Ransom Everglades pulls away from Orlando Bishop Moore, advances to boys’ soccer state final
More than once, Alex Stuart could be seen slamming his hand into the ground. All night long he had numerous scoring chances and was turned away each time.
But Stuart and the rest of his Ransom Everglades teammates who also had quality scoring chances stuck to the process and kept pounding. And they saw that determination pay off as the Raiders scored four times in the second half — three in the last 13 minutes — to overcome a one-goal halftime deficit and defeat Orlando Bishop Moore 4-1 in a boys’ soccer 2A state semifinal Tuesday night at Melbourne High School.
It was Stuart’s header into the top left corner of the net off a deep throw-in from Andrew Geraghty that snapped a 1-1 tie with 12:17 left and proved to be the game-winner for the Raiders.
Competing in its first state final four in 37 years, Ransom (23-4) will now look for its first state title in program history when it takes on Tampa Catholic, which edged Jacksonville Bishop Kenny 2-1 in the earlier semifinal, for the 2A title at 9:05 p.m. Wednesday.
“Man was I frustrated,” Stuart said. “Missing those chances just gave us more and more motivation to keep pushing. We just always kind of thought it was coming because of the way we were dominating in the second half. On my goal, Andrew made a great throw in, the ball took one bounce and it was just a matter of trying to get anything I could on it, which was my head and put it on goal and in it went.”
It was a frustrating first half in which the Raiders fell behind the Hornets (23-7) on a goal in the game’s 18th minute and then couldn’t find the equalizer despite numerous quality chances. That included Stuart’s one-on-one with Hornets goalkeeper Isaac Walker in the closing seconds of the half, only to be stopped by a great save.
Things then only got more frustrating for the Raiders.
When Bishop Moore committed a foul in the box in the second minute of the second half, the team’s leading scorer, Michael Colonna, lined up for a penalty kick that could have tied the score. But Colonna missed wide right.
“I couldn’t believe it. I don’t think I’ve missed a PK since youth soccer and thought I had cost my team the game,” Colonna said. “But my teammates had my back and we all kept fighting and kept creating chances. Once we got it tied, we felt like we were going to be okay because we were really controlling the game at that point.”
Colonna then more than made up for his missed PK when he picked a Bishop Moore defender clean which created a one-on-one with Walker and he easily put it away to make it 3-1 with 8:04 left. He wasn’t done as he scored his second goal just 90 seconds later and the Raider celebration was on.
“I don’t think there’s anybody on the field, even after Mike missed that PK that doubted we were going to find a way to win this game,” said Ransom Everglades coach Dave Villano, who coached the Raiders for 29 years. “Mike’s a great player but we’ve got a bunch of other kids who know how to step up when they need to and you saw that out there tonight. Everyone is really excited and looking forward to the opportunity in front of us [Wednesday] night.”
SOCCER
The following players and coaches received Florida Athletic Coaches Association boys’ soccer honors.
For District 23, Class 5A – Player: Camilo Rojas (American); Coach: Richie Pelaez (American); Class 4A – Player: Owen Green (Reagan); Coach: Marino Torrens; Class 3A – Player: Patrick Hannau (Mourning); Coach: Luke Schlehuber (Mourning); Class 2A – Player: Eli Knezevich (MAST); Coach: Gaston Rubio (MAST); Class 1A – Player: Netty Silberman (Scheck Hillel); Coach: Ben Magidson (Scheck Hillel).
For District 24, Class 5A – Player: Daniel Mayorga (Columbus); Coach: Michael Stewart (Columbus); Class 4A – Player: Frankie de la Camara (Belen); Coach: Tanger Mendonca (Belen); Class 3A – Player: Pablo Medina (Jackson); Coach: Jim Willenborg (Jackson); Class 2A – Player: Michael Colonna (Ransom); Coach: David Villano (Ransom); Class 1A – Player: Bijan Zojaji (Archimedean); Coach: Jonathan Romero (Archimedean).
