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Post by Scott Crawford on Apr 27, 2013 14:59:47 GMT -6
2009 Division I Girls February 28, 2009 Independence Stadium St. Scholastica 4 Fontainebleau 0LAprepSoccer in-game thread: laprepsoccer.proboards.com/thread/10288St. Scholastica grabs first Division I title Times-Picayune, The (New Orleans, LA) - Sunday, March 1, 2009 Author: Tammy Nunez Staff writer SHREVEPORT -- St. Scholastica left little to doubt in earning its first Division I state soccer championship Saturday. The Doves scored in the opening minute, had a two-goal lead by halftime and added two more goals in the second half for a 4-0 victory against District 7-I rival Fontainebleau at Independence Stadium. St. Scholastica won its previous soccer championship in 2007 by defeating Neville 5-0 in Division II. Though the score was similar, the championship match against a familiar West St. Tammany foe wasn't. "This game was so much different," said Kelly Gautreaux, who was chosen the match's most outstanding player. "The game was so intense. The whole game we were just giving our all." But it was clear which team was playing with momentum. Michelle Duplantier's goal about 40 seconds into the match deflated the Bulldogs. Fontainebleau goalkeeper Kaitlyn Villars was trying to grab a bouncing ball in front of the goal, and she couldn't secure the ball. Duplantier ushered in the loose ball for the 1-0 lead. "It basically kind of jumbled up between the goalie and one of our players," Duplantier said. "And I was just there to get it in. It was unbelievable, I really could not believe we had scored that quickly against a team we have always been so competitive with." St. Scholastica was good from afar as well. Danielle Beatty lined up and hit a 22-yard free kick that fell for a goal and the 2-0 lead the Doves held at halftime. "Danielle always brings a lot of hustle," Gautreaux said. "Her free kicks are always awesome, they are always long and accurate, always dangerous." Fontainebleau battled with a gusty wind to establish through balls and also found itself out of position much of the match, leading to fouls and free kicks. A free kick set up St. Scholastica's third goal. Gautreaux and Beatty lined up next to each other for the free kick. Gautreaux charged first, but didn't touch the ball and instead ran to the far post. Beatty fired at the Bulldogs' defensive front, which kicked the ball left of goal -- - right at Gautreaux's feet. Gautreaux seized the moment. "That's a free kick we practice at least weekly," Gautreaux said. "I run over it and D (Beatty) can either play me through and I can cross it, or she can shoot it and the ball just happened to come my way." It seemed like nothing went Fontainebleau's way, including luck. An own goal provided the Doves with their final goal. Bulldogs Coach Carly Hotard said she was hoping to turn around the crestfallen players at halftime. "The second half -- we were hoping for a tale of two halves, and we tried," Hotard said. "We had the effort toward the end. . . . I just don't know if we were a step behind or what." Gautreaux said her squad braced itself for a renewed Fontainebleau onslaught in the second half. "A lot of emotion goes into it because it is a state championship," Gautreaux said. "But we knew we had to refocus, because we knew they were going to come out strong, and they did come out strong. And I think we did really well with maintaining our focus and not getting too hyped up about the score and kept playing hard." SSA, Fontainebleau to clash for state title - Girls from Covington and Mandeville meet Times-Picayune, The (New Orleans, LA) - Sunday, March 1, 2009 Author: Tammy Nunez This was something worth waiting for. No matter what happened in last night's Division I girls soccer championship, just seeing the group of girls from Mandeville and Covington meet on this stage was a realization of a dream. Finally, Fontainebleau and St. Scholastica played each other for the ultimate prep prize: a state crown. The championship was scheduled for last night in Shreveport's Independence Stadium, but unfortunately, my column had to be turned in earlier this week. So you'll have to turn to today's sports section if you want to know who won and a breakdown of how that happened. The following words are me applauding the teams for getting there. For years St. Scholastica has been the heavyweight in Division II. The Doves won a championship in that division in 2007 with some of the same pieces that were expected to play in the final last night. But everyone who followed these players always wondered what they could do against the other powerhouse on the north shore: Fontainebleau. The Bulldogs, however, are a Division I team and last won a title in 2004. When the Doves moved up to Division I for last season, the thought immediately crossed the fans' and players' minds. State championship anyone? It's no secret that western St. Tammany is a bastion of elite soccer . In many ways it shows how much ground the north shore has made on the south shore, which for years was the source of most of the talent in the state. The tables have turned with this class of players. Nine girls with the Mandeville Soccer Club signed with colleges to play soccer this fall. Behind the seniors are a next generation of talent that could rival the outgoing players. The thrill of this is most of these girls grew up playing together even if last night they were divided into red and white and blue and white uniforms. They know one another so well, they know their tendencies to some degree, and they harbor an immense respect for one another that naturally spills into sportsmanship. Last year, neither team was able to strike into the championship. It just wasn't the right time. Everything aligned during the playoffs this