Prep report: Baker moves to 9-0
Three District 4A-11 girls’ soccer teams gathered at Mariner High School Saturday for a three-game tournament, but not to go toe-to-toe with each other. There were teams from three other schools outside Lee County there as well.
Chalk this one up to the overall competitive strength of District 4A-11 as Ida Baker, North Fort Myers and Mariner lost one game among them to place 1-2-3, respectively.
Freshman Shannon Pearl probably did not realize it at the time, but when she dribbled up the right wing and delivered a ground-hugging shot out of the reach of the goalkeeper and just inside the far post she not only won the game 2-1 for Baker over Hardee County, but she also won the first-place trophy for the Bulldogs.
Baker and North were 3-0 on the day and Mariner 2-1. Baker’s goal differential was plus-12 while North was plus-8, leaving North the runner-up.
Pearl’s goal came as the final five minutes were winding down. She also scored the Bulldogs’ other goal in the game’s first five minutes. The Bulldogs were playing tenuous, but in control until Hardee County tied the match 1-1 midway through the second half.
Trying to battle through fatigue at the end of their third 60-minute game of the day, the Bulldogs managed to keep the pressure in the offensive end of the field, making several quick bursts of energy that came up empty until Pearl’s game-winner.
“We did not play like we are capable of playing,” said Baker coach Dave Trepkowski. “We can’t use our youth as an excuse. We know better. I just think Hardee wanted it more than we did. We were extremely lucky.”
Earlier in the day, the Bulldogs knocked off Port Charlotte 8-0 and Charlotte 4-1.
Monique Elliott, another freshman, led the Bulldogs with six total goals, including all four in the win over Charlotte. Pearl finished with five, Jennifer Martinez, a sophomore, added two and freshman Cynthia Paredes had one. Goalkeepers Natalia Ortiz, one of only three seniors on the squad, made three saves and junior Alli Dunning made two.
The Bulldogs, now 9-0 overall, do not play again all through Thanksgiving week.
North defeated Hardee 3-1, Port Charlotte 4-1 and Charlotte 3-1 to take second place.
Mariner lost to Charlotte 2-1 before rebounding to beat Hardee 8-0 and Port Charotte 4-1.
“I’m proud of the way we are playing,” said North coach Donna Agostinelli. “We had fun and enjoyed the tournament. We got second by one goal – that last goal Baker scored against Hardee won it for them. Without that goal, Baker would have had a tie (2-0-1) giving us the only 3-0 record.”
Freshman Hannah Hamilton topped the Red Knights with three total goals. She, senior Ashley Lapierre and freshman Katie Abernathy scored the goals in the final-game win over Charlotte. Lapierre and sophomore Katie Traurig finished with two goals apiece while Allison Frost, Casey Gentile and Abernathy each had one. Junior goalkeeper Brianna Abatisti made a combined nine saves, including six in the last win over Charlotte.
“We are worn down after today,” said Agostinelli. “We have a game Monday with Bishop Verot that I want to reschedule. I think the girls need another day of rest. It’s not enough recovery time for girls.”
North, 7-1-1 overall, hosts Mariner Tuesday night.
“I would like to have won our own tournament,” said Mariner coach Beth Gedde. “We got off to a slow start and lost that first game, which we should have won. We were in control in the other games.”
The Tritons were led in scoring by junior Rebecca Smith, who scored goals in all three games and had six overall. Sophomore Nicole Romano scored three goals while freshman Alex Muro-Solis and sophomore Emily Diroma added two apiece and one goal came from junior Kaitlyn Souza. Junior goalkeeper Samantha Greenwell made 14 saves, the most of any keeper on the day, and junior Jessica Parks stepped in to make three saves.
“Fatigue was not a factor, because everyone had to deal with that,” said Gedde. “This (tournament) was an opportunity to experiment with some players and different positions, almost like practice. In a district game there is more on the line. These games were important, but we did not have to play like we normally play.”
The Tritons, now 5-3 overall, play at district rival North Fort Myers Tuesday night. North won the first district matchup between the schools 3-2.
Charlotte finished Saturday’s play 1-2 while Hardee and Port Charlotte both were 0-3.
Cross Country
n FHSAA 3A Finals: Senior Darlene Hanlon finished 16th overall, leading the Ida Baker girls cross country team to eighth place at Saturday’s state meet.
The Bulldogs advanced both the girls’ and boys’ teams to the state competition. The boys placed 21st.
Cape High senior Blake Behr competed individually and finished 39th.
In the girls’ standings, Tallahassee Chiles took first. Leandra Munson (71), Amanda Kane (104) and Allison West (120) helped the Bulldogs in their first state appearance.
Senior Jessie Betts was the top finisher in the boys race for the Bulldogs, placing 28th.