SOFTBALL
▪ Southridge 10, Homestead 0: WP: Casilyn Fraga (2-0) 0H, 12 K’s, 1-2, 2 R.. Top Performers: Britney Campbell 2-3, R. Lisa Bender 1-2, R. Ariel Tillotson 1-2, R. SR 5-0.
▪ Goleman 15, Norland 0: WP: Natalie Costero 8K's (2-0). LP: D. Ashley's (0-2). Top Performers: Kourtney Lohn 2-3, 3 RBI. Denise Hernandez 2-2, 2RBI. Natalie Costero 2-2, 2R. GOL 2-0.
▪ Palmetto 10, Coral Reef 4: WP: Brittney Barczak (2-0). LP: Sutton. Top Performers: Amanda Guglietta 3-4, 2 R. Lauren Margolis 2-2, 2 R. Erin Love 3-5, 2 R, RBI. PAL 3-0.
▪ TERRA 15, Central 0: WP: Veronica Sanchez 4 K's, 2 R. Tayler Sanchez 3-4, 2 R. Oceana Camejo 1-1, HR, 3 R. Emma Tabares 1-1, 2 R.
▪ South Dade 19, Killian 2: WP: Cassie Torres 1-0. LP: N. Delaespick. Top Performers: Zara Hall 2-2, 2B, 3 RBI. Thea Ramirez 1-1, HR, 5 RBI. Miumi Atkins 2-2, 4 RBI. Miumi Atkins 2-4, R, RBI. SD 2-1.
▪ Doral Academy 18, Sunset 0: WP: Gaby Ruiz 3 IP, 8 K’s. Top Performers: Katie Rodriguez 2-2, 3 R, GS. Ashley Jarquin 2-1, HR, 2 RBI. Alexa Sanchez 1-1, HR. Ashley Venegas 1-1, HR. DA 2-0.
BASEBALL
▪ Westminster Christian 3, Columbus 2: WP: Danny Perez 5 IP, 0R, 3 K’s. Top Performers: Clint Gulley 2-4, RBI. Alex Ruiz 2-4. Anthony Vilar 1-2, 2 R. WC 1-0.
▪ Belen 7, Hialeah 0: WP: Gabe Gonzalez 5 IP, 4 K’s, H. Top Performers: Christian delCastillo 2-2, 3B, 3 R, 2 RBI, 3 SB. Ralph Hernandez 2-3, 2 RBI. CJ Vazquez 1-2, 2 RBI, R. BEL 1-0. HIA 0-1.
▪ Somerset 10, Westwood 4: WP: Juan J Teixeira. LP: Nathan Pereira. Top Performers: Juan F Teixeira 3-5. Jack Khawly HR, 2 RBI. Ricardo Leonett 2-2, HR, 2 RBI.
BOYS’ TENNIS
▪ Archbishop McCarthy 4, Calvary Christian 3: 1.Mendez (CC)8-5. 2.LaFontant (AM) 8-3. 3. Torres (AM) 8-4. 4. Galllego (AM) 8-0. 5. Goncalves (AM) 8-0. Doubles: 1. Mendez/O'Leary (CC) 6-1. 2. Keller/Moscoso (CC) 7-5.
▪ Reagan 7, TERRA 0: 1. Bonassi 8-1. 2. Villacres 8-2. 3. Amaya 8-2. 4. Irazabal 8-2. 5.Almario 8-3. Doubles: 1. Bonassi/Villacres 8-1. 2. Amaya/Irazabal 8-3. RR 1-1.
▪ American Heritage Plantation 6, North Broward Prep 1: 1. Zack Ebenfeld 8-0. 2. Romare Gonzalez 8-5. 3. Lamo 8-2. 4. Duan 8-1. 5.Geller 8-5. Doubles: 1.Ebenfeld/Lamo 8-2. 2. Shen/Rubenstein 8-4.
▪ Mourning 7, Central 0: 1. Jaworski 8-0. 2. Uribe 8-0. ATM 2-0.
▪ Palmer Trinity 7, SLAM 0: 1. Opaciouh 8-0.
