Palmer Trinity routs Providence to advance to 2A girls’ soccer state final

Offense, defense, Palmer Trinity had it all going.

The Falcons unleashed an onslaught of first-half goals to blank Jacksonville Providence School 8-0 on Tuesday in a Class 2A girls soccer state semifinal. The mercy rule was invoked at the half and Palmer advanced into the FHSAA 2A state championship game.

Palmer (18-2-1) will face West Palm Beach King’s Academy in the title game slated for 4 p.m. Wednesday at Lake Myrtle Sports Complex. The Falcons will be vying for their first state championship in the program’s history.

“I think this group deserves it,” Palmer coach Effie Dieke said. “This has been a group in the making since their freshmen year and now they have matured very nicely into their senior year. It is a senior-led class and they have worked very hard for it, as far as the accolades that we have won already.

“We’ve been taking it one game at a time with all these mini goals and now we have the goal that we set in our minds at the start of the season. It would be great for the group first and foremost. To put a banner up in the school, they will go down in history if that happens.”

Palmer picked up two goals apiece from Scarlett Baur, Brooklyn Schiffrin and Carol Egea Guimaraes. Baur added four assists. Also, Lila Algrin added one goal and two assists while Gaby Feetham scored once in the onslaught.

“Offense was part of our defense and the defense was part of our offense,” Dieke said. “As a group we did a great job. I think the key was our positioning. We set traps, won the ball at midfield and attacked them down the wings.”

Palmer is riding an 11-game winning streak dating back to Dec. 9. The win was also the Falcons 11th shutout of the season.

Palmer finished as the 1A state runners-up in 2012, dropping the title game to Orange Park St. Johns Country Day.