Post by CaddoMagnet on Feb 15, 2003 18:28:46 GMT -6
2003 Division I Girls
March 8, 2007
Tad Gormley Stadium
Dominican 3 Mandeville 2
Dominican wins state title - Knocks off Mandeville for school's first soccer championship
Times-Picayune, The (New Orleans, LA) - Sunday, March 9, 2003
Author: Tammy Nunez Staff writer
First time's a charm?
The phrase doesn't begin to describe the way the Dominican girls soccer team clinched its first state championship with a 3-2 victory over Mandeville on Saturday at Tad Gormley Stadium.
Though Mandeville (21-5) played in the title match four of the past five years, Dominican looked like the veterans of the finals, even though it was its first appearance. Not much had to do with beginner's luck or charm. Dominican (28-3) dominated the first half behind two Kendra Merchant goals, and staved off a reinvigorated Skippers squad in the second half.
Merchant, a freshman, scored all three Dominican goals and was named Most Outstanding Player.
"We had some opportunities that we didn't convert," Mandeville coach Wendi Corales said. "But they made the most of their opportunities, and that was the difference in the match."
Mandeville never stopped pressing, narrowing the two-goal margin to one with less than two minutes remaining. Aynsley Zollinger broke up the middle and fired a quick grounder that made the final moments of the match very long for Dominican, according to senior Sarah Brennan.
"It wasn't until after that final two minutes that it was safe," Brennan said. "That two minutes seemed like two hours."
Mandeville's Sarah Wagar closed the Dominican lead to 2-1 when she headed in Melissa Planells' corner kick in the 42nd minute.
"Right before the second half I told my assistant we have to get a third goal," Dominican coach Jim Barrouquere said. "We've played them six times over the past few years and it's always been close."
Though Merchant doesn't remembers her first two goals, she remembers the crucial third score.
"When they scored the first goal in the second half, I was like uh-oh, what's going to happen here," Merchant said. "That's why the third was important."
Jenna Balamane dribbled past a defender saw that Merchant had gotten past her defender as well. She flicked the pass and Merchant nailed her third goal for the 3-1 lead in the 72nd minute.
"I'm still trying to believe we beat Caddo (Dominican's semifinal opponent)," Brennan said. "It's unbelievable. . . . I felt like we should go out and have fun today. If we lose, we still have done better than any other team (from Dominican)."
Local soccer teams exceed expectations
Times-Picayune, The (New Orleans, LA) - Sunday, March 9, 2003
Author: Tammy Nunez
It occurred to me, suddenly, as I stood shaking on Independence field in Baton Rouge on Feb. 28.
Tired from a drive back from Shreveport, where I had covered the Mandeville girls basketball team's quarterfinal at Southwood High School, there I stood shivering in the bitter cold and misting weather watching the fourth overtime of the Mandeville girls soccer match.
It's no secret that the north shore has a good age-group soccer program and turns out good high school teams. But it was in that moment, before Mandeville beat St. Joseph's Academy in a shoot-out, that it occurred to me that west St. Tammany has had one heck of a soccer year. Out of the four schools on my primary beat, two teams made the state championship match. By out-shooting the Red Stickers, Mandeville joined St. Scholastica to represent our area in the high school soccer championships. SSA defeated Vandebilt Catholic to reach the Division II finals.
What struck me most wasn't just the possibility of having two state championships crowned in St. Tammany. What's seemed more intriguing about this year's soccer is that so many teams broke school records and went far in the playoffs.
Take the Covington boys squad. Here is a team that had never won a playoff match nor an outright district title. The Lions did both this season.
But they took it even further. After being declared a winner in the Division I bi-district (there was a fight that required a ruling on outcome), the Lions beat Baton Rouge in the regional a couple days later. Obviously, no one told this team that Covington is supposed to export football players, not soccer champions, because Covington then defeated Captain Shreve in a match that wasn't close. Captain Shreve hadn't lost a district match. Finally, the Lions succumbed to Jesuit in the semifinals.
Mandeville and St. Paul's also won playoff matches this year, making my job dizzying trying to track six West St. Tammany teams' progress through the Division I and Division II playoffs.
The Fontainebleau girls had a great year even though the playoffs were a bust. The Bulldogs went through 2 ½ years of undefeated district play until losing to Northshore in the final regular season match. Fontainebleau was stopped short by Dominican in the playoffs, but the streak of winning matches is unprecedented at Fontainebleau.