year. The teams split District 7-I matches, setting up the ultimate tie-breaker. The Doves and Bulldogs were tested throughout the past month's playoffs, but both came through when it mattered. Not all the games were perfect soccer , but there were more outstanding plays along the way to the championship. And it should be noted: It's not often that the two best teams in the state actually get to the finals. For various reasons, that isn't always the case. But St. Scholastica and Fontainebleau were clearly the finest teams in the state this season -- I believe in any division. Fontainebleau held the No. 1 ranking most of the season, and the Doves won the top seed in the playoffs. Both teams are good enough to win a state title. After watching these players enter the St. Scholastica and Fontainebleau programs as talented youngsters and seeing them develop into seasoned, savvy players, it is fitting that a title will be issued to one set of the players. It will take away from the team that made the long trip back from Shreveport with a runner-up trophy. It won't vaporize the feat of getting to the final, and there is no shame in losing to an opponent of such caliber. Hopefully it will set a trend in motion. These teams will have wonderful matches in years to come, based on what I've seen of the younger reserves. I have a feeling this won't be the last time the tie-breaker will take place in a state championship.
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Post by Scott Crawford on Apr 27, 2013 15:24:58 GMT -6
2009 Division II Girls February 20, 2009 Buddy Marcello Stadium, Vandebilt Vandebilt 5 Teurlings 0LAprepSoccer in-game thread: laprepsoccer.proboards.com/thread/10168/division-2-state-championshipVandebilt (23-3-2) Coach Phillip Amedee Teurlings (18-6) Coach www.tri-parishtimes.com/articles/2009/02/20/sports_net/headlines/316_50_vchs.txtThe Rise and Fall of the Terriers By KEYON K. JEFF One Vandebilt Catholic soccer dynasty came to an end while another seems to be getting started during the Division II playoffs last week. On Saturday, the top-seeded defending state champion Lady Terriers earned their third state title game appearance in four years by beating fourth seeded Deridder 4-0 in the semifinal match at Buddy Marcello Stadium. Vandebilt (22-3-2) will host the state championship game Friday at 6 pm third-seeded Teurlings Catholic at Buddy Marcello Stadium. "The girls played the type of team soccer we've been working on all year," said Vandebilt head coach Philip Amedee. "We played aggressively and kept the ball in our end of the field most of the game." Senior Cayla Chatman scored three goals in the contest. Senior Kandace Alexander had the assist on Chatman's initial score in the 12th minute, and cross passes from her teammates set up the other scores at the 24th and 40th minute marks. "The first goal was a set play we've practiced everyday this season," Chatman said. "Finally it went in for us. Like they say, practice makes perfect." "Cayla was awesome tonight. She's been a leader for us for a long time," Amedee explained. "She stepped up and had a good game, but it's due to the teamwork that's going on around her. "We play as a team. We win as a team." Junior Casey Price scored the other goal for Vandebilt in the 23rd minute. The Lady Terriers barely survived 3-2 victory over ninth seeded Neville last Tuesday to get to the semifinals. Senior Allyson Voisin blasted the game-wining goal with eight minutes left in that game. Deridder had defeated the Morgan City Lady Tigers 4-0 last Tuesday to advance. But Vandebilt dominated the Lady Dragons, only giving up one shot on goal on a free kick. Vandebilt had 46 shots on goal. "We have a great defense that smothers any attack the opposition may have," Amedee said. Now Vandebilt looks to repeat as Division II state champions this weekend. The Lady Terriers defeated St. Michael 3-0 last year for their first ever state soccer title. For Chatman and the rest of the seniors, playing their final game in front of the home crowd with the title at stake is sure to make for an unforgettable experience. "This one of the best feelings in the world. There are no words to describe it," Chatman said. "It's going to be great to end my high school career in soccer at home. It would be exciting to end it with a state championship." Amedee said this squad would have to play as tough and cohesive as they have all season to beat Teurlings Catholic. "Teurlings will be a tough opponent. They play excellent soccer," he said. "We'll have our work cut out for us, but we look forward to the challenge." Meanwhile, the seven-year streak of Vandebilt boys' team in the state championship game ended in the quarterfinals last Monday when they lost to eighth-seeded Loyola College Prep of Shreveport 4-3 in a shootout. Both teams went scoreless through 110 minutes of action. "We had several opportunities (to score in regulation) at close range, but we didn't take advantage of any of them," said Terrier assistant coach Matt Kelso. "When you don't score, you don't win." In the shootout, Terriers T.J. Freeman, Cameron Burchak and Robert Perez scored; but, Loyola goalkeeper J.P. McPhillips stopped shots from Ethan Himel and Christopher Watson to preserve the victory. Vandebilt, which was ranked No. 1 in Division II all season, finished the year with a 19-5-1 record. Kelso said he felt most hurt for the seniors. They are the first graduating class in eight years not to end their prep soccer career playing for the state title in Shreveport's Independence Stadium. However, Kelso believes this lost will only mark a set back, not an end to the Terriers reign of excellence. "We still have a good core of players coming back next year," he said. "We just have retool and see if we can get back to the champion level we're used to."
