Late goal puts Patriots over the Wildcats

Freedom wins over Wesley Chapel 4-3.

By JOEL POILEY Times Correspondent
Published February 2, 2007

TAMPA - Sophomore Manny Martes' header off a free kick with two minutes to play led Freedom past Wesley Chapel 4-3 Thursday.

Martes' second goal decided the match in which Freedom (10-3-4) never trailed. Martes scored less than two minutes in, and captain Bobby Huertas converted about 10 minutes later for a quick two-goal lead.

But Wesley Chapel's Jean Carlos Valdez notched the first of his three goals to reduce the margin to one. After Freedom's Mike Panter made it 3-1, Valdez scored again late in the first half to give Wesley Chapel (12-7-2) some momentum entering halftime.

Valdez tied the score at the 29-minute mark of the second half, blasting home a rebound from close range. That set up Martes' heroics, when he timed his brother Miguel's perfectly-placed free kick and headed it just over the outstretched arms of Wesley Chapel goalie Kyle Funkhouser.

"It wasn't a set play," Martes said. "I made eye contact with him (his brother) as I ran to the box and the ball was right there."

[Last modified February 1, 2007, 23:32:23]