▪ Jackson 7, Sunset 0: 1. Mejia 8-0. 2. Johnson 8-0. 3.Mora 8-0. 4. Torres 8-0. 5. Bertrand 8-0. Doubles: 1. Mejia/Johnson 8-0. 2. Mora/Torres 8-0. JAX 3-0.
▪ Sagemont 4 Somerset 3: 1. Tasker 9-7. 2. Deburyne 8-3. 3. Martinez 8-0. 4. Astidullo 8-5. 5. Narango 8-2.
GIRLS’ TENNIS
▪ Archbishop McCarthy 7, Calvary Christian 1: 1. Cabrero 8-0. 2. Gonzalez Umana 8-0. 3. Gonzalez 8-0. 4. Urdapilleta 8-0. 5. Cabrero 8-0. Doubles: 1. Urdapilleta/S. Lagos 6-2. 2. Day/Sarah Enders (CCA) 8-1.
▪ American Heritage Plantation 5, North Broward Prep 2: 1. Babb 8-2. 2. Dolabany 8-3. 3. Gunawardena 8-0. 4. Ormesher 8-0. 5. Chinchilla 8-0. Doubles: 1Gottlieb/Dolabany 8-2. 2.Bakradze/Patregnani 8-4.
▪ Mourning 5, Central 2: 2. Rodriguez 8-2. 4. Sentamant 8-0. 5.Volcy 8-0. ATM 2-0.
▪ Palmer Trinity 7, SLAM 0: 2. Gomez 8-0.
▪ Jackson 6, Sunset 0: 1. RiLewis 8-0. ReLewis 8-0. 3. CLewis 8-0. 4. N Beharry 8-0. Doubles: R.Lewis/Re.Lewis 8-0. C.Lewis/N.Beharry JAX 2-1.
▪ Somerset 4, Sagemont 3: 1. Hernandez 8-5. 2. Hynes 8-4. 3.Barova 8-5. 4. Borgus 8-3. 5. Staff 9-7.
BOYS’ LACROSSE
▪ Gulliver 18, Archbishop McCarthy 6: Trevor Pelletier 4 goals, assist. CJ Hassan 3 goals, assist. Snico Butnaru 2 goals. GUL 1-0.
▪ Gibbons 21, Coral Springs Charter 0: Luke Matta 4 goals, 4 assist. Ryan Minnigerode goal. Trent Motta 2 goals, assist. Whitman Hengtgen 2 goals. James Foster 3 goals, 2 assist. Cole O'hallaron 5 goals, 3 assist. Christopher Diamond 3 goals, assist. Clay Shaw goal, assist. Caleb fielder goal, assist. Joe Maguire 4 saves
GIRLS’ LACROSSE
▪ St. Thomas Aquinas 19, Plantation 0: STA 1-0.
State boys’ soccer finals
When: Through Saturday.
Where: Melbourne High School, 74 Bulldog Blvd., Melbourne.
Admission: $9 per session; Parking: $5 for cars, $50 for fan buses.
Tuesday’s results – Class 2A semifinals: Tampa Catholic 2, Jacksonville Bishop Kenny 1; Ransom Everglades 4, Orlando Bishop Moore 1; Class 1A final: Scheck Hillel 0, Maitland Orangewood Christian 0 (Hillel wins 5-4 on PKs).
Wednesday’s games – Class 3A semifinals: Tampa Jesuit vs. Ponte Vedra, 4; Immokalee vs. Land O’Lakes Sunlake, 6:30; Class 2A final: Ransom vs. Tampa Catholic, 9.
Thursday’s games – Class 4A semifinals: Naples Gulf Coast vs. Jacksonville Atlantic Coast, 4; Belen Jesuit vs. Auburndale, 6:30; Class 3A final: 9.
Friday’s games – Class 5A semifinals: Jacksonville Mandarin vs. Boca Raton, 4; Cypress Bay vs. Winter Park, 6:30; Class 4A final: 9.
Saturday’s game – Class 5A final: noon.
This story was originally published February 10, 2016 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Ransom Everglades pulls away from Orlando Bishop Moore, advances to boys’ soccer state final."