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Post by Scott Crawford on Apr 27, 2013 15:31:41 GMT -6
2009 Division III Girls February 27, 2009 Independence Stadium St. Louis 4 Sacred Heart 0LAprepSoccer in-game thread: laprepsoccer.proboards.com/thread/10273Sacred Heart again falls in state final Times-Picayune, The (New Orleans, LA) - Saturday, February 28, 2009 Author: Tammy Nunez Staff writer SHREVEPORT -- Sacred Heart didn't think it could get any worse than last year. The Cardinals left Independence Stadium last season bruised and deflated after giving up a controversial and deciding goal in their third consecutive fruitless try at a Division III title. But the Cardinals fourth consecutive failure to bring home the state championship was as vacuous as the empty trophy case Coach Tooraj Badie carried out of Independence Stadium on Friday evening. Sacred Heart ceded three goals in a five-minute defensive lapse in the first half of Friday's rematch with St. Louis-Catholic and lost 4-0. "We were scrambling," Badie said. "We were flat, we didn't know what to do defensively with their fast forwards, and that hurt us. We made the adjustments at halftime and did much better, but it was too late." It probably didn't help that the Cardinals lost defensive back Sarah Parkerson in the sixth minute to a knee injury. From there, St. Louis made press after press up the middle of the field and found immediate payoff. LSU signee Natalie Ieyoub cut off her defender in the 22nd minute and made a shot that Cardinals keeper Kristina Crouch pushed away to the left. But Kelsey Ellender recovered the ball for the Saints (26-4-2) and scored. The Cardinals (18-4-1) had a chance to change the momentum. They were whistled for a penalty in the box about a minute later, giving the Saints a penalty kick. Crouch leaned to her left and scooped up the save. But the Saints maintained their attack, and the Cardinals couldn't adjust before it was too late. "Sarah Parkerson is a huge part of our back four, we usually don't even substitute with them," Crouch said. "They're just always there. And losing her, and then the first goal was just devastation to our team." Three minutes later, Amber Doiron made an upper-deck goal out of Crouch's reach for a 2-0 lead. About a minute later, Maddie Landry nudged in a cross pass for a 3-0 lead. Despite a renewed offensive fervor in the second half, Sacred Heart couldn't score against the stacked defensive formation that at times used eight defenders. "They're a good team. Don't get me wrong, they gave us a lot of problems in the second half," St. Louis Coach Duncan McDonald said. "But to score those three goals in the first half, it was just unbelievable. Three of the goals were freshmen. It was just phenomenal; it just shows you how far this program has come from where we started." St. Louis played to maintain the lead in the second half, and the Cardinals just couldn't get around the Saints in the backfield. It might have been a different story if the Cardinals had been able to stay, within a goal or two. The Saints offensive flurry between the 22nd and the 28th minutes prevented that.
