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Knights show improvement, rout Wildcats

WESLEY CHAPEL -- All Wesley Chapel had to show for eight district games was a 3-3 tie against River Ridge six weeks ago.

So when the two teams met again Wednesday, the Royal Knights (6-5-5) had no intention of tying the Wildcats (4-11-2) again.

"It was important for us to know we had progressed since the last time we played them," River Ridge coach Concepcion Ledezma said after his team's 6-1 victory against the Wildcats.

"In our hearts, we knew they weren't playing with us. They're a young team, they're coming along, but they're not ready for us yet."

Senior co-captain Adam Carter, who entered the game with five goals this season, scored two in the opening 15 minutes, then finished the hat trick on a free kick with 11 minutes remaining.

Teammate Richard Jata added two goals, pushing his team lead to 12. The first came on a penalty kick, but the second was more impressive. Jata leapt with his back to the goal to kick the ball around his body and past goalkeeper Gilbert Montelongo just inside the far post.

On a chilly night, Jata ran to midfield and pulled up his jersey -- typical fanfare for a celebrating goal-scorer, except that Jata exposed a white T-shirt with "I LOVE MY MOM" written in black marker.

Just as key as Carter and Jata's offense was the performance of junior Devon Hill, who made his first start in goal in place of Aaron Malcolm. Malcolm had played every game for the Knights before moving to Nebraska with his family last week.

Hill, a sweeper who had played sparingly in goal in past seasons, finished with five saves, including two point-blank stops early in the second half as the Knights clung to a 3-1 lead.

The game had an awkward moment in the second half, when River Ridge coaches mistook a red card for a second yellow card, which suspends a player from the rest of the game but allows his team to substitute for him.

Play continued before officials noticed the Knights were still playing at full strength and issued a yellow card to Carter as team captain to restore the man advantage to Wesley Chapel.

That didn't faze the Knights, who got their fifth goal two minutes later from Chris Oliver.

Wesley Chapel coach Tim Reardon, whose team's lone point came on a first-half goal from Brian Sumner, said the scoreboard showed less about an improved River Ridge team and more about his own.

"I saw us not showing up for this one," Reardon said.

River Ridge (5-2-2 in district), battling for one of the top two seeds and a first-round bye in the Class 2A, District 8 tournament, has key district games ahead against Zephyrhills and Gulf. Wesley Chapel (0-9-1) plays Monday at home against Hudson.

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