Baker bags 4-1 win in 4A-11 soccer
Ida Baker junior Nick Presti scored three goals, including a penalty kick with 8 1/2 minutes remaining, to clinch a 4-1 victory for the Bulldogs over South Fort Myers in the District 4A-11 boys’ soccer tournament Tuesday night at North Fort Myers’ Moody Field.
The Bulldogs broke the scoring ice two minutes into the game. Marlon Herrera blasted a ball from just outside the 18-yard box that bounced off South goalkeeper Tanner Yergens right to Presti, who touched it inside the right post for a 1-0 lead. That’s where it stayed until about four minutes left in the first half when the Bulldogs set up for a corner kick.
Harvey Rincon sailed the kick into the heart of the box where Jonathan Alvarez had a crack at it, but his shot ricocheted off a defender and Yuri Bykau was there to send it into the net off his knee for a 2-0 lead.
Less then a minute later, Baker sent a ball over the defense and Presti used his speed to beat a defender to the free ball. On the dead run, Presti’s shot to the right post eluded a diving Yergens for a 3-0 lead at the half.
“We got off to a slow start in the first half before we got in our rhythm,” said Bulldogs coach Mick Whitewood. “I was not happy with our play in the second half at all. We were very sloppy with the ball, then when we got a three-goal lead I put in some reserves to spare the starters.”
The Wolfpack cut it to 3-1 before the second-half water break when Martin Falconi headed a free kick into the net past Bulldogs keeper Jose Zuniga (three saves).
With 8 1/2 minutes remaining, Presti was taken down inside the box and awarded a penalty kick. Presti buried the low kick inside the left post for his third goal and a 4-1 cushion.
The game got ugly at times after that with two yellow cards issued to South Fort Myers in addition to several hard personal fouls to set up free kicks.
“It doesn’t matter who we play in the semifinals,” said Whitewood. “We just have to come out and play Bulldog football.”
The third-seeded Bulldogs (19-3-5) advance to the semifinals of the 4A-11 tournament where they face the second-seeded Cape Coral Seahawks at 5 p.m. Wednesday. The Seahawks advanced with a 5-2 victory over North Fort Myers in their quarterfinal match Tuesday night.