Cypress Bay girls’ soccer back in the state finals, seeking to end title drought

Cypress Bay sophomore Andi Sherman went to embrace and hug teammate Mackenzie Rector when the game was over.

“Thank you, Mac, we love you,” Sherman said.

They should love her. And thank her as well.

Rector, on the season’s biggest stage, came through for her teammates in a big way. The senior captain scored a hat trick, which was just enough for the Lightning girls’ soccer team to edge Lithia Newsome 3-2 on Tuesday morning in a Class 7A state semifinal at Spec Martin Stadium.

With that, Cypress Bay finds itself in a familiar place – the state championship game.

For the sixth time in the last eight seasons, the Lightning (21-1), ranked No. 9 in the nation by MaxPreps, will play for a state title and for the sixth time in the last eight seasons, they will be looking to finally secure the program’s first state title.

The task will be a tall one.

In a rematch of last year’s state title game, Cypress Bay will take on No. 3 nationally-ranked Lake Mary in the 7A championship game on Wednesday at 4.

Lake Mary, which defeated Jupiter 5-0 in the other semifinal, scored two quick goals on the Lightning in last year’s game and Cypress Bay never recovered, losing 2-0 and having to do something they’ve gotten all used to, accepting runner-up medals.

“We’re really excited about the opportunity in front of us now,” said Rector, who has 23 goals this season. “It takes so much hard work to get to this point so to actually get back here again is insane. The team bonding has been great this year, and it’s all about your teammates helping to make you look good. It’s great to score three goals, but nobody does anything by themselves around here. We do everything together and that’s what we did out there today.”

Cypress Bay coach Kate Dwyer has been bragging about Rector for four seasons, and was gushing again after the game.

“Today was no shock,” Dwyer said. “Mac’s been doing this since her freshman year and that’s why it’s so hard to sub her for those two or three minutes in a game because I know she’s dying not to come off but at the same time needing a break.

“For someone that doesn’t want to play in college, she just has such passion for the game and to be honest, most of that passion is for her teammates. She wants to get this thing done but not so much for her as for her teammates. That’s what’s so neat about her. She’s been like that since she’s been here.”

Rector scored her first goal a little more than seven minutes into the game off an assist from Paz DeLuca, but Cypress Bay barely had time to celebrate.

Just 20 seconds later, after a defensive mistake from the center of the field, Newsome’s Gianna Savino, the team’s leading scorer with 27 goals, found herself one-on-one in front of the net and easily beat Cypress Bay keeper Alejandra Duran to knock it into the bottom left corner quickly tying the game at one.

But Rector was just getting started. Three minutes after the first half water break, when Newsome keeper Lillian DeOnne’s clearing goal kick went too low, she intercepted the ball. She dribbled a few yards forward to create space and then rifled a left-footed shot into the top right corner of the net with 17:10 left in the first half.

Goal number three came ten minutes later, 6:46 before halftime and the Lightning had a nice 3-1 lead at the break. The second half became a little tricky as Cypress Bay tried to stay aggressive but at the same time, like a lot of teams with a two goal lead in the second half, tried to protect as well.

The two-goal cushion they enjoyed disappeared just before the second half water break when Newsome (located just east of Tampa) was awarded a corner kick that Duran could not get to. The ball volleyed around in front of the net before Gabrielle White tapped the ball to Ella Baroni who lifted it into the top right corner of the net past a diving Duran with 20:07 left.

Now it was 3-2 and the Wolves (21-3-1) who were looking to play in the state title game for only the second time ever (finished runner-up in 2011) started to really apply the pressure. But the Cypress Bay defense was up to the task as Duran was never really challenged with anything resembling a difficult save before the clock struck zeroes.

Then there was the Kate Dwyer story.

Now two decades in running the program, state semifinal games have not been the issue. Dwyer is 6-2 in those. It’s just that darn last game. Cypress Bay is tied with Boca Raton for most losses in a championship game (5) without winning a title. The hope is that they won’t take the lead in that category after Wednesday.

Dwyer has worked hard to try and deflect the growing sentiment aimed at her “finally” getting over the hump. She was at it again after the game.

“You know, it’s funny, because I know a lot of people are maybe pulling for me to get that ‘elusive first one’ but I’ve got to be honest, I’m really not all that obsessed with it maybe the way I used to be,” Dwyer said. “I hope nobody takes this the wrong way but it’s not that big of a deal anymore. I’ve gotten past all of that. I just wanted this experience for the girls and they played great today and deserve this opportunity in front of them. Something’s different in me this year, I don’t know what it is but for the first time in my 20 years of doing this, I’ve honestly dealt with things one game at a time.”