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Post by Scott Crawford on Apr 28, 2013 9:24:52 GMT -6
2010 Division I Girls February 27, 2010 Independence Stadium St. Scholastica 1 (wins 4-3 in PKs) Mount Carmel 1LAprepSoccer in-game thread: laprepsoccer.proboards.com/thread/11972/page/5/st-scholastica-pks-mt-carmelKICKIN’ IN - St. Scholastica repeats as Division I champion by defeating Mount Carmel on penalty kicks ST. SCHOLASTICA 2 -- MOUNT CARMEL 1 Times-Picayune, The (New Orleans, LA) - Sunday, February 28, 2010 Author: Ted Lewis Staff writer SHREVEPORT -- Even if the worst happened, St. Scholastica goalkeeper Sara Kuebel knew the night would go on. But since a save would secure the Doves' second consecutive Division I state soccer championship, Kuebel chose to end the night then and there. On what was her easiest save in a pressure-packed match being decided with penalty kicks, Kuebel took a short step to her right and raised her hands to stop the shot by Mount Carmel's Mallory Lott and give the Doves a 2-1 (4-3 in penalty kicks) victory Saturday night at Independence Stadium. "It was a well-struck ball," said Kuebel, whose save came after Camille Shepherd's goal on SSA's seventh penalty kick. "I just read it correctly and stepped in front of it. "But if I hadn't gotten it, I know eventually my teammates would have gotten another one and I would have made the save." Kuebel's save came after the two teams had exchanged first-half goals and then stayed even through the rest of regulation, two 10-minute overtimes, two five-minute sudden death overtimes and each team alternating five penalty kicks in which the Doves and the Cubs each scored twice. The Doves and Cubs then continued to alternate one additional penalty kick until one team scored and one didn't. Both teams made the sixth penalty kick. "We had our opportunities, but we couldn't take advantage of them," said Mount Carmel senior forward Alanna Divittorio. "I thought we should have won it in regulation." "You can't come any closer to being champions than we were." On SSA's sixth penalty kick, Brittany Bosarge put a shot past Mount Carmel keeper Abby Massengale, and Divittorio matched it on the Cubs' sixth kick by faking left and shooting right. Shepherd was up next for SSA's seventh kick, and Shepherd, whose heroics normally come on defense, put an unstoppable shot into the upper left corner. "It was the golden goal," Shepherd said. "I seriously never thought about it even getting down to me. It was overwhelming for a second, but I told myself that I couldn't think like that. So I got calm, cleared my head and made it." Kuebel's stop followed on Mount Carmel's seventh kick, setting off a celebration that was muted only by the fatigue the Doves felt. "It was so nerve-wracking and so tiring," Kuebel said. "We all wanted it be over so bad. "We really didn't know what to do when it was over." The Doves should have. There were 4-0 winners against Fontainebleau in the title match on this same field a year ago. That championship was pretty much expected. The Doves entered the playoffs as the No. 1 seed. This one was a surprise. St. Scholastica was barely above .500 (8-7-1) in the regular season and entered the playoffs as the No. 12 seed. But the Doves played outstanding defense in the playoffs, not allowing a goal until Saturday. The Cubs (26-6) ended Kuebel's shutout string when a shot by Margaux Fontana somehow went between Kuebel's legs. But although Mount Carmel kept the ball on SSA's side of the field for most of the duration, the Doves' defense, keyed by Childress, Sarah Gaudet and Lauren Salles kept clearing out the ball with Kuebel handling those that did get through. "We had all kinds of chances," Mount Carmel Coach Pavlos Petrou said. "Their goalie was outstanding, though. "We have nothing to be ashamed of." SSA's goal in regulation came on a well-executed play when Elise Gagnon passed from the right side to Danielle Beatty in the middle. She in turn fed Emily Descant on the left side for the shot from about 15 yards out five minutes into the match. But that was one of the few scoring opportunities for the Doves, although they switched to a more aggressive style in the overtimes. "We were fighting and scratching but could never get anything going," SSA Coach Mike Ortner said. "Luckily, our defense can absorb the pressure." Descant, who also scored one of SSA's goals in the five-penalty kick round, was selected the game's most valuable player. Saturday's victory was SSA's fourth consecutive against a higher-seeded opponent, including top-ranked Fontainebleau, whom the Doves blanked 2-0 in the semifinals. Just winning that match to make the championship would have been enough for most teams, but to Kuebel, the job had to be finished. "All season long we felt like we had a target on our backs, but we also knew we had to get better and we had to improve," she said. "Just getting here was a big accomplishment, but we didn't want it to end like that. We wanted to bring home that championship." Cubs