Miami Herald Logo

American Heritage returns to state title match | Miami Herald

×
  • E-edition
  • Home
    • Site Information
    • Contact Us
    • About Us
    • Herald Store
    • RSS Feeds
    • Special Sections
    • Advertise
    • Advertise with Us
    • Media Kit
    • Mobile
    • Mobile Apps & eReaders
    • Newsletters
    • Social
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Google+
    • Instagram
    • YouTube

    • Sections
    • News
    • South Florida
    • Miami-Dade
    • Broward
    • Florida Keys
    • Florida
    • Politics
    • Weird News
    • Weather
    • National & World
    • Colombia
    • National
    • World
    • Americas
    • Cuba
    • Guantánamo
    • Haiti
    • Venezuela
    • Local Issues
    • Crime
    • Education
    • Environment
    • Health Care
    • In Depth
    • Issues & Ideas
    • Traffic
    • Sections
    • Sports
    • Blogs & Columnists
    • Pro & College
    • Miami Dolphins
    • Miami Heat
    • Miami Marlins
    • Florida Panthers
    • College Sports
    • University of Miami
    • Florida International
    • University of Florida
    • Florida State University
    • More Sports
    • High School Sports
    • Auto Racing
    • Fighting
    • Golf
    • Horse Racing
    • Outdoors
    • Soccer
    • Tennis
    • Youth Sports
    • Other Sports
    • Politics
    • Elections
    • The Florida Influencer Series
    • Sections
    • Business
    • Business Monday
    • Banking
    • International Business
    • National Business
    • Personal Finance
    • Real Estate News
    • Small Business
    • Technology
    • Tourism & Cruises
    • Workplace
    • Business Plan Challenge
    • Blogs & Columnists
    • Cindy Krischer Goodman
    • The Starting Gate
    • Work/Life Balancing Act
    • Movers
    • Sections
    • Living
    • Advice
    • Fashion
    • Food & Drink
    • Health & Fitness
    • Home & Garden
    • Pets
    • Recipes
    • Travel
    • Wine
    • Blogs & Columnists
    • Dave Barry
    • Ana Veciana-Suarez
    • Flashback Miami
    • More Living
    • LGBTQ South Florida
    • Palette Magazine
    • Indulge Magazine
    • South Florida Album
    • Broward Album
    • Sections
    • Entertainment
    • Books
    • Comics
    • Games & Puzzles
    • Horoscopes
    • Movies
    • Music & Nightlife
    • People
    • Performing Arts
    • Restaurants
    • TV
    • Visual Arts
    • Blogs & Columnists
    • Jose Lambiet
    • Lesley Abravanel
    • More Entertainment
    • Events Calendar
    • Miami.com
    • Contests & Promotions
    • Sections
    • All Opinion
    • Editorials
    • Op-Ed
    • Editorial Cartoons
    • Jim Morin
    • Letters to the Editor
    • From Our Inbox
    • Speak Up
    • Submit a Letter
    • Meet the Editorial Board
    • Influencers Opinion
    • Blogs & Columnists
    • Blog Directory
    • Columnist Directory
    • Andres Oppenheimer
    • Carl Hiaasen
    • Leonard Pitts Jr.
    • Fabiola Santiago
    • Obituaries
    • Obituaries in the News
    • Place an Obituary

    • Place an ad
    • All Classifieds
    • Announcements
    • Apartments
    • Auctions/Sales
    • Automotive
    • Commercial Real Estate
    • Employment
    • Garage Sales
    • Legals
    • Merchandise
    • Obituaries
    • Pets
    • Public Notices
    • Real Estate
    • Services
  • Public Notices
  • Cars
  • Jobs
  • Moonlighting
  • Real Estate
  • Mobile & Apps

  • el Nuevo Herald
  • Miami.com
  • Indulge

Broward High Schools

American Heritage returns to state title match

By BILL DALEY

    ORDER REPRINT →

February 06, 2014 11:47 PM

Having nursed nagging injuries that kept her out of the lineup for much of the regular season, senior Martha Thomas had mostly flown under the radar.

But on Thursday morning it was Thomas who showed up in a big way for Plantation American Heritage as she scored both goals to lead the Patriots past Ponte Vedra, 2-0, in a Class 3A state semifinal.

With the win, Heritage (28-0-1), ranked No. 3 in the nation in the NSCAA, will be looking for its second consecutive state title and eighth overall when the Patriots take on nearby Merritt Island in the 3A state championship game 8 p.m. Friday. Merritt Island defeated Palm Coast Matanzas 2-0 in the other semifinal.

“Martha’s a senior and a big-time player for us but was hurt and struggled with injuries during the season but really showed up big-time for us today,” said Heritage coach Cindy Marcial. “She was here and there during the regular season but just all through the playoffs she has just pushed us through and she’s really stepped up and been so important to this team.”

