A busy week of Soccer across the county left most teams with 3 District encounters when it comes to the Varsity soccer scene
Springstead took time to get out of the blocks as they started the week on the road facing both Wesley Chapel and Nature Coast Tech. Wesley Chapel ran away with a 6-2 Victory on Monday night and Nature Coast helped compound the Eagles’ woes with a 5-1 victory. Back on home turf for the Eagles on Friday night and it was bottom of the district Zephyrhills the visitors. Putting up a fight it was 3-3 with just over ten minutes to go before the home team got into top gear to score 4 and run out 7-3 victors and get Springstead back to winning ways. Th.e Junior, Kegan Lewis, coming away from that game as the Hat Trick hero with 3 goals. James Campbell scoring a brace to back that up.
Talking about Nature Coast and Goal Machine Vinny Stulec (sr) was back amongst the goals on Wednesday night as the Sharks came away with that 5-1 win. Tony Howard providing vital support on the night with both a goal and an assist.
Friday night took Nature Coast away to top of the table Pasco, whom they beat 1-0 in last season’s District Final, and it was a tight game as they couldn’t make 2 goals count and travelled back to the Shark Den on the back of a 2-2 draw.
Elsewhere in the 7A District and Weeki Wachee had two district encounters with a win and a draw. Starting the week on the right foot they awaited Zephyrhills at home, before dispatching them 3-1 behind goals from Luis Endara (jr) x 2 and Aaron Jimenez, which canceled out the effort of Carlos Morales (jr) of the visitors. However it didn’t all go the Hornets way as they travelled to Wesley Chapel on Wednesday night and couldn’t get on the score sheet and came away with a 3-0 defeat.
Meanwhile across the county at Hernando and the Leopards have been on the road all week, Wednesday night they went to Zephyhills and following a great start to the game they took a 2-0 lead into halftime behind a Perry Grant (jr) brace. This was quickly backed up in the second half as Jacob Kelly (so) also got his brace. Both were to be denied a hat trick as a Jacob Kelly shot blocked by Perry Grant and Grant’s efforts low were off target.
Friday night and it was Wesley Chapel that was the destination in the Hernando bus as they put forward a battling performance. A Cesar Mejia (sr) (pictured) penalty just before half time left the Leopards 1-0 ahead. The Wildcats didn’t finish or quit and never gave up as they sneaked a last minute goal into the bottom corner past Jordan Goss (sr) to break Leopard hearts and leave them with a 2-1 defeat going into the weekend.
2A District 6 is the home for the Central Bears and head coach Kris Brooks does an outstanding job off the field to keep the program moving. It was unfortunate for them to come up against a hugely strong Mount Dora (recent victors at Hernando) and they came away with a 8-0 win. On Friday the trip to Dunnellon (Central won 4-3 at home against them recently) wasn’t as fruitful as the previous encounter with the Dunnellon Tigers coming away with a 6-3 stand behind support from the home crowd.
On the JV scene it is a huge change in fortunes for the Hernando Leopards, back for it’s second season after a break from JV play. After the opening 6 games of the season they are 4-2 behind victories against Nature Coast, Mount Dora, Zephyrhills and Wesley Chapel. The future is looking bright for the Leopards youth as they came away this week with an 8-0 travelling victory at Zephyrhills, Juan Duque Sr (pictured) leading the way with a hat trick, goals from Kevin Izquierdo (jr), Fernando Gonzalez (fr), William Miller (fr) and Anthony Brudevold (sr) completing the rout. Friday night’s visit to Wesley Chapel was a tough topsy turvey affair, after going 1-0 down the team fought back to take a 2-1 lead into half time behind goals from Gonzalez and Izquierdo. The home team tied it up before Gonzalez broke free of his man in the last 5 minutes of the game to seal the victory for the Leopards and take them to that 4-2 record for the season.
Upcoming Fixtures:
Friday 14th December
HHS @ Weeki Wachee
Springstead @ Pasco
Nature Coast v Wesley Chapel
Central v Umatilla
HCA @ Carrollwood Day
Monday 17th December
HHS @ Fivay
Springstead vs Weeki Wachee
Nature Coast @ Zephyrhills
Central @ South Sumter
Tuesday 18th December
Central @ Bishop McLaughlin
Wednesday 19th December
HHS vs Central (Senior Night)