show they are 'good enough' - Mount Carmel able to get past injuries, ready for state final Times-Picayune, The (New Orleans, LA) - Saturday, February 27, 2010 Author: Ted Lewis Staff writer SHREVEPORT -- Pavlos Petrou is doubly proud today. Not only is his son, Alexi, a standout for Jesuit, which is seeking to repeat as Division I boys state soccer champion today, but before that, Petrou's Mount Carmel Cubs are facing St. Scholastica for the Division I girls title, also at Independence Stadium. "It can't get any better than this," Petrou said. "Alexi is in his senior year and getting to play for the title again, but my team is in the final. "Hopefully it will be a good ending for both of us." That Jesuit is back in the final is no surprise. The Blue Jays are a senior-laden team riding a 63-game undefeated streak dating back to the 2008 semifinals. But Mount Carmel is a surprise. The Cubs (26-5) have dominated district play for years, going 79-10-5 from 2006-2009, but this is their first trip to the championship match since 2005, when they finished with a 34-1-1 record and defeated Lafayette 2-1 in the title match. This season did not get off to a promising start when returning All-State defender Michelle Saucier injured her knee in club play. Then, during a 2-1 double-overtime loss to Dominican that ended Mount Carmel's streak of district championships at seven, midfielder Danielle Daigle also suffered a season-ending knee injury. "We had a pasta party before the playoffs and said, 'You know, district isn't everything,' " senior center midfielder Erin Berni said. "It's what you do in the playoffs that really matters, and none of us have been on a state championship team. "We decided to play every game like it might be the last one we're ever in because it really is." Seeded sixth, the Cubs have done just that, defeating Zachary 6-0, Caddo Magnet 1-0, Mandeville 2-1 and Lafayette 1-0 to reach the final. "We were always the team that was good, but not good enough," said Petrou, who is in his fourth season. "You go through the ups and downs of the season, and sometimes you have unlucky things happen to you at just the wrong time. "Losing Saucier looked like the end of the world for us, and losing Danielle made it even a bigger challenge. But watching our team come through the maturing process has been so much fun." Saucier's injury put pressure on sophomore Zoe Perret, who was slated to start, but not in Saucier's sweeper spot. "I was shocked," Perret said of learning of Saucier's loss. "I had learned so much from Michelle, and she's a big influence on the way I play. "But I realized that it was up to me to step up. I didn't have an option." Not having Saucier has caused Petrou to adjust his system more than once. But it has been effective. The Cubs have allowed 11 goals while scoring 129. "Zoe has done a tremendous job," Petrou said. "Since the start of the year, her timing is better, her clearing is a lot better, and she's become a real communicator and a leader." The Cubs' offensive punch has come from senior forward Alanna Divittorio. She has scored seven of her team's 10 goals in the playoffs, including all of them in the past three matches despite regular double-teaming. She'll be challenged in the final by a St. Scholastica team which has not allowed a goal in the playoffs. "I know the double-teams are coming," Divittorio said. "That's the way it's been since I was a freshman. You just find a way to score. If it's not me, then somebody else will." TOUGH STUFF - An unyielding attitude has pushed St. Scholastica to the Division I final Times-Picayune, The (New Orleans, LA) - Friday, February 26, 2010 Author: Ted Lewis Staff writer Their nickname -- Doves -- doesn't exactly strike fear in the hearts of opponents. Their outfits -- plaid skirts, white jumpers and ankle socks -- are straight out of the Catholic girls school catalog. Their image -- "stuck up" supposedly is one of the kinder things said about them on Facebook -- is one they have to deal with. And yet, when they play the Division I state soccer championship match Saturday in Shreveport, St. Scholastica will be there, going for its second consecutive title. Appropriately enough, the opponent is another school cut from the same cloth, so to speak -- the Mount Carmel Cubs. "I know people think of us as a girly-girly school," St. Scholastica senior forward Danielle Beatty said. "And we're proud to represent the Doves and embrace our sisterhood. "But that doesn't define the way we play. We're not a girly-girl team." Indeed, St. Scholastica, after finishing the regular season barely above .500 (8-7-1), third behind Fontainebleau and Mandeville in District 7-I and seeded 12th in the state playoffs, has reached the title match by developing a hard-nosed, physical style, especially on the defensive end. The Doves have not allowed a goal in four playoff victories. "We don't shy away from contact," St. Scholastica Coach Mike Ortner said. "When it comes down to set pieces and corner kicks, you've got to win the