Weather | Sports | Forums | Comics | Classifieds | Calendar | Movies
By STEVE LEE
© St. Petersburg Times, published January 18, 2001
DADE CITY -- Pasco coach Keith Sumner wishes he could clone Eric Barnes, the team's leading scorer with 12 goals and six assists.
"If I had two Erics I could put one up front and one at midfield," Sumner said.
For now, the Pirates don't even have one Barnes.
The junior center-midfielder, who had just one goal as a sophomore, injured his right leg in last Friday's 2-0 win over Hernando and was scheduled for an X-ray today. Sumner speculated the leg might be fractured.
This is not good news for a team long on defense and short on offense.
At 6-8-4, Pasco already has one more win than in each of the past two seasons. But Sumner knows the Pirates' fate in the upcoming Class 2A, District 8 tournament hinges mostly on keeping balls out of the net.
"That's my team right now," Sumner said. "My defense is the reason we're in any games.
"We can't break out and score. We want a 1-0 or 2-1 game."
Or how about a scoreless game, like on Dec. 13 at Land O'Lakes?
"We played too well to lose," said Sumner, whose team collapsed in the middle and went into a defensive shell for the last few minutes against the Gators, who have made two consecutive trips to the state playoffs. "I've known we've had a strong defense, but my defense can't score."
The unit, however, can help Pasco win. Strong play in the back has the Pirates in the midst of a three-game winning streak.
Gilbert Montelongo has allowed just two goals in wins over Hernando (2-0), Wesley Chapel (3-1) and Mitchell (6-1). Montelongo, a third-year starter, has made 142 saves in 18 games and has a 1.66 goals-against average with five shutouts.
"He's big and he's strong, and he's not afraid of anybody," Sumner said.
Sweeper Grant LaFever, stopper Chad Howard, and fullbacks Adam Waldron and Aaron Beaudoin also play key roles in limiting opponents' scoring chances.
"They've all had great moments," Sumner said. "They just work really well together.
Of that foursome in front of Montelongo, Sumner singled out LaFever as Pasco's best defender.
"Grant's been probably the most consistent," the coach said. "He's just very aggressive and fast."
Speed, however, is not in abundance among the Pasco forwards.
"I have some kids who can shoot the ball well, but I don't have much speed," Sumner said.
Returning forward Ryan Ethridge suffered a season-ending ankle injury after scoring two goals before the Thanksgiving break. And with Barnes sidelined, that leaves Luis Gonzalez, Esteban Cruz, Matt Prowant and Juan Villenada to handle the bulk of the scoring load.
Gonzalez is the leader in that department with five goals and four assists. Cruz has four goals and Prowant has two with Villenada, a recent junior varsity call-up, in search of his first goal.
Rather than bemoan his team's lack of offense or Barnes' possible season-ending injury, Sumner views the current three-game win streak as the beginning of a turnaround.
The coach said his players "are a lot more comfortable with each other than they have been."
Sumner added that the Pirates are not merely content with besting the past two teams' win totals.
"In their minds," the coach said, "they're disappointed that they haven't shown we're a better team than people think we are."