St. Scholastica defied the odds as it overcame the loss of four starters to injury and bulldozed its way into the playoffs with an undefeated record. It wasn't the first time the Doves went undefeated in district (see 2000 and 2001), but it is the first time in school history the Doves played in the state final.
What the Mandeville girls have done is equally impressive, though their ascension to the title match was old hat. The Skippers lost to Mount Carmel in the final last year. Keep in mind Mandeville finished second in district for the second consecutive year (to Fontainebleau).
Though many West Tammany teams knocked each other around in district, when they hit the playoffs, they made a dent. The soccer season ended last night. All I have to say is phew, it's been quite a ride.
Runners-up vie for championship
Times-Picayune, The (New Orleans, LA) - Saturday, March 8, 2003
Author: Tammy Nunez Staff writer
Maybe it's a jinx to win the district in Division I.
Last season, Dominican edged Mount Carmel for the Catholic district title, but Mount Carmel won the state championship. The Cubs beat Mandeville, who finished second to Fontainebleau in the north shore district.
Today, two second-place district teams, Mandeville and Dominican, will meet at 4 p.m. in the Division I state championship at Tad Gormley Stadium.
Mandeville finished second in the district to Fontainebleau again. Dominican was runner-up to Mount Carmel in the district.
Whoever wins will bring the school something better than a district title: a first state championship.
Both coaches say they think their success has to do with peaking at the right time.
"In the beginning of the year, we're not working on shooting," Mandeville coach Wendi Corales said. "I'm a defender and I concentrate first on defense.
"Fontainebleau (has) offense and speed, but once you shut that down, they're beatable," Corales said.
Dominican credits focus for its success. "We lost (to Mount Carmel) both times in overtime," Dominican coach Jim Barrouquere said. "I think we've gotten stronger and more focused."
If the coaches are right, today's match should be low-scoring and a battle fought in the middle of the field for ball control.
"Whoever's midfielders can control the game will win," Barrouquere said.
He's got one of the best in the state in center mid Sarah Brennan. She and Melissa Planells, a Mandeville midfielder, are headed to the University of Southern Mississippi on soccer scholarships.
"(Dominican) has a very good possession game, and I think that's one of our strengths," Corales said. "I think it will come down to the midfield."
Dominican has more scoring options than last year. Brennan scored 51 goals last season, but only 28 this year. Barrouquere has other players with 10 or more goals. Skippers strikers Sarah Wagar and Christina Restrepo are about split on goals and have developed rapidly since the playoffs began.
Dominican 3
Mandeville 2
-Dominican becomes the 2003 Louisiana High School Division I Champion
Semifinal Game Results:
Caddo Magnet 0
Dominican 3
-Dominican moves on to play Mandeville
Mandeville 3-Shootout
St. Josephs 1
-Mandeville moves on to play Dominican
Quarterfinal Game Results:
Caddo Magnet 1
St. Amant 0
-Caddo Magnet moves on to play Dominican
St. Josephs 5
Acadiana 2
-St. Josephs moves on to play Mandeville
Mandeville 2
Destrahan 1
-Mandeville moves on to play St. Josephs
Dominican 6
Hahnville 0
-Dominican moves on to play Caddo Magnet
Regional Game Results:
Caddo Magnet 2
Baton Rouge 0
-Caddo Magnet moves on to play St. Amant
Acadiana 3
Ruston 1
-Acadiana moves on to play St. Josephs
Dominican 4
Fontainebleau 1
-Dominican moves on to play Hahnville
Mt. Carmel 1
Mandeville 3
-Mandeville moves on to play Destrahan
St. Josephs 8
Carencro 0
-St. Josephs moves on to play Acadiana
Bonnabel 0
Hahnville 4
Hahnville moves on to play Dominican
Lafayette 0
St. Amant 1
-St. Amant moves on to play Caddo Magnet
Central Lafourche
Destrahan
-Destrahan moves on to play Mandeville
Bi-district Game Results:
Baton Rouge 5
West Monroe 0
-Baton Rouge moves on to play Caddo Magnet.
Ouachita 1
St. Amant 3
-St. Amant moves on to play Lafayette
Dominican 8
Northshore 1
-Dominican moves on to play Fontainebleau
Hahnville 4
Chapelle 0
-Hahnville moves on to play Bonnabel
Andrew Jackson 0
Central Lafourche 3
-Central Lafourche moves on to play Destrahan
Acadiana 2
Captain Shreve 0
-Acadiana moves on to play Ruston
Byrd 1
Carencro 2
-Carencro moves on to play St. Josephs
Grace King 0
Mandeville 9
-Mandeville moves on to play Mt. Carmel
March 8, 2007
Tad Gormley Stadium
Dominican 3 Mandeville 2
Dominican wins state title - Knocks off Mandeville for school's first soccer championship
Times-Picayune, The (New Orleans, LA) - Sunday, March 9, 2003
Author: Tammy Nunez Staff writer
First time's a charm?