physical battles. "When you're challenged you've got to be willing to put a body on the other player." That attitude was never more on display than in last Friday's 2-0 victory over previously undefeated and top-seeded Fontainebleau, which also happened to be the team St. Scholastica defeated in last year's title match. On defense most of the night, the Doves kept extra players back, keeping the Bulldogs from getting many clear shots. Natalie Childress and Camille Sheperd were the primary stoppers, with Lindsay Achary and Lauren Salles adding support in front of goalkeeper Sara Kuebel. Even when a possession battle in front of the net was lost, there always seemed to be another St. Scholastica player stepping in between the ball and the net. "Our defense is the rock of our team," Salles said. "Camille and Natalie will pressure in the middle, and then Lindsay and I will slide in behind them from the outside. "Camille's the one who tells us to get back. She can see the whole field so well and really communicates with us. Then we don't think anybody is going to get anything past Sara, either." The Doves' defensive effort featured a hard tackle by Childress that gave Fontainebleau a penalty kick that Kuebel easily stopped, with Childress doing a spirited fist pump in celebration. "That was one of the best tackles I've ever made," Childress said. "I was upset they called a foul on me, so I was pretty glad when Sara got me off the hook. "But I'm going to go at anybody with all of my strength. If it requires muscle, then that's what I'm going to do." Things got chippy toward the end of the match, with the Doves giving as well as they were taking. There were no yellow cards issued, but plenty of "remember me" hits on both sides. "We hear trash talk all the time," Salles said. "There have been some things said that you shouldn't say to another person. Sometimes it feels like everybody is against us." Trash talking aside, St. Scholastica's physical mindset came of necessity. The Doves suffered a blow before the season began when returning midfielder Kim Belmont suffered a knee injury in club play. Then, Beatty had an ankle injury which kept her out until January and forward Emily Descant wasn't eligible until then as well after transferring back from Mandeville. "I wouldn't say our attitude was bad at the beginning of the season, but it was different," Achary said. "But then we started doing poorly, and realized we had to push ourselves if we were going to make it back to state. "We haven't put our heads down since the beginning of the year. Getting Danielle and Emily back gave us the lift we needed to know we could get back." Ortner said being aggressive was well within the nature of his team. "Our early results weren't that good," he said. "But somehow a belief came over this team that they could hang with anybody. "I felt like by the second time we played Fontainebleau (a 2-1 defeat) we were the better team, but we made mistakes that cost us the game. Now you don't see us giving anything away." And now, the Doves stand a victory away from being repeat champions. "We don't feel like we have anything to lose any more because nobody would have expected us to get back this far," Beatty said. "We're probably the underdogs again, but we're upbeat and full of confidence. "It was amazing if we can finish it off."
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Post by Scott Crawford on Apr 28, 2013 9:40:12 GMT -6
2010 Division II Girls February 27, 2010 McNeese State St. Louis 2 Vandebilt 0LAprepSoccer in-game thread: laprepsoccer.proboards.com/thread/11970/st-louis-vandebilt-playDIVISION II GIRLS SOCCER STATE CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH Lady Terriers denied 3-peat in 2-0 loss at St. Louis Catholic Brad Puckett/American Press (Lake Charles) Warren Arceneaux American Press (Lake Charles) Published: Sunday, February 28, 2010 at 6:01 a.m. Last Modified: Sunday, February 28, 2010 at 12:16 a.m. LAKE CHARLES — With each team going for its third consecutive state championship, one was bound to have its streak snapped. Unfortunately for the Vandebilt Catholic Lady Terriers, it was St. Louis Catholic winning its first Division II state title, 2-0, after winning the last two Division III championships. The Lady Terriers had won the last two Division II championships. “Our girls played well, like warriors,” Vandebilt coach Philip Amedee said. “At times we got the better of the play. We were able to possess the ball much of the time but just were not able to get anything into the net. A lot of that has to do with the play of their (goal) keeper. Losing this game hurts, but I am still quite proud of these young ladies and our accomplishments this season.” Ali Gallier scored in the first half for the Lady Saints, and Jodi Chatters sealed the win with a late penalty kick. Gallier headed in a cross from Rahseema Clark in the 33rd minute, soaring to tap the ball in after the Lady Terriers’ keeper bobbled Clark’s pass from the right wing. “Usually when Rahseema gets