Rain interrupts Oasis girls’ district soccer match
Wednesday night’s first-round District 3A-8 tournament match between Gateway Charter and Oasis lasted about 15 minutes.
Lightning, and the threat of much more on the way, created what amounted to a 24-hour rain delay.
One thing Wednesday’s nasty weather couldn’t wash away was a 3-0 Sharks lead.
When the Griffins and Sharks resume play at 6 p.m. today at the Pelican Soccer Complex, Oasis will have a leg up on making Monday’s second round of the district tournament.
Oasis athletic director Frank Haba confirmed that the match will resume today, not start over.
Had the bad weather held off for maybe an hour, Oasis might have already assured itself of a match Monday at Bishop Verot.
Pardon the pun, but Oasis struck like lightning in the few minutes that play lasted on Wednesday.
Freshman Mallory Morano split the Gateway defense and scored maybe a minute into the contest. And maybe another minute later, Morano scored again.
A chilly rain started about five minutes in — with no scoreboard at the Pelican Complex, times are at best an estimate unless you’re the official timing the match.
Another Morano, senior Mackenzie Morano, found the back of the net to make it 3-0.
Then the rain got harder, and there was a flash at 6:15 p.m., followed immediately by the sound of the lightning alarm.
Had it been one and done, play could have resumed 30 minutes later. However, lightning strikes continued, each time resetting the waiting period to 30 minutes.
Finally, about 7 p.m., with both lightning detectors and weather radar warning of more and worse to come, the officials called it a night.
Tonight the match starts again, weather permitting, and today is the best chance for the match, since there’s a 60 percent chance of more rain Friday and 50 percent Saturday.
Thursday
Girls basketball
Bishop Verot 61, Community School 48: The Vikings clinched the first championship of the Private 8 Conference with Wednesday’s win. Bishop Verot (5-0, 7-17 overall) have one conference game remaining Friday with Southwest Florida Christian. Only seven of the eight member schools compete in girls basketball.
Boys basketball
District seedings
District 5A-11: Port Charlotte and Mariner remain the top two seeds in the district, and are in position to have first-round byes in the district tournament. As far as advancing to the state playoffs, the Tritons are in eighth position in the region — the final spot for a state berth. Cape Coral, Ida Baker and Island Coast would all need to win the 5A-11 tournament to advance. District tournament play begins Feb. 10.
District 6A-11: North Fort Myers is the sixth seed in the district in this week’s rankings. District tournament play begins Feb. 10.
District 3A-8: Bishop Verot is currently the third seed and Oasis the sixth. Either would need a district tournament title to advance. This district’s tournament begins Feb. 11.
Community School of Naples 59, Bishop Verot 49: Denzel Redd scored 22 points for the Vikings (11-10). CSN (21-1) dominated the second half 32-18 to rally for the victory. The Vikings are home Friday against Southwest Florida Christian.
Today’s schedule
Boys soccer
Ida Baker at Estero
District 3A-8 tournament: Oasis at Sarasota Cardinal Mooney
Girls basketball
North Fort Myers at Imagine School North Port
Mariner at Riverdale
Lehigh at Island Coast
Boys basketball
Cape Coral at Dunbar
Estero at Ida Baker
Oasis at Immokalee
SW Florida Christian at Bishop Verot
Girls soccer
Estero at Ida Baker
Girls basketball
District tournaments set
District 6A-11: North Fort Myers is the sixth seed, and faces Fort Myers in the first round on Feb. 3. Also on that night, Sarasota is at Venice. On Feb. 5, the Sarasota-Venice winner gets top seed Braden River. The North-Fort Myers winner takes on Charlotte. The semifinal winners meet Feb. 7.
District 5A-11: Cape Coral and Mariner are the top two seeds, and get a first-round tournament bye. That first round begins Feb. 3 with Ida Baker at Island Coast and Cypress Lake at Port Charlotte. The Seahawks will face the Bulldogs-Gators winner on Feb. 5, while the Tritons take on the Panthers-Pirates winner. The district championship is Feb. 7.
District 3A-7: Bishop Verot and Oasis are the top two seeds, and will be at home to open play on Feb. 5. Moore Haven faces the Vikings, while Canterbury takes on Oasis. The final is Feb. 7.
Tuesday’s scores
LaBelle 63, North Fort Myers 18: The Red Knights (2-16) play Thursday at Imagine Scbool North Port.
Island Coast 49, Cypress Lake 11: The Gators are 12-7, 4-2 in District 5A-11 with Tuesday’s win. Island Coast is home to play Lehigh on Thursday.
Oasis 45, Venice 35: Aliyah Wilson posted a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds to pace the Sharks (10-9). Hailey Figueroa led Oasis in scoring with 12 points. The Sharks conclude the regular season at home Friday against Marco Island Academy.
Boys basketball
Mariner 81, Ida Baker 54: The Tritons roared out to 29-8 lead after one quarter, rolling to the District 5A-11 win. Mariner (16-4, 4-0) dropped Ida Baker to 10-12, 4-4. Ida Baker is home against Estero on Thursday. Mariner plays Friday at Island Coast.
North Fort Myers 64, LaBelle 56: The Red Knights reached 6-15 on the season. North is home Friday to face Community Christian.
Cypress Lake 66, Island Coast 50: The Gators are 1-19, 0-5 District 5A-11 after Tuesday’s loss. Island Coast is home Friday to play Mariner.
Venice 69, Oasis 28: The Indians rolled past the Sharks (1-19). Oasis travels to Immokalee on Thursday.
Girls soccer
Marner 1, Estero 1 (tie): Mariner (11-5-2) closed out the regular season with a draw. The Tritons play Feb. 3 in the District 4A-8 tournament semifinals.
Naples 1, Cape Coral 0: The Seahawks completed the regular season at 10-8 with Tuesday’s road loss. Cape plays South Fort Myers on Feb. 3 in the first round of the District 5A-11 tournament.
Bishop Verot 5, First Baptist Academy 2: Kendal Gargulia had a hat trick (three goals) and Jules Tagleri and Elizabeth Quimby also scored for the Vikings (7-7-2). Bishop Verot plays in Feb. 3 in the District 3A-8 tournament.
Boys soccer
Estero at Mariner: Leo Perez added another three goals (hat trick) to his season total, now at 55, to pace the Tritons (19-4-1). Perez is the Tritons’ all-time goals leader. Sean Paul Negron, Esteban Orjuela and Santiago Guerrero also scored for Mariner. The Tritons are off until Feb. 5, having a bye in the first round of the District 4A-8 tournament.
Cape Coral 1, Naples 1 (tie): Jordan Geisler scored for the Seahawks (14-4-5) after a draw with 17-1-2 Naples. Cape is off until Feb. 5 for a semifinal match in the District 5A-11 tournament.