Local Sports
Boys soccer tournaments on tap
Mark Pinson | Highlands Today
Published: January 22, 2013
The boys high school soccer season heads into its most important time with the district tournaments beginning tonight.Published: January 22, 2013
Avon Park and Lake Placid will compete in the Class 2A-District 10 tournament hosted by Hardee High School.
The Red Devils come into tonight's 8 p.m. match with a record of 0-10 and a No. 6 seeding. Avon Park plays No. 3 seed DeSoto, which posted a 5-2-3 mark during the regular season.
Lake Placid is the No. 5 seed, and went 2-6-2 on the season. The Green Dragons take on No. 4 seed Mulberry at 6 tonight. The Panthers went 3-4-3 overall.
Since Hardee High is the host school, all of the games will be played at Wildcat Stadium.
If Avon Park or Lake Placid wins their match, the district semifinals will take place on Thursday, with matches slated for 6 and 8 p.m.
The district finals are scheduled for 7 p.m. on Friday night.
"We've had an up and down season," said Lake Placid boys soccer coach James Ashley. "We've been a little inconsistent, but if we play like we're capable, we have a chance to win and move on to the semifinals."
Sebring competes in the Class 3A-District 13 tournament, being hosted by Lake Wales High School.
The Blue Streaks play at 6 tonight against the winner of Monday's match between Tenoroc and Winter Haven.
Results from Monday's match were not available at press time.
Sebring, which is the No. 2 seed, posted an impressive 6-3-1 record during the season, and the Blue Streaks have shown great improvement over the last month as the team has begun to jell.
A Sebring victory tonight would send the Blue Streaks into Friday's district finals against a yet-to-be-determined opponent.
The Lake Placid girls soccer team plays in the Class 2A-Region 3 quarterfinals against St. Petersburg Catholic on Wednesday.
The Green Dragons lost in the Class 2A-District 10 finals by a score of 1-0 to Frostproof on Friday night.
Frostproof hosts Clearwater Central Catholic on Wednesday night, while Lake Placid is on the road against Class 2A-District 9 champion St. Petersburg Catholic.
Despite being heavy underdogs, the Green Dragons are focused on playing a talented Barons squad.
"We're on the road against a good team," Lake Placid girls soccer coach John Merlo said. "It may be a David vs. Goliath situation, but you never know what can happen when you step on the field.
"Those kinds of wins happen and we can compete with any team when we play up to our capability."
mpinson@highlandstoday.com (863) 386-5837