the ball, there is no doubt that it is going into the goal, but (head coach) Duncan (McDonald) preached to us to crash the net as much as possible,” Gallier said. “I went in when I saw Rahseema crossing the ball and then saw the ball in the back of the net. It was so surreal, I did not even know how it happened. It was an incredible feeling. That is how we want to play, get ahead early then get back and defend, try to break the other team’s spirit. We were able to do that today.” The goal put the Saints (18-4-4) in control of what had been a back and forth match with both teams creating chances but unable to put the ball into the net. Vandebilt Catholic (20-7-2) had taken six shots compared to five for the Saints at the time of the goal. The Lady Terriers had a couple of scoring opportunities in the previous two minutes, when Meghan Philp had a shot on goal, followed by a corner kick and cross, all of which were collected by Saints keeper Rebecca Walker. Walker finished with seven saves and foiled several Vandebilt crosses. “I was trying to be aggressive so they would not be able to get shots off,” Walker said. “They were getting a lot of shots, especially in the first half. I was ready to do whatever I had to. I like being able to contribute something to the team.” The win was the second straight shutout for Walker in a championship match. Chatters sealed it in the 68th minute, scoring on a penalty kick into the bottom right corner of the net after being taken down in the penalty area after getting behind the Lady Terriers defense. Philp had five shots on goal to lead the Lady Terriers attack. “They were trying to feed the ball to her to generate their offense,” McDonald said. “In the second half, we tried to keep her quiet and shut down their offense. The first half was back and forth, but getting that first goal was important. It gave us the momentum and we were able to build on that. Being champions again, it is a familiar feeling, but it is very nice and never gets old.”
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Post by Scott Crawford on Apr 28, 2013 9:53:59 GMT -6
2010 Division III Girls February 26, 2010 Independence Stadium Sacred Heart 1 Catholic New Iberia 0 (4OT)LAprepSoccer in-game thread: laprepsoccer.proboards.com/thread/11960/sacred-heart-catholic-new-iberiaSacred Heart wraps up Division III state title - Moody kicks Cardinals past New Iberia-Catholic in 4th OT Sacred Heart 1 New Iberia-Catholic 0 Times-Picayune, The (New Orleans, LA) - Saturday, February 27, 2010 Author: Ted Lewis Staff writer CORRECTION APPENDED SHREVEPORT -- As misery indexes go, it doesn't get much worse for the folks who were in Shreveport on Friday -- an official temperature of 38, a wild chill of 29 with rain on the verge of turning into ice. But not for Sacred Heart. The Cardinals (23-3-2) were oblivious to the conditions as they celebrated a 1-0 four-overtime victory against New Iberia-Catholic in the Division III girls state championship match at Independence Stadium. The triumph ended Sacred Heart's own misery index -- losing in the title match for the past four years, after last winning it in 2005. "To me, it's hot," said Cardinals' junior forward Katherine Moody, who put home the winning goal from about 5 yards out midway through the fourth overtime. "The last few years have been so devastating. We've been waiting for this for a long time." For the top-seeded Cardinals on Friday, the waiting was extended through regulation, two 10-minute overtimes, a five-minute overtime and then about 2:30 of the fourth before Moody finally got a shot past goalkeeper Lauren Jolivette. It was the 26th shot on goal for Sacred Heart, which kept the ball on the Panthers' side of the field 90 percent of the time and applied pressure throughout before finally overcoming the outstanding performance of Jolivette. "She was amazing," said Sacred Heart freshman forward Sarah Martin, the game's Most Valuable Player. "You'd have a shot you were sure was going in, and she'd come of out nowhere to stop it." Despite her heroics, Jolivette was devastated by the ending. "I knew had to be there to back up my defense," she said, "I made one slip-up, and it cost us the championship. I just misjudged the ball." A crossing pass from Kristen Kern finally gave Moody the opening she had been waiting for. "I've been jumping on the ball too early in the box, and it was hard to get good touches on it," Moody said. "But this time I was able to head it into the corner. Their (keeper) was so amazing. I was really surprised it went in." As it had in regulation, Sacred Heart had threatened throughout the first three overtimes, but time and time again Jolivette was there for the save. The difference in the end, according to Sacred Heart Coach Tooraj Badie, was conditioning. "I thought we were in pretty good physical shape," he said. "But I was worried that we haven't had that many close games in the playoffs. We were all over the place in the first half. But in the second half we were relentless, and the