No. 19 will have special meaning as Lourdes chases soccer title
The Lourdes soccer team is heading to DeLand on a quest for No.
19.
The Bobcats’ primary objective is to secure their 19th win of this season. If they do, it will mean Lourdes will be a state champion for the third time in its program’s history, all since 2018.
But the No. 19 also happens to be the jersey number of their ailing teammate Katy Puig, who is still recovering from injuries suffered in a boating accident in the Florida Keys last September.
The Bobcats (18-1-2) have remained on course throughout an emotional season, keeping both Puig and the late Lucy Fernandez — a Lourdes student who lost her life in the same accident — on their minds as they advanced to the Class 6A state championship.
Lourdes will try to cap the season on a high note when they play Gulf Breeze in a matchup of nationally ranked teams Friday at 4 p.m. at Spec Martin Stadium in DeLand.
“One of the things we’ve done all year is not to put too much pressure on the girls even though we do want to play for them and honor them,” Lourdes coach David
Fique said. “There are only three girls that are on this roster — four counting Katy — that have won a state title on this team before so there’s pressure already, but they have handled themselves very well.”
Lourdes’ players will wear shirts that read “We are here for #19” for a special sendoff at the school on Thursday morning before they depart for DeLand.
After that, it will be time to take care of business for the Bobcats as they take on a Gulf Breeze squad ranked No. 13 nationally by MaxPreps. Lourdes is No. 8 in the same poll.
Seniors Meredith Pugh (26 goals, 15 assists) and Ava Matherne (22 goals, 10 assists) lead the Dolphins, who pack plenty of scoring punch. Lourdes has been balanced on their side, led by Tessa Abreu (18 goals) and Coco Aguilar (15 goals).
“They have two players up top that are very lethal so we just have to be very direct and be disciplined,” Fique said.
Lourdes is one of six South Florida soccer teams — three boys’ and three girls’ teams — vying for state title this weekend. Here’s a look at the
other matchups: ●
Class 3A girls — NSU University School (153-3) vs. Montverde Academy (14-2-2), 4, Wednesday:
The Sharks had never even won a regional playoff game before this season. To cap the dream campaign with a title will be a tall order as they take on a Montverde squad ranked No. 3 in the nation by MaxPreps. Junior Antonella Mazziotto Duffaut leads the Eagles with 15 goals. University has four players who have scored 14 or more goals led by freshman Taylor Smith, who has 17 goals and 24 assists. Bianca Raskin and Sadie
Zelnick each have 15 goals and Mia Herrera has 14.
●
Class 3A boys — NSU University School (191-1) vs. Winter Park Trinity Prep (14-2-2), 4, Thursday:
The Sharks are one of three nationally ranked teams representing South Florida this week on the boys’ side. University School, which won state titles in 2011 and 2020, is ranked ninth by MaxPreps and is led by senior Rafael Guerra, one of the state’s best strikers. Guerra, a Brazilian native in his first season with the Sharks, has had a masterful postseason, delivering clutch goals in each of their regional wins. Raul Leyva is another University player to watch with 20 goals and 16 assists. Trinity Prep, ranked 17th nationally by MaxPreps, is seeking its first state title.
●
Class 4A boys — Gulliver Prep (15-4-2) vs. Orlando Bishop Moore (23-2-1), 7, Thursday:
In what could be one of the better matchups of the week, Gulliver will try to win its eighth state title overall, which leads all Miami-Dade schools, and first since 2020. The Raiders, ranked 15th nationally by MaxPreps, have been pretty balanced on the scoring end with Cosme Salas (12 goals, 10 assists), Tomas Sciarra (11 goals, seven assists) and Mateo Acosta-Rubio (nine goals, nine assists) leading the way. Bishop Moore is led by junior Jace Overturf (24 goals) and Marco Acevedo Doldan (12 goals).
●
Class 5A girls — Plantation American Heritage (17-2-2) vs. Cape Coral Mariner (18-4-1), 1, Friday:
The Patriots, ranked sixth nationally by MaxPreps, are back in the state finals for the first time since winning their most recent championship in 2019. Heritage is looking to add its 12th state title overall, which trails only St. Thomas Aquinas (15) and Orange Park St. Johns Country Day (14) on the state’s all-time list.
To do so, the Patriots will have to dethrone the Tritons, who won their first state championship last season. Mariner is led by the tandem of Ryleigh Acosta (25 goals, 21 assists) and Stephanie Saracione (17 goals).
Few players have been on more of a scoring surge than Heritage’s Sami Villaverde, who has scored in all four of the Patriots’ regional playoff games including four goals last week against Cypress Creek in the state semifinals. Villaverde leads the team with 26 goals while Lily Sargent-Burns has 13 goals and 11 assists, Courtney Caruso has 16 assists and Nyema Freeman has nine goals and 14 assists.
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Class 5A boys — Plantation American Heritage (18-1-2) vs. Naples (16-4-3), 1, Saturday:
The Patriots enter the tournament as the highest ranked team in South Florida (fourth nationally by MaxPreps). Heritage has shown its depth and balance throughout the playoffs, led by Juan Otero (17 goals) and Jason Ebanks (10 goals). Heritage has recorded nine shutouts this season as well. Harvey Sarajian leads the Golden Eagles, who are seeking their first state title, with 23 goals.