Soluri: Defense key for Pirates

By KEITH NIEBUHR

© St. Petersburg Times, published February 8, 2001

CRYSTAL RIVER -- Crystal River coach Dave Soluri crammed for tonight's Class 2A first-round playoff game against Central as if he were preparing for the biggest exam of his life.

He looked at old box scores.

He scoured through videotape.

He needed answers.

The Pirates have but three blemishes on their record, two courtesy of Central, and Soluri had to know why.

"We've been doing a lot of videotape watching, and when Central beat us something jumps right out at you," Soluri said. "They had a very well-designed offense. We have to come up with a well-designed defense to beat them."

Crystal River (17-1-2) is 0-1-1 against Central (13-5-3). When the teams played in November, Crystal River led 1-0 before giving up a tying goal in the final minutes. Three weeks ago, Central pounded the Pirates 3-1.

"We don't want to be 0-2-1 against them," Soluri said. "Usually, you may have three or four bad games in a season, but we had two and they were both against the same team. It's a little extra incentive for the players. They don't want it to be three."

Crystal River's struggles with the Bears are mind-boggling. Against the rest of the Pirates' regular-season and district tournament schedule, they were dominating. Crystal River has scored an area-best and school-record 128 goals. It has allowed 14.

Senior forward Donny Caldwell leads all area players with 49 goals, but was held scoreless in two games against Central. Peter Manzoli (27 goals, 13 assists) and Andrew Austin (18 goals) are the Pirates' other top scorers, and neither did much against Central.

"You have to contend with (Caldwell's) speed," Bears coach John Andruss said. "But they have some other good players, too."

Central, which lost to Hudson in the District 8 tournament final, is led by forward David Bernard, who has 25 goals.

"(Central) is a well-coached team," Soluri said. "They've shown a lot of improvement from the beginning of the year. John Andruss does a good job with the kids. I respect him very much. The last time they beat us, they were the better-prepared team."

Since losing to Central, Crystal River is 4-0, has outscored opponents 27-1 and is playing its best soccer of the season. The Pirates blanked red-hot Citrus 4-0 to win the District 7 title.

"It's an evenly matched game," Soluri said. "The team that wins is going to be the team that wants it the most."

CENTRAL AT CRYSTAL RIVER

WHAT: First-round playoff game.

WHEN: Tonight, 7.

UP NEXT: The winner plays Orlando Bishop Moore or Titusville Astronaut.

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