Verot denied Class 3A soccer title repeat
TAMPA – The Bishop Verot Vikings came up short in their quest to win back-to-back Class 3A boys’ soccer state championships Thursday. Despite having the overall advantage in shots and shots on goal, the Vikings lost to Lake Highland Prep 2-1 in the state semifinals at Pepin Stadium.
The Vikings (22-4) struggled to get into scoring position in the first 25 minutes, but started to make repeated attacks by the 26th minute when they were awarded a penalty kick. Lake Highland Prep had converted a PK of their own in the ninth minute to take a 1-0 lead.
Verot’s Andrew Palumbo, who had a team-high 38 goals during the season, buried the kick inside the left post to tie the game at 1-1.
“We had plenty of opportunities to score, but couldn’t get it done,” said Verot coach Tom McGlinn.
The Highlanders (19-6) forged ahead 2-1 in the 15th minute of the second half as senior Michael Rasmussen fired a shot from 20 yards out on the left wing to the far post. The shot hit the post and trickled across the goal line. Rasmussen, who only scored six goals in the season, also scored the Highlanders’ penalty kick in the first half.
“We generally sit back the first 20 minutes to settle our defense for later and to see how good out scouting report is on the other team,” said Highlander coach George Sasvari. “We don’t usually score goals that early in a game.”
Rasmussen’s second-half goal turned out to be the only shot on goal by the Highlanders in the closing 40 minutes. They were outshot 6-4 in shots on goal and 14-12 overall by the Vikings.
The Vikings had three good scoring chances in the first four minutes of the second half – two by Chris Szabo and one by Palumbo. One was saved by the keeper, one went just over the crossbar and the last was wide left. Three more chances came Verot’s way over the next nine minutes – two by Palumbo just cleared the bar and one by Szabo wound up in the keeper’s arms.
“Their second goal was a nice one,” said McGlinn. “We had plenty of opportunities to tie or win the game.”
The Vikings weren’t done attacking. With seven minutes remaining, an indirect kick from 20 yards on the right wing was headed just wide of the goal.
“We were not sure we could get this far,” said McGlinn. “We overachieved with a young team. Of our four losses, we did not lose to any team in Southwest Florida, so we can’t complain. We haven’t lost to a team in Southwest Florida in two years. We’re already talking about next year.”
The Vikings lost 13 seniors off last year’s Class 3A championship squad, but this year only seven seniors will depart. Goalkeeper Brandon Doyle saved two of the four shots on goal he faced.
Lake Highland Prep plays Fort Lauderdale University School at 7:30 p.m. Friday in the state finals where the Highlanders are 0-5 in previous appearances.