Storm set for district soccer

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Storm set for district soccer

Sports

Friday, 22 January 2010 08:30

By Ken Jackson
Sports Writer
Celebration’s boys soccer team has a ton of things going its way when it defends its district championship next week.
The Storm (14-4) finished the regular season with five straight wins, including a 6-0 victory over Osceola on Tuesday that clinched the Orange Belt Conference title.
In the 4A District 6 tournament, Celebration is the No. 1 seed, thanks to a 6-0 district record in district play and has a bye into the semifinals.
And, it’s a tournament that the Storm hosts. Coach Mike Meechin said his team couldn’t ask for more after winning a district title and a regional playoff game for the first time last year.
“We tend to click at the right time,” Meechin said, noting that his players remember very well that they beat the Nos. 1 and 2 teams in the district tournament last year. “And we will be fully aware of what’s at stake.
“We set the bar high this year. We set it early last year, but most of the kids didn’t know what the bar looked like. They know what is expected now. We have a long to-do list this year.”
The Storm’s attack is led by juniors Santiago Echeverri and Christian Ardila, and in the back by a freshman goalie, John Birchall.
“We have enough weapons to feel like we can contend and go on for a while,” Meechin said.
The Storm will play for a return trip to the regional playoffs Wednesday at 5 p.m., against the winner of Harmony and Tavares, the Nos. 4 and 5 seeds, who will play on Tuesday at 5 p.m.
No. 7 seed Poinciana plays No. 2 Oak Ridge on Monday at 7 p.m., and No. 6 St. Cloud plays Eustis Tuesday at 7 p.m. Those winners will meet Wednesday at 7 p.m.
Friday’s championship game is at 7 p.m.
Despite Tuesday’s setback, Osceola (8-3-7) is also on the uptick going into the 5A-5 tournament, hosted by top-seeded Davenport Ridge. The Kowboys, who won their final three district games, surged into the No. 2 seed, and will play Liberty Tuesday at 8 p.m. The winner gets Tuesday’s Haines City-Sebring winner in Wednesday’s semifinal at 6 p.m.
OHS Coach Tom Bell said that being a high seed doesn’t mean a lot in the balanced district.
“Not comfortable at all,” he said. “Every team is athletic and plays hard. Ridge is a steady team and anything will be possible next week.”
Gateway, which moved to 7-4-4 after a 5-0 win over Poinciana Tuesday, is the No. 5 seed in the five-team 6A-6 tournament, which sounds worse than it is. The Panthers played three of their four district games with two of their top goal scorers, Andreas Jara and John Sarmiento, sidelined with injuries. Jara returned Jan. 5 and scored eight goals in his first four games, tying Leon Wilson for the team lead in just two weeks.
The Panthers play Palm Bay Bayside at Port St. Lucie Centennial Monday at 6 p.m. The winner will play the No. 1-seeded hosts Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. Gateway beat Centennial, which was unbeaten, 3-0, on Jan. 19.
“It’s good to have my forwards back now,” GHS Coach Oswald Attin said. “We’re in a good bracket for us, but we’ll worry about it after Monday’s game.”
A win Wednesday would put Gateway in Friday’s 6 p.m. championship final.