Rams win it for Seminole County
DELAND — Nazar Tsaruk and Luke Chappel scored goals Saturday and goalkeeper Michael Demarco made the lead stand as the Lake Mary Rams downed Miami Varela 2-1 to win the Class 5A boys soccer state championship.
The victory at Spec Martin Stadium made Lake Mary (24-5-1) the first Seminole County team to claim a championship in the 43-year history of Florida High School Athletic Association finals in boys soccer.
“I’ve wanted to do it for a long time as a player and as a coach,” Lake Mary coach Eric Sellick said. “I’m a Seminole County boy. I played at [Lake] Brantley, coached at Lyman for eightplus years and made a final four at Lake Mary
“It’s just as much Lake Mary’s as it is Seminole County’s, doing it for all those teams, all those players, all those alumni I know. They’ve been texting me all week.”
Lake Mary was a state runner-up in 1987 and 2003.
Both teams had several chances in the first half, but Lake Mary got the key finishes.
Tsaruk, a Rollins recruit, put the Rams up 1-0 with his 13th goal of the season. He deposited a corner kick by UCF signee Angel Flores from 12 yards out into the right side of the goal.
“We’ve been working on a set piece, and I knew that they’re all over the place defending,” Tsaruk said. “I knew they weren’t going to follow the runners.”
Chappel made it 2-0 in the 36th minute. Riley Triplett headed Damian Walraven’s throw-in to Chappel within 3 yards of the goal. Chappel caromed his shot off the left post and in.
“Riley did a good job flicking it over the defenders, and I knew I had to be there, and I had faith that [Triplett] would win it,” Chappel said.
Varela (14-4-3) stepped up the pressure in the second half. Christian Viera pulled the Vipers with 2-1 in the 61st minute. Keeper Andres Jaramillo punted the ball into the Lake Mary box, and Viera shed a couple Lake Mary defenders, then beat the keeper to the ball then finished the goal.
Demarco made four saves and erased several great
Demarco repelled a Viera shot, then beat Viera to clean up the rebound in the 16th minute.
Demarco made an even bigger save in the second half. An unguarded Kordell Godison tried to volley a cross from about 15 yards. Demarco dove to his left to keep the score 2-1. Varela coach Juan C. Monge said that save won the game for the Rams.
“They’re all tall, they’re good players, but we were the better team,” Demarco said. “I was focused looking at the ball, making sure I was in the right spot, standing for my team so we could win.” chances for the Vipers.