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Class 4A Region 2 quarterfinals

By DAWN REISS
Published January 26, 2006

WHO/WHEN:Today - St. Augustine at Citrus, 6:30 p.m.; Lecanto at Ponte Vedra Beach Nease, 7 COST: $6.

DIRECTIONS TO NEASE HIGH SCHOOL: About a three-hour drive. Take 491 north to FL-200. Go north on 200 until I-75. Take I-75 north. Take exit 354, go right onto US-27, go toward US-301/US-441/Ocala/Silver Springs. Stay on 27 for 3 miles, then take US-301 north for 29 miles. Exit onto SR-20, turn right, head east for 28 miles into Palatka. Turn left on S. 13th St. next to Byran Park. Turn right on Carr St. Turn left on 9th St./Fl-20. Turn right onto Reid St./US-17 over the St. John's River. Turn left onto FL-207 North and drive 20 miles. Merge onto I-95 North via the ramp on the left toward Jacksonville, drive 18 miles. Take exit 329 toward Ponte Vedra Beach/Green Cove Springs. Turn right onto CR-210, drive 3 miles. Turn right onto US-1 south, drive for a half mile. Take sharp left onto Ray Road. Nease High, 10550 Ray Road, St. Augustine.

THE SKINNY: Class 4A, District 6 champion Citrus (13-4-2) is coming off a 2-1 double-overtime win against Lecanto thanks to a last-second Amber Jordan goal off Kayla Nelson. The 'Canes have a difficult road facing St. Augustine (17-2-2), whose pair of losses came against reigning state champion Nease. The Yellow Jackets are led by sophomore Laura Ray, who has scored 48 goals, including three against Nease, despite St. Augustine coach Micah Clukey's mandate she can score no more than three a game. She is helped by junior midfielder Alessa Smolek, who has scored 21 this season. Last year Citrus won its first game 4-2 against Zephyrhills before losing 2-1 to Newsome in the region semifinal. St. Augustine lost 4-0 last year in the first round to Titusville. For Lecanto (14-4-2), it's similar to David vs. Goliath. Under Dave Silverberg's five-year tutelage, the Nease Panthers (22-2-2) have won two state titles (2002, '05). Nease runs an unusual 3-5-2 line up in hopes of dominanting the midfield. Nease hasn't given up more than 15 goals. "Nease is the team to beat," Clukey said. "They are a factory, they are 16-18 girls deep. They possess the ball better than any team I've ever seen. They just wear you down." Strong defense has kept Lecanto in games all season, allowing Maggie Mueller (32 goals, 11 assists) and Natalie Burnett (24 goals, 17 assists) to score up front.

[Last modified January 26, 2006, 01:01:17]