And then there were none.
Moments after Choctaw was stunned in a 3-0 loss at Ponte Vedra in the Region 1-3A championship Tuesday night, Niceville’s season came to a close in a 1-0 overtime loss at undefeated Forest in the Region 1-4A title game, thus ending the prep soccer season for area teams.
For Choctaw, the one constant for a program looking for its third straight trip to the final four just couldn’t deliver on the road. Ending the season with 19 shutouts in 27 games, the Indians’ defense came out swinging by holding Ponte Vedra scoreless in the opening half. But with its offense struggling to muster any momentum, Choctaw couldn’t sustain the shutout as Ben Fredericks scored the eventual game-winner in the 55th minute.
“We were just not putting any pressure on that team,” said Choctaw head coach Chris McDaniel, whose Indians defeated the Sharks 1-0 in the same round last year and earlier this year in penalty kicks. “When you let them do what they want they’re going to run all over you.”
Then, with Choctaw pressing the scoring issue by moving a defender forward, the floodgates opened.
Jakob Warpinski-Bitting tacked on a pair of goals to put the game out of reach, lifting the Sharks (18-2-4) into the 3A final four for the first time in school history.
“We pulled one out of the back and that weakens us up,” McDaniel said. “We had nothing to lose.”
Choctaw, which had outscored foes 14-1 in postseason action, ends the season 22-3-2.
“I’m proud of them and it was great year for such a young team,” McDaniel said.
For Niceville, which played without many offensive weapons, most notably Jeremy Brown after the forward was issued a red card in Niceville’s 1-0 region semifinal win over Navarre, it was a much more climatic finish against the 23-0-2 Wildcats.
Bidding for its fist final-four trip since 2009, the Eagles just couldn’t scratch the scoreboard. The offensive frustration, though, extended to the Wildcats side.
“It was pretty back and forth,” Niceville coach Wes Nelson said. “Neither team had a ton of chances, just a pair of solid defenses.”
The Eagles’ defense, anchored by a sure-handed Zach Bailey, held up its end of the bargain for 86 minutes of play, but Jimmy Wear found brother Jesse at the top of the box for a goal late in the first overtime frame to lift the Wildcats into the final four.
“The second half, specifically the last 20 minutes, you could see the momentum shift,” said Nelson, whose team closes the season with a 20-7-1 mark. “About seven minutes into overtime they got their chance and put it away.
“But it was a good game. And I’m really proud of my guys.”
Prep Boys Soccer: Bid for final 4 falls short for Choctaw, Niceville
Published: Tuesday, February 5, 2013 at 22:28 PM.
And then there were none.
Moments after Choctaw was stunned in a 3-0 loss at Ponte Vedra in the Region 1-3A championship Tuesday night, Niceville’s season came to a close in a 1-0 overtime loss at undefeated Forest in the Region 1-4A title game, thus ending the prep soccer season for area teams.
For Choctaw, the one constant for a program looking for its third straight trip to the final four just couldn’t deliver on the road. Ending the season with 19 shutouts in 27 games, the Indians’ defense came out swinging by holding Ponte Vedra scoreless in the opening half. But with its offense struggling to muster any momentum, Choctaw couldn’t sustain the shutout as Ben Fredericks scored the eventual game-winner in the 55th minute.
“We were just not putting any pressure on that team,” said Choctaw head coach Chris McDaniel, whose Indians defeated the Sharks 1-0 in the same round last year and earlier this year in penalty kicks. “When you let them do what they want they’re going to run all over you.”
Then, with Choctaw pressing the scoring issue by moving a defender forward, the floodgates opened.
Jakob Warpinski-Bitting tacked on a pair of goals to put the game out of reach, lifting the Sharks (18-2-4) into the 3A final four for the first time in school history.
“We pulled one out of the back and that weakens us up,” McDaniel said. “We had nothing to lose.”
Choctaw, which had outscored foes 14-1 in postseason action, ends the season 22-3-2.
“I’m proud of them and it was great year for such a young team,” McDaniel said.
For Niceville, which played without many offensive weapons, most notably Jeremy Brown after the forward was issued a red card in Niceville’s 1-0 region semifinal win over Navarre, it was a much more climatic finish against the 23-0-2 Wildcats.
Bidding for its fist final-four trip since 2009, the Eagles just couldn’t scratch the scoreboard. The offensive frustration, though, extended to the Wildcats side.
“It was pretty back and forth,” Niceville coach Wes Nelson said. “Neither team had a ton of chances, just a pair of solid defenses.”
The Eagles’ defense, anchored by a sure-handed Zach Bailey, held up its end of the bargain for 86 minutes of play, but Jimmy Wear found brother Jesse at the top of the box for a goal late in the first overtime frame to lift the Wildcats into the final four.
“The second half, specifically the last 20 minutes, you could see the momentum shift,” said Nelson, whose team closes the season with a 20-7-1 mark. “About seven minutes into overtime they got their chance and put it away.
“But it was a good game. And I’m really proud of my guys.”
All rights reserved. This copyrighted material may not be re-published without permission. Links are encouraged.
