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Posted on Tuesday, 11.04.08

GULLIVER PREP | GIRLS HIGH SCHOOL SOCCER

Miami's Gulliver girls soccer team wants redemption

After letting a chance to win the Class 3A state championship slip away, Gulliver's girls' soccer team is poised to finish the job this season.

KEY DATES

• Nov. 28-29: Gulliver Thanksgiving Classic

• Dec. 20-23: Adidas Classic

• Jan. 13: GMAC championship

• Jan. 19-23: Districts

• Jan. 29: Regional quarterfinals

• Feb. 3: Regional semifinals

• Feb. 6: Regional finals

• Feb. 11-14: State final four in Tampa

2007-08 STATE CHAMPS

• Class 6A: Wellington

• Class 5A: Lakeland George Jenkins

• Class 4A: Ponte Vedra Beach Nease

• Class 3A: Jacksonville Bolles

• Class 2A: Tampa Prep

PREVIOUS MIAMI-DADE CHAMPS

Coral Gables 1982, Miami Springs 1988, Hialeah-Miami Lakes 1993

TOP RETURNING PLAYERS

F Jeanne Canto, Coral Gables, Sr.: Canto led the Cavaliers in scoring with 36 goals and 16 assists.

F Abby Carr, Miami Springs, Jr.: Carr's 28 goals and 12 assists paced the Golden Hawks.

F Ceci Colon, Westminster Christian, Jr.: Led the Warriors with 37 goals.

F Kristin Davis, Gulliver, Sr.: Davis, The Miami Herald's Class 4A-2A Player of the Year, scored 27 goals and had nine assists.

F Andrea De Oña, Lourdes, Jr.: De Oña led the Bobcats scoring with 21 goals.

F Gianelli Vignatti, Varela, Sr.: Vignatti scored 16 goals and had 15 assists.

M Sara Granda, Dade Christian, So.: Granda had 30 assists and was the midfield captain.

M Dara Spital, Gulliver, So.: Scored 23 goals as a freshman.

D Zoe Lovay, Varela, Sr.: Lovay's defense was crucial as the Vipers won the district championship.

D Codi Rinehart, Miami Springs, Sr.: Rinehart anchored the defense.

OUTLOOKS -- CLASS 6A

1. MIAMI SPRINGS (Coach William Drew, 12th year at MS, 25th overall). Last year: 24-3-1 (State semifinalist). Top players: M Dallas Carter, Jr.; F Abby Carr, Jr.; D Codi Rinehart, Sr.; D Chelsey Carlson, Jr.

2. LOURDES (Coach Ray Walden, 13th year, 150-39-24). Last year: 19-2-2 (Regional finalist). Top players: F Andrea De Oña, Jr.; GK Carolina Garcia, So.; D Grace Cervoni, So.; M Kelly Soeder, So.

3. PALMETTO (Coach Mike Adeyemi, 2nd year, 15-5-5). Last year: 15-5-5 (Regional quarterfinalist). Top players: M Caitlin Giles, Sr.; M Laura Piedrahita, So.; M Alec Spivack, So.; D Kayla Mosquera, Sr.

4. VARELA (Coach Michelle Torrez). Last year: 14-3-5 (Regional semifinalist). Top players: F Gianelli Vignatti, Sr.; F Jessica Clark, Fr.; D Alexia Clark, So.

5. CORAL GABLES (Coach Mercy Verazain). Last year: 16-5-2 (Regional quarterfinalist). Top players: F Jeanne Canto, Sr.; F Caitlin Esquenazi, Jr.; M Blair Shupenko, Jr.; M Marisa Orbea, Sr.

6. KILLIAN (Coach Leo Madrigal, 7th year, at Killian, 38th overall, 305-100-75). Last year: 14-5. Top players: Stephanie Parra, Sr.; Kelly Drozdovics, Jr.; Nicole Gervais, Jr.; Megan McGinley, So.

7. SUNSET (Coach Nicole Fernandez, 3rd year, 45-18-2). Last year: 15-6-4. Top players: M Silvana Dodero, So.; F/M Scarlet Montoya, So.; D Stephanie Ortiz, Sr.; GK Barbara Santa Rosa, Sr.

8. AMERICAN (Coach Rosie Lopez, 4th year). Last year: N/A. Top players: M/D Jennifer Hernandez, So.; M/D Angelique Blanco, Jr.; F Laura Coco, Fr.

9. CORAL PARK (Coach Gaston Rubio, 1st year). Last year: 6-10-2. Top players: D Catherine Lopez, Sr.; GK Glorian Pombo, Sr.; D Stephanie Moncada, Jr.

10. NORTH MIAMI (Coach Sal Attento). Last year: 5-10-1. Top players: F Angelica Atz, Jr.; M Cristina Alvarez, Sr.; D Rosaline Ruiz, Sr.; D Nahomie Casamajor, Sr.

OUTLOOKS -- CLASS 4A

1. MATER ACADEMY (Coach Luis Sanchez, 5th year, 10th overall, 62-84-20). Last year: 13-9-2. Top players: F Monica Lozano, Jr.; M/D Hazzel Pravia, Jr.; M/D Camila Versage, So.

2. ST. BRENDAN (Coach Adalberto Jordan, 2nd year, 11-6-1). Last year: 11-6-1. Top players: F Cristy Obregon, Sr.; M/F Nicole Warner, So.; M/F Cristina Miranda, So.; D Rebecca Artiles, Jr.

