After a historic season, Doral Academy boys’ soccer seeking an encore

The Doral Academy Firebirds aren’t arrogant.

There’s no time for that now.

Doral won a state title in boys’ soccer last season – the first in program history – and they got national acclaim because of their coach, Pam McDonald. All she did was become the first woman ever to win a state title in Florida while coaching a boys’ team – in any sport.

Asked if the shine had worn off last season’s accomplishment, McDonald had a quick response.

“We’ve already lost twice this season, so yeah,” said McDonald of her team’s 3-2-2 start. “We lost 12 of last season’s seniors to graduation. We also lost three underclassmen to the (Kendall soccer) academy.”

The Firebirds are relying on a core group of seniors, including Danny Karam; Sebastian Chahin; Carlos Zambrano; Mateo Hincapie, and Mathias Vallejo.

Doral’s rise in 2020-2021 was a key part of a huge season for Miami-Dade boys’ soccer as the county claimed two gold medals and two silvers in the six classes.

Doral in Class 6A and Belen (5A) won gold. Gulliver Prep came in second in 4A, and Westminster Christian took silver in 3A.

McDonald, meanwhile, is a great story. The 47-year-old is the reigning USA Today National Boys’ Coach of the Year – an honor that carries across all sports.

A native of Scotland, she was a dynamic player in her youth. She was so good as an 11-year-old that – after scoring three goals in one game – she was banned from playing with and against boys.

Shen then struggled to find a girls’ team.

“There weren’t many of them at that time,” she said. “I finally found one, and it would take me three bus transfers to get to practice.”

At age 16, she made Scotland’s Under-21 team. Later that same year, she became the youngest player ever called up to Scotland’s Women’s National Team.

She came within one win of getting Scotland to the Women’s World Cup. But instead of sticking with the national team, McDonald took a full scholarship to Barry University, where she became a two-time All-American, twice leading the Bucs to the NCAA Division II semifinals.

McDonald, who still ranks second in program history in assists and sixth in points, started coaching while at Barry. She took a job as an assistant to Annie Perez’s girls’ soccer team at American High.

“She was my mentor,” McDonald said of Perez.

That job led McDonald to Doral, where she worked for four seasons coaching the girls.

“Our athletic director at the time, Danny Gonzalez, saw I was getting frustrated, having to teach the basics over and over,” McDonald said. “I was thinking of quitting or maybe coaching in college.”

Gonzalez, now Doral’s assistant principal, suggested McDonald take the opening for boys’ soccer coach, and the rest – quite literally – is history.

Even so, McDonald has had to endure slights. Referees and rival coaches have often bypassed her to talk to her male assistant coaches, for example.

Some rival coaches have refused to shake her hand, although she chalks that up to sore losers as opposed to any male-female issue.

“It’s all been worth it,” she said.

GIBBONS ON RISE

Cardinal Gibbons went 7-2-2 last season, reaching the regional quarterfinals.

This season, the Chiefs return 10 of 11 starters and could make a run at the Class 4A state title.

“We return our entire starting defense,” Gibbons coach Rafael Ferreiro said. “On offense, we need to bury our chances. We outshot all our opponents last season and could’ve gone deeper in the state tournament.”

There are 14 seniors on the roster, including nine starters. Goalie Grant Rodriguez, who allowed just one goal in nine games last season, is one of those seniors. Senior midfielders Greg Priyen and Thomas Vera are also at the top of the depth chart.

THIS AND THAT

▪ Belen is led by a strong group of seniors, including goalie Jack Volpe and field players Matias Perinot, Alejandro Vela, Stefano Naos, Alejandro Pereyra and Alejandro Herrera.

▪ Palmer Trinity is led by its captain, Thomas Rincon, a 6-foot-5, 190-pound center back who is being recruited by Division II schools. He had 38 stops and six goals last season.

▪ Monarch senior forward Matheus Alves scored nine goals in nine games. He will attempt to lead his team in goals and make first-team All-Broward for the third straight year.

▪ Miami Country Day is led by junior Enzo LaGrasse-Gillet, a two-time All-Dade player. He scored six goals last season.

▪ After an 0-8 season, Chaminade brought in coach Jared Rey, a former player at the school. His top five players are underclassmen, including junior midfielder Daniel Guerrero.

▪ Other top players for their teams include Johnathan Hines (Coral Glades); Joaquin Querol (St. Thomas Aquinas); and Christian Dohler (North Broward Prep).

This story was originally published December 13, 2021 at 1:21 PM.