinals where Nature Coast was eliminated last year by Leesburg.
Nature Coast will have a rematch Thursday against Leesburg, who defeated Central later Tuesday night, 1-0.
Tavares 4, Weeki Wachee 3 (5-3 on PKs)
1 2 OT 2OT PK
TAV 3 0 0 0 5 – 4
WW 1 2 0 0 3 – 3
Goals – TAV: Eastman, Hayes, Leon, Lindsey, Perry, Warfel 2, Wooten; WW: Jensen 2, Radike, Roberts, Tinari 2.
Assists – TAV: Lindsey; WW: Cuellar 2, Tinari.
Shots on Goal – TAV: 11; WW: 15.
Saves – TAV: 12; WW: Truman 8.
Yellow Cards – TAV: Wooster .
Blue Cards – none.
Red Cards – none.
Records – Weeki Wachee (7-7-5).
Nature Coast 4, Eustis 0
1 2
EUS 0 0 – 0
NCT 1 3 – 4
Goals – NCT: Weeks, Van Natter, Villaizan, Vraspir.
Assists – NCT: Draper, Lacy, Vraspir.
Shots on Goal – EUS: 2; NCT: 15.
Saves – EUS: 11; NCT: Bailey 2
Yellow Cards – none
Blue Cards – none
Red Cards- none
Records – Nature Coast (11-8-4).
Class 3A, District 6 Tournament
At Nature Coast
1/22
No. 8 Hernando vs. No. 1 Citrus
Citrus def. Hernando, 7-0
No. 4 Weeki Wachee vs. No. 5 Tavares
Tavares def. Weeki Wachee, 4-3 (5-3 PKs)
No. 3 Nature Coast vs. No. 6 Eustis
Nature Coast def. Eustis, 4-0
No. 7 Central vs. No. 2 Leesburg
Leesburg def. Central, 1-0
1/24
Citrus vs. Tavares, 5:30 p.m.
Nature Coast vs. Leesburg, 7:30 p.m.
1/25
Championship, 7 p.m.
