Berean Christian School is the only school in the western communities that had both of its varsity soccer teams win district tournament championships. For the Berean boys, it was their fourth consecutive district title. For the Berean girls, it was their second consecutive district title.
Aside from Berean, the King’s Academy also has two soccer teams advancing to the Florida High School Athletic Association’s regional tournaments, while the girls teams from Seminole Ridge High School and Wellington High School are also advancing.
The Berean boys defeated Atlantic Christian Academy, 2-0, on Wednesday, Jan. 29 to claim the Class 1A, District 13 title. In that district finale, Mateo Aristizabal and Jacob Linnell scored Berean’s two goals. That win improved Berean’s overall record to 14-4-1.
In the upcoming quarterfinals of the Class 1A, Region 4 playoffs, Berean will host Miami Christian School on Tuesday, Feb. 11 starting at 3:30 p.m. With a victory, Berean will advance to the regional semifinals on Friday, Feb. 14 to most likely play the Wolves from Sports Leadership and Management (SLAM) in North Miami Beach. To reach the Class 1A state final four in DeLand (Feb. 26 and March 1), Berean will also need to win its regional final on Wednesday, Feb. 19. The opponent in that match is expected to be Highlands Christian Academy of Pompano Beach, which is the top-seeded team in Region 4. Berean is the third seed.
The Berean girls defeated Glades Day School, 3-0, on Monday, Jan. 27 to win the Class 1A, District 13 title. In the championship match, senior Sarah Wells notched two goals and sophomore Kira Schartner added a third goal for Berean, which improved to 14-4-2 on the season. Schartner’s goal was spectacular. Late in the second half, she gathered the ball on the edge of the penalty box and then sent a soaring, laser-like shot with her right foot into the upper left-hand corner of the net. Schartner’s shot zipped past the outstretched arms of the Glades Day goalkeeper.
As it turns out, Berean will face Glades Day again in the Class 1A, Region 4 quarterfinals. That game will be played at Berean at 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 11. To reach the state final four in DeLand on Feb. 26 and March 1, the Berean girls must win their regional semifinal on Friday, Feb. 14 and their regional final on Wednesday, Feb. 19. Like the boys, the girls soccer team from Berean is the third seed in Region 4.
The King’s Academy’s girls varsity soccer team didn’t win its Class 2A, District 8 tournament. The Lions were upset by the Benjamin School on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 1-0. Still, based on their impressive overall season record (13-3-4), they earned the top seed in the Region 2 playoffs. They will open their postseason by hosting the Saints from Trinity Prep in Winter Park on Tuesday, Feb. 11. With a victory, TKA will then host a regional semifinal game on Valentine’s Day. Assuming the win, TKA will then host the regional final on Wednesday, Feb. 19. The potential opponent could be the Benjamin School, the second seed, which would be a rematch of the district final. The winner of the regional final will then advance to the Class 2A state final four in DeLand on Feb. 27 and March 1.
The King’s Academy boys soccer team was on the wrong end of a 4-3 score in the Class 2A, District 8 tournament final on Thursday, Jan. 30, when the Lions lost to the Benjamin School. Despite the loss, TKA (10-4-2) was ranked high enough to earn a spot in the Class 2A state tournament as the fourth seed in Region 2. The TKA boys open their regional playoffs on Tuesday, Feb. 11 at 5 p.m., when they host Foundation Academy from Winter Garden, which has a record of 10-4-2. TKA must win three regional playoff games (Feb. 11, 14 and 19) to earn a spot in the Class 2A state final four in DeLand on Feb. 27 and March 1.
The Seminole Ridge High School girls varsity soccer team won the Class 6A, District 13 tournament by defeating Martin County High School in the finale, 2-1, on Wednesday, Jan. 29. As a result, Seminole Ridge was awarded the third seed in the Class 6, Region 4 series. In the regional quarterfinal game on Tuesday, Feb. 4, the Hawks defeated the Bulldogs from South Broward High School, 2-1. As a result of that win, Seminole Ridge (15-4-2) advanced to a regional semifinal match on the road against the Cooper City High School Cowboys on Friday, Feb. 7 at 7 p.m. With a win over Cooper City, Seminole Ridge will then play in the regional final on Wednesday, Feb. 12. A victory there will send them to the Class 6A state final four in Auburndale, set for Feb. 20-22.
On Wednesday, Jan. 29, the Wellington High School girls varsity soccer team won its Class 7A, District 13 tournament when the Wolverines outscored Park Vista High School, 3-1. It was Wellington’s eighth-straight win and improved their overall record to 13-2. That victory earned Wellington the second seed in the Class 6A, Region 4 state playoffs. The Wolverines opened regional play on Tuesday, Feb. 4 with a quarterfinal win against the Coral Reef High School Barracudas, 8-1.
That win advanced Wellington to a regional semifinal clash at home against Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on Friday, Feb. 7. If they win the semifinal, Wellington will then play in the regional final on Wednesday, Feb. 12 against, most likely, Cypress Bay High School, which is the top seed. The Region 4 champion will then play in the Class 7A state final four in Auburndale, set for Feb. 20-22.
One of the Cinderella stories of this year’s high school district soccer tournaments was in the boys Class 7A, District 13. The Palm Beach Central High School boys soccer team, under the direction of first-year coach Dave Jimenez, was the sixth seed. The Broncos were projected to lose early in the tournament. Well, the Broncos — who entered the district tournament with a losing 5-10-3 record — played like champions by defeating Lake Worth High School in overtime on Wednesday, Jan. 22 in the quarterfinals and then upsetting Wellington High School in the semifinals, 5-3, in penalty kicks on Friday, Jan. 24. That Palm Beach Central-Wellington match was tied 4-4 after overtime. However, in the district final against John I. Leonard High School on Wednesday, Jan. 29, Palm Beach Central lost by one goal, 4-3.
“We trailed 2-0 at halftime, and I told my guys during the break that we were still in this game,” Jimenez said. “My players responded. We rallied to take a 3-2 lead in the second half. Then, in the final minutes, John I. Leonard scored two goals to win. I’m proud of my team’s effort to come back.”
To advance into the Class 6A regionals, Palm Beach Central needed to win the district tournament. They finished with a final record of 7-11-3.
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