Pines Charter tops Miami Springs, gets Heritage next
The good news for the the Pembroke Pines Charter girls’ soccer team is the Jaguars managed two second half goals to advance to the next round of the regional playoffs with a 2-0 win over Miami Springs in a Region 4-3A quarterfinal at Traz Powell Stadium Thursday night.
The bad news is that, despite still having a team that returns eight players from last year’s Class 4A state finalist, Pines Charter faces a massive road block next week.
American Heritage, which has won the past three state championships, is up next. The Jaguars, now 17-4, moved into Heritage’s district this season and has lost all three meetings to the Patriots this year.
On Thursday, Pines Charter opened the scoring in the second half when Morgan Robertson broke the deadlock in the game’s 52nd minute. Robertson took a deep pass down low off a direct kick from Ashlyn Correa and bounced it off her stomach into the right side of the net after Springs keeper Brianna Gomez over-committed.
Robertson wrapped up the scoring with just over two minutes left when she beat the Springs defense down the middle and piped a perfect shot into the top right corner of the net.
“It was a really tough game tonight but fortunately we found a way to pull it out,” Robertson said.
“Heritage is really tough. We’ve played them three times and it’s been rough every single time but we’re looking forward to another challenge next week and maybe can beat them this time.”
Miami Springs finished its season 15-5.
MORE REGIONAL SOCCER
▪ 4-5A — West Broward 3, Flanagan 1: The Bobcats (16-3-2) will be looking for redemption in Tuesday’s regional semifinals as they move on to face Cypress Bay, a team which has knocked them out of the postseason the past five years.
“It’s definitely a big win tonight,” said Danielle Antieau, who had a goal and an assist. “We want to get our revenge against them. Hopefully we will take them out. It will be a good game. We are looking forward to it.”
Antieau’s breakaway netted the Bobcats a 1-0 lead and she assisted Alex Graef off a corner kick to claim a 2-0 halftime edge. Gabby Moreira scored the Bobcats’ final goal early in the second half.
ALEX BUTLER
▪ 4-5A — Lourdes 4, Coral Reef 0: Victoria Munoz scored twice in the second half to lead Lourdes (18-2-2) into Tuesday’s semifinal against Palmetto.
“[Victoria] was phenomenal,” Lourdes coach Ramiro Vengoechea said. “She’s only a freshman, but her desire, her intensity, her work-rate, is just non-stop and relentless. She’s a handful.”
Munoz tapped in her first goal in the 50th minute to put Lourdes up 3-0 on a rebound after Coral Reef (11-6-1) goalkeeper Montana Ligman had trouble corralling a deep shot from Fabiola Velikopoljski. Nine minutes later, forward Niki Molina passed to a wide-open Munoz in the middle of the penalty box for an easy finish.
“It feels good because we’re doing it for our seniors,” said Munoz, who finished with two goals on eight shots.
The Bobcats controlled the tempo throughout the game and jumped out to a 2-0 lead less than 25 minutes into the first half. Molina opened the scoring in the 16th minute with an empty-net goal after taking one dribble past an advanced Ligman. Natalie Silberman made it 2-0 in the 23rd minute with a rocket from 20 yards out into the top right corner of the net.
On the defensive end, Lourdes shut down Coral Reef’s leading scorer Bianca Mandrini. With 16 goals on the season coming into the game, Mandrini was held to just two shots.
“We knew going into the game that Bianca was going to be their main attacking threat. I think we did a good job nullifying her threat,” Vengoechea said.
Lourdes has reached the regional finals the past four years.
MARK SINGER
▪ 4-5A — Palmetto 5, Coral Gables 0: Emily Lamas and Bari Gold each scored twice and assisted on another as the Panthers rolled into the regional semifinals. Ava Gruener had a goal and two assists while Morgan Lang recorded the postseason shutout.
▪ 4-4A — Archbishop McCarthy 5, Terra 1: The Mavericks got three goals from Amanda Perez as she hit the 30-goal mark this season at Indian Hammocks Park. Madison St. Philip and Jaden Roberts also scored for McCarthy with Sofia Mallardi and Olivia Reese, Devyn Encalada and Gabby Webb each recording assists.
“I was happy with today's dominating performance,” McCarthy coach Mike Sica said. “We were able to play the full team to prepare us for the next round of the playoffs.
“Perez was her typical self. She was technical, physical and extremely talent. She has been doing this for four years.”
Archbishop McCarthy (18-3-1) will play St. Thomas Aquinas on Tuesday.
RUSSELL QUINOA
▪ 4-4A — St. Thomas Aquinas 8, Doral Academy 0: Bella Dorsey scored twice as the Raiders remained unbeaten at 18-0-1 and moved into a district championship game rematch with Archbishop McCarthy on Tuesday. Aquinas beat the Mavericks 2-1 in double-overtime in the District 15-4A final last week.
Also scoring for the Raiders: Julia Grosso, Mary Mccormick, Connor Lhota, Sara Davis, Tara Hamilton and Morgan Armstrong.
▪ 4-2A — Gulliver 7, Mater Lakes 0: Monica Zabian's three goals led the host Raiders (16-2-1) over Mater Lakes (9-7-1) on Thursday.
"I had a lot of help from my teammates and I fought for the ball, but my teammates were a big part of it," Zabian said.
Katrina Pardo scored twice, the first coming from 55-yards out on a free kick from midfield. Isabel Garcia, an eighth-grader celebrating her 14th birthday, scored the final goal of game with a top-shelf blast. Beatrice Garcia-Herrera opened the scoring.
▪ 4-2A — Ransom Everglades d. Carrollton (4-3 PK): A penalty kick goal by sophomore Catherine Kolski lifted host Ransom (14-4-2) past Carrollton (14-4-0) and advanced the Raiders to the region semifinal.
Ransom will host Gulliver on Tuesday at 7 p.m.
“I practiced all week with my left foot, didn't second guess myself and went for a shot I knew I could get,” said Kolski, who scored on the tenth penalty kick.
After a scoreless first half, a goal by Tiffany McBrayer put Ransom ahead in the 55th minute. In the 67th minute, Carrollton tied the score on a goal by Sarah Berenguer.
At the end of the second half, a goal was scored by Carrollton just moments after the clock ran down to 0.00.
The goal was disallowed since it came after time expired and there is no stoppage time. Two scoreless ten minute periods of golden-goal extra time was played prior to penalty kicks.
DARREN COLLETTE
▪ 4-2A — Cardinal Gibbons 4, American Heritage-Delray 1: Alysa Vazquez scored twice while Mackenzie Crittenberger and Amy Barra each scored to pace the Chiefs (16-2-2).
▪ 4-2A — Pine Crest 4, WPB King’s Academy 0: Autumn Clark, Isabelle Turner, Jordyn Elliott and Natalie Klar each scored for the Panthers (18-1-1) as they rolled into the semifinals and a date with Cardinal Gibbons.
▪ 4-1A — Palmer Trinity 5, Archimedean 1: Sofia Rivas scored all five goals for the Falcons (12-5) as Vicky Rosales and Carmen Gonzalez del Valle recorded the assists.
▪ 4-1A — Miami Country Day 3, South Florida Heat 0: Amanda Martin had two goals and Ava Hansen scored to lead the Spartans (14-7) into the regional semifinals against the winner of Westminster Academy and Hillel.
This story was originally published January 22, 2016 at 1:03 AM with the headline "Pines Charter tops Miami Springs, gets Heritage next."