The phrase doesn't begin to describe the way the Dominican girls soccer team clinched its first state championship with a 3-2 victory over Mandeville on Saturday at Tad Gormley Stadium.
Though Mandeville (21-5) played in the title match four of the past five years, Dominican looked like the veterans of the finals, even though it was its first appearance. Not much had to do with beginner's luck or charm. Dominican (28-3) dominated the first half behind two Kendra Merchant goals, and staved off a reinvigorated Skippers squad in the second half.
Merchant, a freshman, scored all three Dominican goals and was named Most Outstanding Player.
"We had some opportunities that we didn't convert," Mandeville coach Wendi Corales said. "But they made the most of their opportunities, and that was the difference in the match."
Mandeville never stopped pressing, narrowing the two-goal margin to one with less than two minutes remaining. Aynsley Zollinger broke up the middle and fired a quick grounder that made the final moments of the match very long for Dominican, according to senior Sarah Brennan.
"It wasn't until after that final two minutes that it was safe," Brennan said. "That two minutes seemed like two hours."
Mandeville's Sarah Wagar closed the Dominican lead to 2-1 when she headed in Melissa Planells' corner kick in the 42nd minute.
"Right before the second half I told my assistant we have to get a third goal," Dominican coach Jim Barrouquere said. "We've played them six times over the past few years and it's always been close."
Though Merchant doesn't remembers her first two goals, she remembers the crucial third score.
"When they scored the first goal in the second half, I was like uh-oh, what's going to happen here," Merchant said. "That's why the third was important."
Jenna Balamane dribbled past a defender saw that Merchant had gotten past her defender as well. She flicked the pass and Merchant nailed her third goal for the 3-1 lead in the 72nd minute.
"I'm still trying to believe we beat Caddo (Dominican's semifinal opponent)," Brennan said. "It's unbelievable. . . . I felt like we should go out and have fun today. If we lose, we still have done better than any other team (from Dominican)."
Local soccer teams exceed expectations
Times-Picayune, The (New Orleans, LA) - Sunday, March 9, 2003
Author: Tammy Nunez
It occurred to me, suddenly, as I stood shaking on Independence field in Baton Rouge on Feb. 28.
Tired from a drive back from Shreveport, where I had covered the Mandeville girls basketball team's quarterfinal at Southwood High School, there I stood shivering in the bitter cold and misting weather watching the fourth overtime of the Mandeville girls soccer match.
It's no secret that the north shore has a good age-group soccer program and turns out good high school teams. But it was in that moment, before Mandeville beat St. Joseph's Academy in a shoot-out, that it occurred to me that west St. Tammany has had one heck of a soccer year. Out of the four schools on my primary beat, two teams made the state championship match. By out-shooting the Red Stickers, Mandeville joined St. Scholastica to represent our area in the high school soccer championships. SSA defeated Vandebilt Catholic to reach the Division II finals.
What struck me most wasn't just the possibility of having two state championships crowned in St. Tammany. What's seemed more intriguing about this year's soccer is that so many teams broke school records and went far in the playoffs.
Take the Covington boys squad. Here is a team that had never won a playoff match nor an outright district title. The Lions did both this season.
But they took it even further. After being declared a winner in the Division I bi-district (there was a fight that required a ruling on outcome), the Lions beat Baton Rouge in the regional a couple days later. Obviously, no one told this team that Covington is supposed to export football players, not soccer champions, because Covington then defeated Captain Shreve in a match that wasn't close. Captain Shreve hadn't lost a district match. Finally, the Lions succumbed to Jesuit in the semifinals.
Mandeville and St. Paul's also won playoff matches this year, making my job dizzying trying to track six West St. Tammany teams' progress through the Division I and Division II playoffs.
The Fontainebleau girls had a great year even though the playoffs were a bust. The Bulldogs went through 2 ½ years of undefeated district play until losing to Northshore in the final regular season match. Fontainebleau was stopped short by Dominican in the playoffs, but the streak of winning matches is unprecedented at Fontainebleau.
St. Scholastica defied the odds as it overcame the loss of four starters to injury and bulldozed its way into the playoffs with an undefeated record. It wasn't the first time the Doves went undefeated in district (see 2000 and 2001), but it is the first time in school history the Doves played in the state final.
