Montverde finishes undefeated, adds title
MONTVERDE — Tournament MVP Kizza Edward illustrated Montverde’s dominance Saturday, scoring two goals and dishing out two assists to help the Eagles rout Paramount, Calif., 4-1 and win the Montverde Academy Soccer Tournament.
The victory clinched the Eagles’ sixth consecutive title in the event. It also helps Montverde (22-0-1) end its season with a 157-match unbeaten streak.
Montverde’s high school team clinched the second tournament title for the academy.
The Soccer Institute of Montverde Academy won the international tournament when the Eagles tied the U.S. Under-17 national team 1-1.
“It’s a wonderful feeling,” Montverde coach Mike Potempa. “I’m really happy for the kids. They deserved it. They worked hard for it.”
Josh Jackson and Joao Lucas Santos also earned all-tournament honors for Montverde.
Edward passed right to Rodrigo Almeida, who beat Paramount keeper Oscar Sierra low right 1:11 into the match.
“We wanted to get on them early,” Potempa said. “We wanted to get goals early. Anytime you play in a final, they come ready to play. The way you punch them in the mouth is with an early goal, and we got three of them. It’s credit to the guys for doing a good job.”
Edward put back a rebound just over a minute later for a 2-0 Montverde lead. Edward then scored when Joao Lucas Santos drew Sierra out of the goal, and passed left to an open Edward. That put the Eagles up 3-0 11:12 into the match.
Bishop Moore (16-3) played most of the way without powerful 6-foot-4 post player Morgan Davis but got a solid team effort to win 55-50 against the top-ranked team in the Sentinel Super 6 girls basketball rankings, Lake Highland Prep, at the Kalyn High Master’s Classic.
Reilly Boehm scored 18 points for the Hornets.
Lake Highland (13-6) played without senior scoring leader Tyra Cox, who underwent dental surgery earlier in the week.
Davis, a Texas A&M volleyball recruit, arrived late after helping her Top Select volleyball team win three matches in an Orlando tournament. She had seven points and nine rebounds in about 10 minutes of play.