Sports
Fill out this form to email this article to a friend
Mustangs on target in semifinal victory
By DAVID MURPHY
Published January 17, 2008
NEW PORT RICHEY - Morgan Shellenberger doesn't know exactly where the ball came from. But she does know this: With just more than six minutes to play Wednesday and a state playoff berth on the line, she knocked that ball over the goalkeeper's head and into the back of the net.
The goal broke a scoreless tie and lifted Mitchell to a 1-0 win over Alonso (12-3-2) in a rain-soaked Class 6A, District 7 semifinal.
"I just chipped it over the goalkeeper's head," Shellenberger said.
It was more than enough for Mitchell, which dominated most of the match. The second-seeded Mustangs (13-3-1), who face Countryside in the 6A-7 final Friday night, clinched their first playoff berth since 2005.
"I felt like (the goal) took forever," Mitchell coach Karl Kukec said. "It was just a big relief."
Mitchell's win capped a marathon day at the 6A-7 tournament. Countryside's 2-1 win over Sickles in the first semifinal featured a half-hour injury stoppage, two scoreless overtimes and, finally, a penalty kick shootout won by the Cougars 4-2. Mitchell's game didn't begin until 9:15 p.m., more than an hour behind schedule.
The game also featured a steady rain that grew increasingly harder as the match progressed.
"It was very difficult," Shellenberger said of the conditions.
[Last modified January 17, 2008, 00:19:07]
Share your thoughts on this story
[an error occurred while processing this directive]
News
Fifty years ago, they were screwed-up kids sent to the Florida School for Boys to be straightened out. But now they are screwed-up men, scarred by the whippings they endured. Read the story and see a video and portrait gallery.
Print
Email story
Comment
Letter to the editor