Farrell kicks in to help Eagles

By BRANT JAMES

© St. Petersburg Times, published November 30, 2000

SPRING HILL -- It's a blessing John Bifulco is enjoying, but one he hopes is fleeting.

After the graduation of 52-goal-scorer Angie DeAngelis, the Springstead girls soccer coach had penciled in senior Nicole Bernhardt as the Eagles' next offensive workhorse.

When a potential season-ending knee injury took her away, however, Bifulco knew he had to glean production from several players -- namely the four seniors on offense.

That wish has been granted -- partly -- because senior Amie Farrell has matched her goal total from last year (5) as Springstead started the season 2-0.

The downside is just two other players have scored.

Senior Christina Magid has one, and Chrissy Tapia is scoreless.

Magid had seven goals last season, Tapia 12.

"It's still very young in the season, and we're trying to get them to spread the wealth as far as the offense goes," Bifulco said.

"Amie is the only one putting it in the net, but this is not a DeAngelis situation where she is the target," the head coach said. "It just seems to be no one else is finishing."

Springstead, which finished Zephyrhills in the Class 2A, District 6 championship last year, beat the Bulldogs again, 3-1, on Nov. 21.

It was Farrell's penalty-kick goal last season against Zephyrhills that propelled the Eagles to their first district crown .

Springstead plays the Bulldogs again on Dec. 7, a scheduling quirk that Bifulco likes.

"They're a lot younger and definitely they will be better as the season goes on," he said of the Bulldogs.

"They lost their top scorer (Dee Dee Castro), so they're trying to come together as a team.

"I guess it's fortunate in soccer that it matters what you do at the end, not at the beginning," Bifulco said.

Springstead beat Mitchell 4-1 to open its season and was scheduled to play at Citrus last night.

The source of the Eagles' offense will be less stressful for Bifulco if his defense continues to play as well as it has lately. Springstead allowed just seven shots to Mitchell and only four to Zephyrhills.

"We knew it was going to have to be (goaltender Stefanie) Hibbert and the defense playing well," Bifulco said.

"Stef has not had to make a whole lot of saves because we did a pretty good job of shutting down a great Zephyrhills program."

HERNANDO: Leopards coach Rick Ahrens has had to make adjustments with the loss of his top offensive threat -- 17-goal scorer Lauren Fraysse -- to a knee injury.

Greater depth than he has had, Ahrens said, was going to constitute a change anyway.

"We will try something new," Ahrens said. "A lot of coaches believe in putting 11 or 12 players on the field and leaving them alone.

"That was always my thought, but for the first time I've been either blessed or cursed because I have some players -- a half dozen at least -- who can play several different positions," he said.

One such player is senior sweeper Kim Bowers, who could be valuable at forward in Fraysse's anticipated absence until Christmas.

"If I can get past the mentality of kids worrying about how many minutes they're playing and if it is a total team effort, it will help," Ahrens said.

"The girls have to buy into it, and I think they will because they're very mature."

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