MAST boys win first GMAC soccer title, vying for more championships in coming weeks
MAST Academy’s boys’ soccer players were so excited, they started celebrating too early.
A whistle by the lead referee prompted the Makos to begin storming the field a few seconds before their match was over on Friday night against Palmetto at Traz Powell Stadium.
About 30 seconds later, the signature three whistles were blown and then MAST players stampeded the pitch in a wild celebration after a 2-1 comeback victory that secured their first GMAC tournament championship.
“This is amazing and there’s a sense of pride in belonging to this amazing academic school and one of the best public schools playing sports,” MAST coach Rui Gomes said. “The talent tactically and physically from this amazing group of kids, I’m very lucky to be coaching them.”
MAST Academy, a public magnet school in Key Biscayne, has long been known for its prowess in aquatic sports.
But in recent years, it is becoming a soccer power in Miami-Dade County, producing talents like Inter Miami midfielder Benjamin Cremaschi.
The Makos took another step in that process on Friday when they rallied from an early 1-0 deficit with two quick and precise strikes from their forwards.
On a counter attack, junior midfielder Santiago Casserly crossed a ball perfectly to senior forward Nico Alvarez on the run and he fired a shot past Palmetto’s goalie to tie the game in the 20th minute.
About 11 minutes later, Casserly was the one doing the scoring when he headed home a ball to give MAST the one goal lead it would not relinquish.
“The mental resilience we have been working on game after game and practice after practice is giving us fight on every single play, but with class and not disruptive,” Gomes said.
Alvarez, who has 12 goals and three assists this season, and Casserly, who has eight goals and two assists, have become a potent duo for the Makos.
“We’ve been playing together for some time and in these moments, I’m really happy to share the field with him and make plays like that,” Alvarez said.
MAST is trying to repeat as district champions in a tough division that has produced the past two Class 4A state champions - Miami St. Brendan and Miami Gulliver Prep.
Ironically, the Makos won that district last season.
But their success was cut short by a loss in penalty kicks to Key West, which then lost in PKs to eventual state champion Gulliver in the next round.
MAST, which has made it to the regional quarterfinals in 2018, 2020 and 2023, brought back 15 players from last year’s squad and added a few others in the hopes of taking the next step and making a run at a state title.
“This (championship) gives us a ton of confidence going forward and we’re going for more,” Alvarez said. “We’re trying to win it all this season. This is a lot of happiness right now. We’ve been working on this objective all season so this is pure joy.”