OUTLOOKS -- CLASS 3A

1. GULLIVER (Coach Manny Soutullo, 3rd year at Gulliver, 14th overall, 141-110-1). Last year: 24-2-1 (state semifinalist). Top players: F Kristin Davis, Sr.; M Dara Spital, So.; D Sophia Stylianos, Sr.

2. LA SALLE (Coach Thomas Krogh-Paulsen, 1st year at La Salle, 17th overall, 180-90-25). Last year: 17-6-1 (regional quarterfinalist). Top players: Jaky Aguilar, Jr.; Amanda Tinoco, Jr.; Jessica Palacio, Fr.; Laura Benevides, Jr.

3. FLORIDA CHRISTIAN (Coach Simon Bazyler, 15th year). Last year: 6-8-2. Top players: D Nicolle Alayon, Jr.; F Jessica DeHombre, So.; M Ale Baxiera, So.

4. DORAL ACADEMY (Coach J.C. Manjarres, 1st year). Last year: 4-10. Top players: GK Laurel Mallea, Fr.

OUTLOOKS -- CLASS 2A

1. DADE CHRISTIAN (Coach Jorge Granda, 12th year, 197-46-7). Last year: 24-3 (regional finalist). Top players: M Sarah Granda, So.; M Ruthie Levia, Jr.; F Alexandra Gastesi, Jr.

2. PALMER TRINITY (Coach Sarah Kemeness, 1st year). Last year: 15-5 (regional semifinalist). Top players: D Kirby Battle, Jr.; M Annie Morrison, Jr.; F Livia Wogan, Sr.; D Nina Mas, So.

3. WESTMINSTER CHRISTIAN (Coach Jason Aquila, 7th year). Last year: 15-10-1 (Regional quarterfinalist). Top players: F Ceci Colon, Jr.; D Annie Evans, Jr.; M Gaby San Andres, Jr.

4. MIAMI COUNTRY DAY (Coach Kyllene Weiss, 1st year). Last year: 8-11. Top players: M Maggie Piper, Jr.; D Zoe Respndek, So.; F Alexandra Schwartz, Jr.; F Alex Singer, Jr.

5. HILLEL (Coach Ben Magidson, 2nd year, 6-1). Last year: 6-1. Top players: M Tere Jafif, Sr.; F Tanya Jafif, So.; M Ceceil Mendal, Sr.; M Elaine Benlolo, Jr.

BY ANDRE C. FERNANDEZ

a1fernandez@MiamiHerald.com

Gulliver senior forward Kristen Davis clearly remembers the elation of breaking her school's longtime drought against Broward girls' soccer teams.

But Davis hasn't forgotten how she and her teammates let the Raiders' golden opportunity to win a state championship slip away a week later.

After being eliminated from the playoffs by Plantation American Heritage for seven consecutive seasons, Gulliver avoided its nemesis last year and beat Fort Lauderdale Pine Crest in a shootout instead to advance to the state tournament for the first time since 2001.

But the Raiders lost to Jacksonville Bolles in the state semifinal after holding a one goal lead late in the second half. The next day, Bolles won the Class 3A state championship leaving Gulliver players wondering about what could have been.

''We thought we had it all when we got to state,'' Davis said. ``To lose like that really hurt because it was ours. That's all we think about when we're doing fitness or practicing.''

Broward County figures to be tough again this season.

But so will Gulliver.

The Raiders return eight starters from last year's team, including Davis, who led the team in scoring with 27 goals and nine assists.

Davis has committed to play for the University of Evansville, and last year, was named The Miami Herald's Class 4A-2A Player of the Year. She firmly believes Gulliver can get past Region 4-3A again and take another trip to the state final four, which this season will be held Feb. 11-14 at the University of Tampa's Pepin Stadium.

''Our chemistry on this team is out of this world and we feel like we can't be stopped,'' Davis said. ``We want that state championship trophy badly.''

Along with Davis, Gulliver returns sophomore midfielder Dara Spital and senior defender Sophia Stylianos. Spital scored 24 goals and had nine assists, while Stylianos had eight goals and eight assists.

Spital said the team has been working feverishly to stay in shape to take on the tough schedule that awaits.

''We've been running and lifting constantly to stay in shape,'' Spital said. ``We run across the bridge on Key Biscayne sometimes on weekends. People mistake us for a cross-country team.''

Gulliver figures to see plenty of its potential opponents on the road to state during the regular season. The Raiders will play at Pine Crest, Boca Raton St. Andrews and take a trip to Jacksonville to face Bolles and Bartram Trail.

The Raiders also have games lined up against Fort Lauderdale powerhouses from higher classifications such as Cardinal Gibbons and Archbishop McCarthy, and St. Thomas Aquinas.

''This year will be important to show that what we did last year was not a fluke,'' Gulliver coach Manny Soutullo said. ``We feel we can match up with the Broward teams.''

Miami-Dade County has several teams with state tournament aspirations in Class 6A. Miami Springs and Lourdes both bring back numerous talented underclassmen and figure to be the preseason favorites to earn the county's automatic berth in Region 4-6A.

Gulliver figures it will have to get past either American Heritage or Pine Crest once again to have a chance to win the school's first state title in girls' soccer. The Raiders advanced to the state championship match in 1997, 1999 and 2001 before they reached the semifinal last year.

Stylianos said this season ''getting close'' isn't good enough.

''We know how bad it feels to work so hard to finally get there and come up short,'' Stylianos said. ``We're not going to let that happen again.''

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