North Broward Prep girls soccer edges Palmer Trinity to secure first trip to state semis
North Broward Prep had seen plenty of more experienced girls’ soccer teams not even get close to its goal of playing for a state championship over the past two decades.
But this season, a squad with only two seniors, and a pair of eighth graders in their starting lineup including goalkeeper Zoie Brown has everything clicking for the Eagles.
Brown made the decisive save and five of her teammates all converted penalty kicks as North Broward Prep advanced to its first-ever state semifinal following a 5-3 victory over host Palmer Trinity in a penalty kick shootout in Tuesday’s Region 4-3A final.
The Eagles (16-4-2), who were playing in their first regional final since 2007, will now travel to face Palm Beach Gardens Benjamin Friday night at 7 p.m. in a Class 3A state semifinal.
North Broward Prep has won 11 consecutive matches since Dec. 15th and 12 of its past 13.
“We came back after winter break and felt like a new team,” North Broward Prep coach Tricia Amrhein said. “Everyone is putting in the effort and my two seniors are leading the way, but it’s a great mix. It’s so much fun to watch the way they’ve all come together and found a way to get it done.”
North Broward Prep, which for years had their seasons ended by Broward County powerhouses Plantation American Heritage and Fort Lauderdale Cardinal Gibbons, was reclassified this season to Class 3A.
In this year’s tournament, the Eagles have followed a formula of stingy defense and timely scoring to push further than they ever have in the postseason. On Tuesday afternoon, they weren’t able to find the mark, however, as both teams kept each other at bay until the shootout.
After recording her eighth shutout of the season following a scoreless stalemate through 80 minutes of regulation and 20 minutes of overtime, it was up to Brown and her counterpart - Falcons senior goalkeeper Brittney Mills - to decide who would advance.
On Palmer’s first shot, Brown pivoted the outcome in North Broward Prep’s direction when she dove and stopped a kick by senior Jessica Leathe.
“Their anxieties were a little high and Palmer Trinity pushed us to our limits,” Amrhein said. “This is my 14th year as the coach and I’ve had different goalies, but (Brown) has the potential to become one of the best I’ve ever seen. She didn’t show any anxiety out there. She’s gained that confidence throughout the year and I think it’s built from the support from her teammates. I told her I wouldn’t have you on the field if I didn’t believe you could do it.”
The save came right after junior Leah Finkelman, the Eagles’ leading scorer with 32 goals and 10 assists this season, converted their first attempt. Senior Catarina Bastos, senior Kendall Watts, junior Yaira Espinosa and junior Cailey Katz would follow suit as North Broward Prep went 5-for-5 in the shootout before running off to celebrate across the field.
“I almost missed my shot to be honest,” Bastos said. “Our team was a mess today. The five players that always shoot are four captains and one upperclassmen so we’re all really close. We looked at each other and said we won’t be mad if you miss. But (Brown) makes our lives easier. We’re blessed to have her on our team.”
This story was originally published February 16, 2022 at 8:03 AM.
