Things to watch ahead of the dash to DeLand
By Official Florida FC
The FHSAA boys soccer playoffs kick off on Wednesday night with 96 regional quarterfinals sprinkled throughout the Sunshine State.
Here are a few things we have our eye on as the postseason kicks off.
Doral Academy seeks history
Doral Academy moved up a classification to Class 7A this year, but it did not extinguish the Firebirds. Despite losing the District 15-7A final to Miami Columbus in penalty kicks, Doral is the No. 1 seed in the Region 1-7A tournament.
The Firebirds (9-3-4) are looking to become the sixth program to win three straight boys soccer championships. Should they win this year, Doral Academy (9-3-4), would be just the second public school to pull off the feat.
Reigning Class 7A state champion, Weston Cypress Bay, the only other public school to three-peat in boys soccer between 2011 and 2013, was the most recent to win the title in three straight seasons. The Lightning (13-3-2) have a chance to ensure Doral Academy doesn’t approach their record if both keep winning in the Region 4-7A tournament.
Who emerges from the Bay?
Boys soccer is always very strong in greater Tampa Bay, especially in the private schools. This year hasn’t been an exception as Tampa Jesuit was the top-ranked team in Florida for multiple weeks.
But, the depth means that someone from the region has an excellent chance to win a state championship.
Lithia Newsom (17-2) is the No. e seed in Region 2-7A and enters the postseason having won 17 of its last 18.
Tampa Plant (17-2) was a state finalist last year – and scored first against Cypress Bay – and appears to be primed for another deep run. Adan McGlynn, who scored in the state final for the Panthers last year, has 29 goals and 10 assists this year.
New Port Richey Mitchell (11-5-4), always a hard out in the postseason, has a first-round matchup against a Valrico Bloomingdale team (15-4) that started the season 10-0 and is the only team to beat Newsome since November.
As for the private schools, Jesuit (17-2-1) is the No. 1 seed in Region 2-5A and is the prohibitive favorite in its region. Losses to Bradenton Lakewood Ranch and Mitchell in the Tampa Bay Invitational in January means the Tigers may have a long trip to either the Panhandle or Broward County for a potential state semifinal if form holds.
Elsewhere, Berkeley Prep (9-7-1) and Tampa Catholic (8-8-4) will meet in the first round of the Region 2-3A playoffs. The winner would likely have to travel in the second round, but would have a chance to dethrone reigning Class 3A state champion Tampa Prep (8-2-7) in the regional final.
In Class 2A, Carrollwood Day (15-2) has won 13 in a row. Since consecutive losses to Berkeley Prep and Tampa Prep in November, the Patriots have conceded just twice.
Thank Jesus!
Jesus Cruz leads Florida with 39 goals scored this year. The Crescent City senior has helped the Raiders advance to the playoffs for the second straight season.
Crescent City (14-3-4) will play Melbourne West Shore (13-3-2) in a Region 3-3A quarterfinal. Crescent City hasn’t won a playoff game in five years. If Cruz can keep his form, he’s scored in 17 different games this season and assisted the Raiders’ only goal in a District 9-3A tournament loss to Pierson Taylor, anything is possible.
Buzzing toward the playoffs
St. Augustine is making its first playoff appearance in 16 years. (Crystal River beat the Yellow Jackets 1-0 in a Class 4A regional quarterfinal.) The Yellow Jackets stunned rival Menendez 5-3 in the District 3-5A final to win the program’s first district title in 17 years.
St. Augustine (5-10-4) ended the regular season winless in its last 10 matches. The Yellow Jackets, who were seeded third in the district tournament, beat Jacksonville Riverside 8-0 on Jan. 26, Jacksonville Englewood 3-2 on Jan. 28 and clipped the Falcons in the final.
Their reward? A five-hour drive to Florida’s No. 1 team – Panama City Beach Arnold.
No L’s, no problem
Last year, Tampa Prep and the Pine School became the seventh and eighth boys soccer programs in state history to finish unbeaten and untied. While there are no teams who can claim that mantle this season, there are five programs that will enter the playoffs unbeaten.
Panama City Beach Arnold (17-0-2, 5A), Gainesville (14-0-1, 6A), Jacksonville Mandarin (18-0-1, 7A), Viera (14-0-1, 6A) and New Smyrna Beach (16-0-1, 6A).
Gainesville enters the playoffs unbeaten for the second straight season. The Hurricanes have outscored opponents 47-9 this season.
Viera and New Smyrna Beach are the top two seeds in Region 2-6A. But, that doesn’t mean either one of them will win the regional title. Seventh-seeded New Port Richey River Ridge beat the top three teams in its region last year – including Gainesville — in route to the Class 5A state semifinals.
Special thanks to the person behind TampaBayTopTen Twitter feed. Their knowledge and research of varsity soccer in Tampa Bay helped tremendously.