What the Mandeville girls have done is equally impressive, though their ascension to the title match was old hat. The Skippers lost to Mount Carmel in the final last year. Keep in mind Mandeville finished second in district for the second consecutive year (to Fontainebleau).
Though many West Tammany teams knocked each other around in district, when they hit the playoffs, they made a dent. The soccer season ended last night. All I have to say is phew, it's been quite a ride.
Runners-up vie for championship
Times-Picayune, The (New Orleans, LA) - Saturday, March 8, 2003
Author: Tammy Nunez Staff writer
Maybe it's a jinx to win the district in Division I.
Last season, Dominican edged Mount Carmel for the Catholic district title, but Mount Carmel won the state championship. The Cubs beat Mandeville, who finished second to Fontainebleau in the north shore district.
Today, two second-place district teams, Mandeville and Dominican, will meet at 4 p.m. in the Division I state championship at Tad Gormley Stadium.
Mandeville finished second in the district to Fontainebleau again. Dominican was runner-up to Mount Carmel in the district.
Whoever wins will bring the school something better than a district title: a first state championship.
Both coaches say they think their success has to do with peaking at the right time.
"In the beginning of the year, we're not working on shooting," Mandeville coach Wendi Corales said. "I'm a defender and I concentrate first on defense.
"Fontainebleau (has) offense and speed, but once you shut that down, they're beatable," Corales said.
Dominican credits focus for its success. "We lost (to Mount Carmel) both times in overtime," Dominican coach Jim Barrouquere said. "I think we've gotten stronger and more focused."
If the coaches are right, today's match should be low-scoring and a battle fought in the middle of the field for ball control.
"Whoever's midfielders can control the game will win," Barrouquere said.
He's got one of the best in the state in center mid Sarah Brennan. She and Melissa Planells, a Mandeville midfielder, are headed to the University of Southern Mississippi on soccer scholarships.
"(Dominican) has a very good possession game, and I think that's one of our strengths," Corales said. "I think it will come down to the midfield."
Dominican has more scoring options than last year. Brennan scored 51 goals last season, but only 28 this year. Barrouquere has other players with 10 or more goals. Skippers strikers Sarah Wagar and Christina Restrepo are about split on goals and have developed rapidly since the playoffs began.
Dominican 3
Mandeville 2
-Dominican becomes the 2003 Louisiana High School Division I Champion
Semifinal Game Results:
Caddo Magnet 0
Dominican 3
-Dominican moves on to play Mandeville
Mandeville 3-Shootout
St. Josephs 1
-Mandeville moves on to play Dominican
Quarterfinal Game Results:
Caddo Magnet 1
St. Amant 0
-Caddo Magnet moves on to play Dominican
St. Josephs 5
Acadiana 2
-St. Josephs moves on to play Mandeville
Mandeville 2
Destrahan 1
-Mandeville moves on to play St. Josephs
Dominican 6
Hahnville 0
-Dominican moves on to play Caddo Magnet
Regional Game Results:
Caddo Magnet 2
Baton Rouge 0
-Caddo Magnet moves on to play St. Amant
Acadiana 3
Ruston 1
-Acadiana moves on to play St. Josephs
Dominican 4
Fontainebleau 1
-Dominican moves on to play Hahnville
Mt. Carmel 1
Mandeville 3
-Mandeville moves on to play Destrahan
St. Josephs 8
Carencro 0
-St. Josephs moves on to play Acadiana
Bonnabel 0
Hahnville 4
Hahnville moves on to play Dominican
Lafayette 0
St. Amant 1
-St. Amant moves on to play Caddo Magnet
Central Lafourche
Destrahan
-Destrahan moves on to play Mandeville
Bi-district Game Results:
Baton Rouge 5
West Monroe 0
-Baton Rouge moves on to play Caddo Magnet.
Ouachita 1
St. Amant 3
-St. Amant moves on to play Lafayette
Dominican 8
Northshore 1
-Dominican moves on to play Fontainebleau
Hahnville 4
Chapelle 0
-Hahnville moves on to play Bonnabel
Andrew Jackson 0
Central Lafourche 3
-Central Lafourche moves on to play Destrahan
Acadiana 2
Captain Shreve 0
-Acadiana moves on to play Ruston
Byrd 1
Carencro 2
-Carencro moves on to play St. Josephs
Grace King 0
Mandeville 9
-Mandeville moves on to play Mt. Carmel