Dr. Phillips arrives tested
It took a three-game stretch over the final weeks of the regular season for the Dr. Phillips girls soccer team to get a feel for what’s to come in the playoffs.
The Panthers rolled through their first 13 matches but then challenged themselves against some of the top teams in the area.
Dr. Phillips (15-1-1) pulled out a 2-1 win over Harmony, then settled for a 2-2 tie with Winter Park before falling for the first and only time 2-0 at Lake Nona.
DP responded two days later by winning its finale 8-1 over Lake Brantley.
“We learned a lot, and now we can go into the district tournament on Monday on a high,” coach Donny George said.
The Panthers open Class 5A, District 4 tournament play at home against Evans at 7 p.m. A win would tie the school record for most in a season. It would also set up a semifinal Wednesday vs. Edgewater or West Orange.
The continued efforts of senior captain Carmel de Oliveira and sophomore scorer Chloe Washington will be vital in helping to secure a region berth, where the Panthers have yet to win in five tries.
Oliveira, an attacking midfielder, spent 12 days training with Brazil’s U-21 national team in October.
“She’s a very strong player,” George said. “She’s wellknown in these parts in club soccer, and she’s come on so strong.”
Washington, who excelled last year as a freshman after a short stint on junior varsity, is closing in on the program’s single-season goals scored record. She has 29 entering the playoffs.
Shae Vevera (2014-15) and Aalyiah Bates (2016-17) share the record with 33 goals in a season for DP.
“Last year she had the speed but didn’t have the physicality,” George said.
Securing the top seed in the district was perhaps most important in Class 5A, District 5 where very little separates Sentinel Super 6 teams Timber Creek, Lake Nona and Winter Park.
Should second-seeded Lake Nona get past Colonial and No. 3 Winter Park get past Freedom in first-round matches Monday, they’ll face off with a regional trip at stake Wednesday at 7:30.
Lake Nona beat Winter Park 3-1 on Nov. 27.
Top-seeded Timber Creek defeated Lake Nona 3-1 on Nov. 16 and lost to Winter Park 2-0 on Dec. 21.
Three Harmony juniors are double-digit scorers: (15 goals), (13) and
(13). Ninth grader
leads Timber Creek with 21 goals.
Ankle injuries to two of its best players, midfielder
and defender have slowed top seed Geneva’s momentum heading into 1A, District 4 play.
Seabreeze is without defender after the junior suffered an ACL injury on Dec. 19.