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Highlands Today

Bulldog Defense Stalls Streaks

CHRIS HOFFMAN/HIGHLANDS TODAY

Sebring's Daniel Klatt pressures Bulldog midfielder Agripino Sanchez during Tuesday's game.

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By Christopher  Hoffman | Highlands Today

Published: January 10, 2008

FROSTPROOF — Speed has never been an attribute missing from the Frostproof boys soccer squad, but a strong defense was the difference in the Bulldogs' 1-0 victory over Sebring at Faris Brannen Stadium on Tuesday.

"We'll live to fight another day," said SHS head coach Paul Brown, whose team had gone undefeated (8-0-2) in its previous 10 games. "[Frostproof] is deserving to win. They ran us off the ball. I'm a bit disappointed. We played very flat tonight and lost a bit of momentum we'd built up before the break.

"We just need to come out and beat Avon Park on Thursday and get back on track."

The Class 3A Bulldogs controlled the middle, stacking center field and keeping he ball out of Sebring's heavy hitters, which forced the Blue Streaks to the wings.

Sebring senior Daniel Grimaldo fought to get just one shot on goal against Frostproof, who harassed him with two defenders every time he touched the ball.

"[Frostproof] is just a great team." Grimaldo said. "We seemed a half-step slow tonight against them. They are such a quick team, and they did a good job of keeping the ball away from me as much as possible."

Frostproof was having its own problems with Sebring's defense until the 29-minute mark, when sophomore Adrian Elicero dribbled past the Blue Streak defense with ease and drilled a hard shot from the top of the box. Sebring goalie Ryan Cochran made a diving save that deflected off his hands, but Bulldog senior Agripino Sanchez was there for the chip in for the only score of the game.

Cochran shook off the soft goal and came back to make three more diving saves.

"I just cut off their angles and kept them in front of me," Cochran said. "After every game, Coach Brown lets me know my what I'm doing wrong, and I try to fix those mistakes."

With the Class 4A-District 10 tournament looming, Grimaldo has confidence his team is ready for the challenge of winning the district title.

"I believe we're capable of winning the district tournament," Grimaldo said. "We made a great run last year, but we want to move past that and win districts and make a run in the state tournament.

"When you get into the tournament, its a whole different atmosphere and level of play and this team is poised to make a run."

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