Sign Up and Save

Get six months of free digital access to the Miami Herald

SUBSCRIBE WITH GOOGLE

#ReadLocal

With the game still scoreless and halftime just seconds away, Thomas took a perfect pass from Dejah Cason from the corner and found herself one-on-one with Ponte Vedra goalie Kari Davidson in front of the net. She knocked it in the top right corner for the goal with just 15 seconds left.

The Patriots controlled the ball on offense and played lockdown, air-tight defense the entire second half, denying the Sharks any quality chances and making life pretty easy for goalie Jennifer Ocampo. Ponte Vedra finished with just four shots for the entire game and only two on goal.

“We know once we score a goal, it gives us the momentum and we’re a very hard team to stop,” Marcial said. “They had the wind in the first half and were playing a lot of kick ball. Once we got the wind we pretty much knew they would have to play our style. They couldn’t just kick it, that wasn’t going to work. We knew we had a huge advantage.”

With less than three minutes left and Ponte Vedra trying desperately to push things on offense, the Sharks left themselves vulnerable on defense. Thomas found herself with another opportunity when Davidson failed to clear a shot. Thomas intercepted the ball in front of the net and scored her second goal with 2:41 left.

“I think during the year I struggled a little bit scoring goals but today it was going to be our last game of the season and the last game of my career if we didn’t win so I wanted to give all I had,” Thomas said. “I’m looking forward to tomorrow [Friday] because it’s a great opportunity for us to go out with back-to-back titles and a nice way to end my high school career.”

It was the third consecutive postseason matchup between the two teams after squaring off in the state final each of the past two years, Ponte Vedra winning in 2012 and Heritage last season.

  Comments  

Videos

Vernon Carey Jr. explains how the Duke Blue Devils’ system led to his commitment

Cardinal Gibbons High School talk incoming football season

View More Video

Trending Stories

Why were former members of the U.S. military driving around Haiti heavily armed?

February 19, 2019 07:49 PM

Think Florida is a ‘sinful’ place to live? You’re right, according to this new study

February 20, 2019 01:18 PM

It’s not so hard for an immigrant to become a U.S. citizen. Here’s what you have to do

February 20, 2019 01:20 PM

Cuts are coming for Dolphins’ receivers, but there’s one their new coach raves about

February 19, 2019 12:31 PM

Americans arrested in Haiti driving around with an arsenal are flown to the U.S.

February 20, 2019 06:54 PM

Read Next

Cardinal Gibbons girls’ soccer’s resilient season ends with Class 2A championship loss

Broward High Schools

Cardinal Gibbons girls’ soccer’s resilient season ends with Class 2A championship loss

By Bill Daley Special to the Miami Herald

    ORDER REPRINT →

February 20, 2019 09:50 PM

The Cardinal Gibbons Chiefs girls’ soccer team lost to Jacksonville Bolles 5-1 in the Class 2A state championship in DeLand, Florida.

KEEP READING

Sign Up and Save

#ReadLocal

Get six months of free digital access to the Miami Herald

SUBSCRIBE WITH GOOGLE

MORE BROWARD HIGH SCHOOLS

Defense, 3 pointers keep American Heritage girls’ basketball’s title defense hopes alive

Broward High Schools

Defense, 3 pointers keep American Heritage girls’ basketball’s title defense hopes alive

February 20, 2019 06:52 AM
After a two-year drought, American Heritage girls’ soccer back in state championship

Broward High Schools

After a two-year drought, American Heritage girls’ soccer back in state championship

February 16, 2019 12:45 AM
McCarthy girls’ soccer gets its ‘redemption game’ and a spot in the state championship

Broward High Schools

McCarthy girls’ soccer gets its ‘redemption game’ and a spot in the state championship

February 16, 2019 12:40 AM
Pine Crest girls’ basketball wins first regional game in 21 years

High School Sports

Pine Crest girls’ basketball wins first regional game in 21 years

February 14, 2019 10:34 PM
54 football players from 17 area high schools named to All-State first-teams

High School Sports

54 football players from 17 area high schools named to All-State first-teams

February 14, 2019 03:20 PM
Big game from keeper carries LaSalle past University School in 2A final

Miami-Dade High Schools

Big game from keeper carries LaSalle past University School in 2A final

February 13, 2019 10:26 PM
Take Us With You

Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand.

Icon for mobile apps

Miami Herald App

View Newsletters

Subscriptions
  • Start a Subscription
  • Customer Service
  • eEdition
  • Vacation Hold
  • Pay Your Bill
  • Rewards
Learn More
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Newsletters
  • News in Education
  • Public Insight Network
  • Reader Panel
Advertising
  • Place a Classified
  • Media Kit
  • Commercial Printing
  • Public Notices
Copyright
Commenting Policy
Privacy Policy
Terms of Service


Back to Story