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Roadblock
By STEVE LEE, Times Staff Writer LAND O'LAKES -- A win over St. Augustine Nease in tonight's Class 2A, Region 2 final elevates Land O'Lakes into uncharted territory -- the state final four. The Gators (23-1-1) have been here before. Three times to be exact. Vicky King, the school's only coach in 15 seasons, feels her current squad has the program's best chance ever at winning in this round. "It definitely could be different," King said. "Compared to the first few times we have so much more. "We didn't have the talent before that we have now." True. Land O'Lakes is coming off a school-record 24-win season in which the team scored a school-record 139 goals. The Gators could match that win total tonight and with 137 goals could top the goal mark as well. "We're definitely better (than last season)," said Land O'Lakes midfielder Jessica Reynolds, a senior with 12 goals and 11 assists. "I think we're trying not to get too confident," she continued. "We don't want to go in (to tonight's game) cocky. We're trying to just stay positive." The Gators won regional championships in 1993 and 1994, but in those seasons lost in the sectionals (equivalent to today's regional final). Last year, Land O'Lakes lost in the regional final 5-1 to Sarasota. Sarasota went on to defeat Nease in last year's state semifinals, marking the first time the Panthers (24-2-1) advanced to the state final four. "I guess since we never made it this far it's pretty hard," Reynolds said. "Each team you play, they're better and better. But each game we play, we get better and better." To get this far, Land O'Lakes won its sixth district championship, third conference title and two regional playoff games -- 5-2 against Citrus and 5-4 on penalty kicks against Orlando Bishop Moore. The Panthers got here by winning a district title, followed by two regional victories -- 2-1 against Daytona Beach Seabreeze and 10-0 against River Ridge. "I think it's pretty close," Nease coach Dave Silverberg said of tonight's matchup. "Both teams have a couple of big-time scorers. "I kind of think tonight's game will be won or lost by one of the other role players." King concurred, saying, "That could happen, because the name players are going to be marked out of the game. Someone will have to rise to the occasion. "You're not going to go to a go-to player, because you can't depend on any one player. It's got to be everybody." Nonetheless, it would be hard to imagine either side shutting down the other's top guns. Nease scoring leaders Jenna Silverberg (47 goals) and Lydia Sturgis (40) each came through in the Panthers' last win. Silverberg, a junior midfielder, scored twice while senior forward Sturgis had a hat trick against River Ridge. In the Gators' 5-4 win over Bishop Moore, Stacy Bishop (52 goals) scored once and Casie Poyssick (43) twice in regulation. Bishop then clinched it by converting a penalty kick to give Land O'Lakes a 4-2 edge in that situation. "Tuesday (against Bishop Moore) was probably the most excited we've been after a game," King said. Land O'Lakes blew a two-goal lead and twice had to rally from one-goal deficits to force a tie in regulation. "We had to work so hard for it that it probably meant a lot more," King said. Added Reynolds, "Nobody's ever come back on us like that. We weren't prepared for it. "But as the game got harder, we played harder and, luckily, we came out on top." Poyssick, who like Bishop is a junior midfielder, hooked a corner kick that skimmed off the left post to tie Bishop Moore in the 71st minute. Conversely, Nease led 4-0 10 minutes into the River Ridge matchup and left the field with more than 20 minutes to play due to the mercy rule. River Ridge coach Keith Hooper, whose team lost three times to Land O'Lakes (twice in regulation and in the 2A-8 final) feels the Gators and Panthers are virtually equal. "It's pretty much mirror images," Hooper said. "Nease's offense can come at any time. Land O'Lakes is almost predictable." King said her players were confident at practices on Wednesday and Thursday, adding that winning close instilled confidence in her players. Coming off a decisive victory, Nease enters the game confident as well, coach Silverberg said. In the waning minutes of Tuesday's semifinal, King said she "was having second thoughts. "Oh my gosh, this could be our season."' Those thoughts are gone, she said. CLASS 2A, REGION 2 FINALWHEN: Tonight at 7:30 ADMISSION: $5. FHSAA passes only. PLAYERS TO WATCH: St. Augustine Nease -- Forward Lydia Sturgis (40 goals), midfielder Jenna Silverberg (47 goals), defender Megan Whitaker, goalkeeper Aly Womack (15 shutouts). Land O'Lakes -- Midfielder Stacy Bishop (52 goals), midfielder Casie Poyssick (43 goals), defender Tara Eugenides, goalkeeper Shannon Aitken (16 shutouts). NEED TO KNOW: These teams are mirror images of one another with nearly identical records, two prolific scorers, and stingy defenses with aggressive sweepers and standout goalkeepers. Another common denominator is that both lost last year to Sarasota, the state runner-up. The Sailors beat Land O'Lakes in a regional final and Nease in a state semifinal. With defenses focusing on each team's top scorers, both coaches agree that the outcome might be decided by a role player who steps up. Neither team has ever won a state championship. The Panthers made the state final four for the first time last season. This is the fourth time the Gators have come within one game of the final four.
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