Head games: Polivka nets 2, lifts CG to region final

Sydney Polivka used her head, twice in fact, to propel Cardinal Gibbons to 2-1 win over visiting American Heritage in a Class 4A regional semifinal Friday.

Polivka scored both goals for the Chiefs (16-3-4), pushing them forward into Tuesday’s regional finals, where Cardinal Gibbons will host the winner of the Miami Springs — Gulliver Prep matchup. The sophomore notched both tallies on headers, with the decisive goal coming in the 74th minute off a throw-in by Rafaella Izquierdo. Polivka now has five goals this postseason and 27 on the season.

“We always talk about who’s going to be the hero, and Sydney’s chosen to be the hero for us the last couple of games,” Chiefs coach Margo Flack said. “But Sydney knows she’s got a great crew around her also, and for Rafi coming in for us off the bench to have that assist — to find Sydney’s head — it was huge. It’s important for this entire team to know that although Sydney is the one scoring these goals, they are a big part.”

After a scoreless first half, the Chiefs struck first on Polivka’s header off a corner kick in the 50th minute. The lead lasted all of five minutes as the Patriots (11-5) equalized on a goal by Diana Pon. Tim Dwyer

Montero, Santiago pace LWC: Lake Worth Christian junior Grace Montero continued her late-season excellence with a goal in the 49th minute as the Defenders sailed by Berean Christian 2-0 on Friday in a Class 2A girls soccer regional semifinal.

Montero received a corner kick from Malayna Estornell and hit a right-footed volley past Bulldogs’ goalkeeper Lindsie Randlett for a 1-0 lead.

Montero missed half the season while she recovered from a torn anterior cruciate ligament in her right knee but has scored five goals in her last six games.

“It was really hard watching everyone play because I wanted to be out there,” Montero said. “It felt great to be out there and help my team and score the first goal.”

The Defenders iced the game in the 65th minute when Emma Dipauli centered the ball from the left side and found the team’s leading scorer, Brooke Santiago, for her team-leading 14th goal and a 2-0 advantage. Santiago missed four games this season with injuries. She and Montero combined for 69 goals last year.

“It was really important for me with this being my last year,” Santiago said. “I knew this was possible because with my team and me and Grace we have the heart for it. We will keep working hard on and off the field to win every game.” Gary Curreri

Boca Raton’s Coy scores twice in OT to stun Spanish River: Host Boca Raton needed to work overtime but pulled out a 2-0 victory over Spanish River in a steady rainstorm in a 7A regional semifinal.

Senior Alexa Coy scored twice in the first overtime to send the Bobcats to their fourth consecutive regional final. They travel to play Vero Beach, a 4-1 winner over Wellington in the other regional semifinal. Boca Raton fell 3-1 to Vero Beach in last year’s regional final after reaching the state final and state semifinal the two previous years.

“We have been preparing for this moment all year long,” said Coy, who sat out last season to concentrate on club soccer. “I missed out on some of the magic last year and I was just ready to do something good.”

Boca Raton (13-2-4) wasted little time in the first overtime as Peyton Browne found Coy for the lead just three minutes in. It was Coy’s eighth goal of the season.

Coy scored her second goal, and ninth of the year, in a five-minute span when she received the pass from Jada Fernandes with a little over two minutes remaining in the first overtime. Gary Curreri

Bayside stuns previously unbeaten Suncoast: Three second-half goals in a 14-minute stretch enabled the Bayside Bears from Palm Bay to upset Suncoast 3-1 in a Class 5A regional semifinal in Riviera Beach on Friday night, knocking the Chargers from the ranks of the unbeaten.

Trailing 1-0 at the half, the Bears (13-5-1) scored the equalizer when Bayside’s Madison Ireland converted a cross into a goal at the 42-minute mark. Ten minutes later, Bayside’s Jaydin Ulp drilled a free kick into the box, which Ireland then slotted into the back of the net with her left foot. At the 54-minute mark, Bayside’s Tianna Allen netted her team’s final goal. Suncoast (16-1-5) could not recover. Mike May