Boys soccer: Terrapins stand strong

Defense is the name of the game for Tampa Prep, which is one win from a state crown.

By Keith Niebuhr, Times Staff Writer
Published February 15, 2008

ADVERTISEMENT [Joseph Garnett, Jr. | Times] Orangewood Christian's Jordan Hiremath, back, wins the ball over Tampa Prep's Mark Hooker during the first half. Related link Photo gallery

FORT LAUDERDALE - The opponent was very good at times and a bit lucky at others. But while Maitland Orangewood Christian battled hard for 80 minutes, the outcome never was in doubt - to those wearing Tampa Prep jerseys.

"We had a lot of respect for (them)," Terrapins forward Ryan Griffin said. "But we knew we had the better team."

Thanks to Wes Sever's first-half goal and a lockdown defensive effort, Tampa Prep proved it in a 1-0 win Thursday night at Lockhart Stadium. And now, the Terrapins are only one victory from earning their third championship ring in four years.

"That was a tough game," Tampa Prep coach Jose DaCosta said. "That was a big game. A big win."

The Terrapins (26-2-2), who also won state titles in 2005 and 2007, will play Jacksonville Providence (19-6-2) at noon Saturday. The Stallions beat American Heritage-Delray Beach 3-2 on penalty kicks. This is Providence's fourth trip to the final four, but the Stallions have come away empty-handed each of their previous three appearances.

Tampa Prep will enter the final with a nine-game win streak.

"It's a big event for these guys," DaCosta said. "Hopefully, they're up for the challenge."

Because a few earlier games ran long Thursday, the match didn't begin until 8:39 p.m. - 99 minutes after the scheduled start time. But despite having to sit and wait before it could play, Tampa Prep didn't look bothered, or rusty. The Terrapins controlled the ball and the tempo, most of the first half

And had it not been for a few brilliant saves by Orangewood keeper Mark Price and a shot by Tampa Prep's Anthony Baumann that hit the post in the 38th minute, the Terrapins might have run away with it.

"We had quite a few chances," DaCosta said.

The Terrapins converted only one, but that was enough. It came in the 32nd minute, when Sever took a Jake Peterson pass in the penalty box and flipped his shot past Price.

In the second half, Tampa Prep's defense finished it off.

Tampa Prep 1 Orangewood Christian 0

[Last modified February 15, 2008, 00:29:14]