Frostproof Pushes Past Lake Placid

LAKE PLACID - No fanfare. No standing ovations. No being carried off the field by her players or buckets of water being doused on her.

Nothing but a smile crept over Liz Sottile's face as she gathered her things and walked off Roger Scarborough Memorial Field on a misty Friday night.

"What a way to go out," the Lake Placid girls soccer coach said. "My last year, and I finally get one of these."

One of "those" happens to be the Class 3A-District 8 runner-up trophy, as her Green Dragons fought hard but couldn't counter Frostproof in a 4-1 loss in the district finals in what could be Sottile's final game at home.

But the loss didn't warrant a frown or solemn look from Sottile, who takes home her first trophy in her five-year run as the Green Dragon head coach, putting aside years of playoff disappointment and giving her a proper sendoff.

"This is very special to me and so are these girls," Sottile said. "It's going to be odd not being on the sideline next season. I loved being here and loved the girls. I went from soccer mom to soccer coach and I've got good and bad memories, but something I'll always cherish."

Sottile announced her plans for stepping down after the season at the conclusion of Tuesday's victory over McKeel Academy. It was a decision that had been brewing for some time.

"I kept getting asked why I was still coaching with no kids in high school," Sottile said. "I think it was very therapeutic for me after Nick was killed."

Liz's husband Nick Sottile, a Florida Highway Patrol officer, was murdered in 2007, days before the start of the district tournament. Coming into the season, Sottile decided to keep going as coach and the girls helped her through that trying time in her life, but her husband was never far from her thoughts.

"[Nick] would bring me coffee on those cold nights or ask me why I was playing a girl in a certain position, or he'd just be there," Sottile said. "The girls really got to know and love him and it was just as hard on them. They knew they could call Nick if they had a problem or just to talk.

"They'll always remember those special moments. It was a life-changing experience for us all."

Another special moment for the Green Dragons came with their first trophy presentation, as captain and goalie Sydney Stewart received the trophy at midfield and quickly brought it back to the team.
The flash from the numerous cameras lit up the girl's faces, but defender Julie Shrewsbury still wished for something more.

"We all wanted [the district title] bad," Shrewsbury said. "We played hard until the end. I guess I was just hoping for a miracle in the second half, but we just didn't have it tonight."

LP hits the road next week, when they travel to face another district champion in a regional match, time and opponent TBD.

On Friday night, Shrewsbury and the rest of the Green Dragons faced a very physical Bulldog squad that played faster and with more ball control than Lake Placid.

Within minutes of the start of the game, the Bulldogs pounced on the Green Dragons with their speed and the ability to be at the right place at the right time, as junior Holly Kinchen and eighth grader Cristal Rojas scored goals to give Frostproof an early 2-0 lead.

The aggressive style of both teams caused numerous girls to take punishment on the field, but it was Frostproof who gained seven direct gains off of Lake Placid penalties.

"The referees let us play as long as we kept it fair," Sottile said. "Frostproof was just in the right place at the right time and scored when they had the chances."

Lake Placid's Erica Resendez cut the Bulldog lead to one on a shot from near midfield that sailed over the head of the Frostproof goalie into the net.

The momentum shift was short-lived, however, as Frostproof's Marisela Rivera scored on a deflection and junior Crystal Sanchez' sliding kick off a rebound at the 74-minute mark iced the title for the Bulldogs.

But the night belonged to Sottile, who walks away from the Green Dragons a champion - on the soccer field and in the hearts of all she's coached.

"This will always be a special place," Sottile said as she walked off the field.