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Two Second-Half Goals Push Sebring Past Braden River

Brian Gjurgevich/Highlands Today

Sebring's Austin Brady boots a penalty shot during the second half of the Blue Streaks' 5-3 victory over Braden River.

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By Brian Gjurgevich | Highlands Today

Published: January 23, 2008

SEBRING — When Daniel Grimaldo walked onto Firemen's Field for the second half of Tuesday's Class 4A-District 10 semifinal match, the Sebring senior realized the jog from the locker room could very well be his last.

"I knew what I had to do," Grimaldo said. "Everyone was telling me: 'Go to the goal.'

"That's my job."

Grimaldo scored two goals in the first seven minutes of the second half, breaking a first-half tie and leading the Sebring boys soccer team to a 5-3 victory over third-seeded Braden River. The No. 2-seeded Blue Streaks (13-7-3) now face top-seeded Palmetto at 7 p.m. on Friday for the district title and home-field advantage for regionals.

"We know what each other are capable of," said Grimaldo about Palmetto, who he noted the Streaks need to mark well against. "They have great field vision, so we need to fill the gaps. If we give them space, they'll eat it up."

But it was Sebring who feasted upon the Braden River offense on Tuesday night, taking advantage of an offside-trap defense and getting numerous shots on goal.

It was the Pirates (8-8-1), however, who struck first, scoring on their first time down the field when sophomore Mitchell Margolis crossed to sophomore Dylan Barakat, who pounded it into the lower right corner of the Sebring net for a 1-0 Braden River lead.

Sebring responded less than a minute later, when Grimaldo crossed the ball into sophomore Buck Schroeder, who stopped it dead, made a move to the left and went right-side to tie the match at one.
Four minutes later, Sebring took the lead when junior Gilberto Santos one-timed a low, lining corner kick into the right side of the net for a 2-1 lead.

The Pirates would get the equalizer before half, however, when freshman Christian Serena beat the keeper to the ball and scored in the 28th minute to tie the match at two.

"I thought we were the better team most of the night, but we had a few lapses and did some silly things," said Sebring coach Paul Brown. "I had a few choice words for them at the half."

Whatever Brown said stuck, as Grimaldo came out and put Sebring ahead for a good with two goals in the first seven minutes.

"I had it, and everyone was yelling for the ball," said Grimaldo about his first goal, which came in the 42nd minute. "It was one of those times where you know you have to be greedy.

"I saw it, so I faked the pass and was fortunate enough to get the goal."

Grimaldo scored again in the 47th minute, when he worked a long ball and trickled one past the keeper for a 4-2 Sebring lead. It was up to the Sebring defense from then on, which held the Pirates in check.

"We kept up the pressure," said Sebring junior Austin Brady, who added a penalty-kick goal in the 60th minute to put the Streaks up 5-2. "We didn't want to let them get their dribble on us. We wanted to keep the ball out of there and get it up to our forwards."

The Streaks now await the talented Tigers, who Sebring went 1-0-1 against this year, tying Palmetto on the road and beating them in Sebring.

"We have to play our second-half game all game if we want a chance to beat them," Brady said. "We have a bunch of seniors, and we want to keep playing with them."

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