Top two seeds reach title game

DELRAY BEACH — American Heritage-Delray and Benjamin had barely started when Sarah Borer immediately put the Stallions up 1-0.

It would be a sign of things to come as Borer scored three times in the first half on the way to Heritage-Delray’s 6-1 victory Wednesday night in the District 13-2A soccer semifinals.

“We talked about that before the game, of trying to get up on them early and certainly psychologically just getting ourselves in the game early,” Stallions coach Paul Gregory said. “We had a really nice rhythm the first 15 to 20 minutes, and when we play that way we are a good team.”

The second-seeded Stallions (12-3-1), who last won a state championship three years ago, advance to play top-seed Oxbridge Academy in the district championship at 7 p.m. Friday at Heritage-Delray.

Oxbridge (9-1-2) defeated Cardinal Newman, 3-0, in the other semifinal Wednesday. Heritage and Oxbridge played to a 2-2 tie in their one meeting during the regular season.

Borer, a junior midfielder, scored her second goal on a breakaway to put HeritageDelray up 2-0.

After Kayla McKenzieEdmunds put the Stallions ahead 3-0, Borer made it 4-0 to get her hat trick with 4:42 remaining in the first half.

“Sarah’s a player that certainly really has grown this year, as far as didn’t start there as our striker,” Gregory said, “but has really come on and improved herself in that area. Her finishing has improved and certainly the goals have really started to come for her in the second half of the year.”

Senior Tara Pak would tack one more goal on before the half for a 5-0 Stallions lead behind goalie Jonelle Barron.

In the second half, sophomore Veronica Andujar scored to give HeritageDelray a 6-0 advantage with 8:37 left to play.

Nicole Vernis scored Benjamin’s only goal with 6:40 remaining.

Heritage had beaten Benjamin 8-0 in the lone regular-season meeting. Benjamin’s season ends 6-6-1.

In the nightcap, Jordan Schaefer scored two goals to power Oxbridge. The senior scored the game’s only goal in the first half and then put the ThunderWolves up 3-0 with her second with a little more than 29 minutes to play.

Oxbridge’s only loss this season came against Boca High.

Cardinal Newman’s season ends at 13-6-1.