Doral Academy survives Coral Gables’ upset bid to move two wins away from three-peat
It’s impossible to get to the brink of three straight state titles without surviving some scares, so Doral Academy was ready for the push Coral Gables had coming Wednesday in the Region 4-7A boys’ soccer championship in Doral.
After a mostly dominant first half, the Firebirds only had a one-goal lead on the Cavaliers and expected Coral Gables, which was in the region final for the first time since 1981, to come with a push in the second half at Doral Academy Preparatory School.
Ultimately, it was something close to an onslaught and still the Firebirds survived to win 1-0 and reach the state semifinals for the third straight year.
“They’ve been here before and that helps huge,” Doral coach Pamela McDonald said. “Winning is definitely a habit and we’ve instilled that for a long time in this program.”
The Firebirds (12-3-4) scored in the fourth minute and then hung on for the final 76 to end the Cavaliers’ best run in more than 40 years. Doral started strong -- the Firebirds had five shots in the first four minutes -- and Doral midfielder Tiziano Ferras scored the game’s only goal when a long shot by Firebirds senior Byram Franco banged off the crossbar and Ferras followed it up for the game-winning header.
Doral finished the first half with a 10-1 edge in shots and 4-0 advantage in shots on goal, but Coral Gables (10-6-1) matched the Firebirds with six shots and four shots on goal in the second half, getting most of the great chances in the second, too.
Doral goalkeeper Santiago Gallotti stopped all four shots he faced in the second half, including one from point-blank range in the 46th minute after the ball pinballed around in the box and wound up right at the feet of Cavaliers junior Joseph Oliveros-Colombo, to preserve the Firebirds’ sixth straight shutout.
“The game’s thanks to our goalie,” Ferras said. “If not, we wouldn’t be here.”
Doral’s defense also stepped up down the stretch. Coral Gables didn’t manage a shot on goal in the final eight minutes and only had one corner kick all game to the Firebirds’ eight. Doral was poised in the game’s most important moments, in the way only a perennial champion can be.
“We stayed calm,” Ferras said. “We were good with the ball, we took the risks that we had to take and we stayed safe when we had to stay safe.”
The Firebirds are now just two wins away from a third straight championship and will travel across the state to the Tampa Bay area to play Lithia Newsome (20-2) in the 7A semifinals Saturday.
It has been a more arduous season than usual for Doral, with two losses in its first four games last year and a loss to Columbus in the District 15-7A championship on Feb. 1, but the Firebirds are once again on a roll. Until they go down, they’re still the team to beat.
“They have a great attitude,” McDonald said. “We all have the same belief and hope.”
