Jaguars win in penalty kicks, head to finals
After 80 minutes of regulation time, 20 minutes of extra time, and seven yellow cards, it all came down to penalty kicks — seven penalty kicks by each team, to be exact.
In Saturday night’s 5A state semifinal between the Pembroke Pines Charter Jaguars and the visiting Trojans from Lely (Naples), it was the seventh penalty kick by Pembroke Pines reserve midfielder Jack Simpkin which ended the game in favor of the Jaguars, 2-1.
The Pembroke Pines Charter boys (18-2-2) are now headed to the FHSAA’s 5A state championship game against Jesuit on Saturday afternoon at 1 in DeLand.
“As I walked up, I knew where I was going to kick the ball and I was very confident that I was going to make it,” said Simpkin, who only played 20 minutes of the match and none of the 20 minutes of extra time.
The game’s first goal was scored in the 17th minute when the Jaguars midfielder Andres Jaime collected a pass from his right which he then one-touched into the net.
For Lely (22-6-2), its best chances to score were a bicycle kick by David Gomez in the sixth minute which drifted to the right of the goal and a shot on goal by Jude St. Cyr in the 33rd minute that was stopped by Pembroke Pines Charter goalkeeper Henry Guzman.
In the 65th minute, Lely leveled the score as the Trojans were awarded a direct kick just outside the penalty box which Gomez converted into a goal in the top right portion of the net.
University School stifles American Heritage-Delray in 3A state semi
The University School boys soccer team used a pair of first-half goals to build an early two-goal lead and the Sharks prevented visiting American Heritage-Delray from registering a shot on goal in a dominating 6-0 win in their state 3A semifinal game.
Freshman Ethan Subachan opened the scoring for the Sharks in the 16th minute as he booted a leftfooted shot from the top right portion of the penalty area past Stallions’ goalkeeper Delwin Flores into the top left corner of the net.
Nine minutes later, Sebastian Smith scored on a free kick from 20 yards out, between the penalty area and the left sideline to give U-School a 2-0 lead.
After falling behind 2-0, the Stallions attempted to pressure the Sharks in the second half, however, USchool’s counter attack added four second-half goals.
In the 58th minute, Joel Castellanos made it, 3-0, and a minute later, Smith scored his second goal of the game off another free kick, this one from 30 yards out to make it, 4-0.
Rafael Matiello scored in the 64th minute and Santiago Mizrahi’s goal capped the scoring. The Sharks next play on Thursday at 4 p.m. against Tampa Catholic.
Boca Raton one win from perfect season
The last time the Boca Raton boys soccer team reached the FHSAA state title game, they came home with the championship.
This time the Bobcats will be carrying the added pressure of a perfect mark of 27-0 following a 2-0 victory over visiting Cypress Bay in the Class 7A state semifinal on Saturday night. They won the 2016 state championship in 2016 with a 2-0 win over Winter Park.
Boca Raton, ranked number one in the state in their class and 14th in the nation by MaxPreps, will play Boone (16-3-2) on Saturday at 7 p.m. at Spec Martin Stadium in Deland.
“We are 27-0 good, but if you ask anyone in this locker room they could care less what our record is, they wanted to get to the state final this year and these kids have battled,” said Boca Raton coach Marcelo Castillo. The last loss for Boca Raton came last year in the regional semifinal to Park Vista, 1-0, in a penalty-kicks shootout.”
Senior Diego Guerrero sent a cross in from the left side and senior Joao Negrao nodded the ball over the outstretched arms of Cypress Bay goalkeeper Ethan Waisfield for a 2-0 lead in the 71st minute. It was Negrao’s team-leading 20th goal of the season.
Boca Raton seized a 1-0 lead in the 51st minute when senior Daniel Lvov scored off a rebound.
Bobcats senior goalkeeper Alex Pineda picked up his 24th shutout without needing to make a save.
— Mike May
— Steve Evans