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The Class A, District 7 tourney provides a chance for redemption after a poor regular season.
By MIKE READLING
© St. Petersburg Times, published January 28, 2001
TAMPA -- Berkeley Prep boys coach Dave Zimmerman is notorious for playing one of the toughest schedules he can put together.
Zimmerman, in his 26th season at Berkeley, abides by the philosophy that you can't get better unless you play the best teams. That thought process was the impetus six years ago when he and Jesuit coach Bob Bauman created what now is the PUMA Invitational, one of the most prestigious tournaments in the nation.
It also is one of the reasons Berkeley will enter this week's Class A, District 7 tournament with a very un-Berkeley record.
Zimmerman's Bucs once again played one of the toughest schedules he could muster. Of the teams ranked or receiving votes in the Class A state poll, Berkeley has played 11 of them, some more than once.
At the PUMA, Berkeley played Strake Jesuit, a larger school from Houston. Class 3A power Lakeland Jenkins and Jesuit, which is a favorite in Class 2A, appear on the Bucs' schedule twice. Games like that, coupled with a rash of serious injuries, resulted in a 5-13-2 record entering Tuesday's 8 p.m. district semifinal against Wesley Chapel at Lakeland Santa Fe. A loss in that game would prevent the Bucs from making the post-season for the first time since 1996 and only the second time since 1991.
During that span, Berkeley won three consecutive state titles in three different classifications, the only team to ever pull off that feat.
"I'm confident we can (beat Wesley Chapel). There is no doubt in my mind," Zimmerman said. "Maybe it's good that we struggled during the year. We're going to have to play very well for us to advance."
Most of the Bucs' struggles resulted from a lack of finishing power. They could get the ball into the right place and create a shot, but Zimmerman couldn't find anyone to shoot. That is evidenced on the stat sheet as Berkeley's leading scorer has just seven goals and its top scoring threat, Drew Heath, has five goals and six assists.
Zimmerman considers Heath, who has committed to Washington and Lee, his go-to guy but because of injuries has been forced to use him primarily as a marking back lately.
"He was playing forward, but I've had to move him back," Zimmerman said. "Most of his goals are coming off of set pieces, corner kicks and throw-ins."
While Berkeley has not been able to return to its glory of the early '90s and those three consecutive championships -- the Bucs have lost in the first and second round of regionals the past two seasons -- none of those seasons have been as tough as this.
It started when goalkeeper Dean Arnatoukis' season ended after two games because of a back injury and continued with sweeper Bryce Strickland breaking his tibia during a club game, Joe Yaffe tearing ligaments in his knee and Ricky Corbett missing time with a hip flexor.
Zimmerman said he hopes Strickland can return for some of the playoffs.
"When you lose four quality starters like that," Zimmerman said, "it hurts."