pressure finally paid off." Catholic (18-6-4) may have come closest to winning in regulation. With six minutes to go, the Panthers got their only breakaway of the night, but Camille Hebert's kick hit the top of the crossbar. "It was pretty nerve-wracking," Sacred Heart keeper Morgan LeBlanc said. "But if it had gone in, I had the confidence in my team that we would have gotten it back." Maybe. Maybe not. Although the Cardinals had attacked from the left, right and straight ahead throughout the match, none of their shots, most of them taken by Moody and Martin, were getting by Jolivette. But in the end, the only one Sacred Heart needed did. "We've talked a lot this week about how close we've been in the past, and we were playing this for the seniors who didn't get to win a championship," Moody said. "I don't believe there can be a better feeling than this." . . . . . . . Ted Lewis can be contacted at tlewis@timespicayune.com or 504.232.5071. _________________________ CORRECTION / CLARIFICATION Player misidentified: Megan LeBlanc was misidentified as the Sacred Heart goalkeeper in the account of the Cardinals' state championship victory against Catholic of New Iberia in Saturday's edition. The Sacred Heart goalkeeper was Elizabeth Eumont. (2/28/2010)
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Post by Scott Crawford on Apr 28, 2013 10:17:05 GMT -6
2011 Division I Girls February 26, 2011 Tad Gormley Stadium Dominican 2 St. Scholastica 1LAprepSoccer in-game thread: laprepsoccer.proboards.com/thread/14076/dominican-2-st-scholastica-1Dominican captures Division I crown - Cuntz's two goals pave way Times-Picayune, The (New Orleans, LA) - Sunday, February 27, 2011 Author: Andrew Astleford Contributing writer Their charmed Division I playoff run reached its crescendo, and Dominican players sprinted toward midfield and created a melting pot of euphoria. They jumped on top of one another. Most were speechless. Others cried. Somebody screamed, "Yes!" Sixth-seeded Dominican (20-6-3) edged No. 5 seed St. Scholastica 2-1 in the Division I championship on Saturday at Tad Gormley Stadium. Dominican senior Katherine Cuntz scored a goal in each half and was chosen Most Outstanding Player. The Doves (15-5-1) tried to recover from a two-goal deficit, but their late second-half rally fell short. Unlike its past two postseason victories, Dominican didn't need penalty kicks Saturday to leave as a winner. However, the final triumph was far from stress-free. Defensive attrition in the waning minutes was required to become a champion. "This is absolutely the best feeling in the world," Cuntz said, grinning. "I'm speechless. These are my best friends, my teammates. I play for them every day. "It's awesome to go out like this senior year." Cuntz carried Dominican. With 10 minutes left in the first half, she smacked a shot from the right side that hit the left post and trickled past St. Scholastica goalkeeper Sara Kuebel. Ten minutes into the second half, Cuntz curled a corner kick from the left side into the goal to give Dominican a 2-0 lead. She raised both hands and tilted her head toward the sky. Dominican looked to be in command, but St. Scholastica didn't let its two-year reign as Division I champion end without a fight. With 25 minutes left, junior Kim Moreau sent a shot past Dominican goalkeeper Catalina Rubiano to cut the Doves' deficit to one. With about eight minutes left, Dominican Coach Al Silvas noticed a change in St. Scholastica's strategy. He saw the Doves play with four players on top to create an offensive surge. Silvas countered by positioning five players in back. Silvas knew the approach sacrificed Dominican's push. But to him, the reaction was necessary, because "when you're up by one with eight minutes to go, you let them throw the WARNING VIRUS sink at you and defend." "It's great when you can win the last game, because only one team can do it," said Silvas, clutching the wooden trophy. "And we were fortunate enough to be that team today." Said St. Scholastica Coach Mike Ortner: "I thought we were a pass away from creating some more chances. They definitely have a tough defense. "We had a couple chances early on and didn't capitalize. They did. That's soccer for you." The result ends St. Scholastica's winning streak against Dominican. The Doves had won the past two games between the schools, 6-0 in November and 1-0 in the Division I quarterfinals last February. St. Scholastica earned upsets to reach the championship match. The Doves cruised past the first two rounds, beating No. 28 seed Bonnabel and No. 12 seed C.E. Byrd by a combined score of 12-0. St. Scholastica beat No. 4 seed Fontainebleau 3-2 in the quarterfinals, and it toppled top seed Mount Carmel 2-1 in the semifinals. Dominican's playoffs run dripped with drama. It swept No. 27 seed Central Lafourche and No. 11 seed Dutchtown in the first two rounds by a combined score of 5-0. Dominican needed penalty kicks to edge No. 3 seed Mandeville in the quarterfinals and No. 7 seed Lafayette in the semifinals. On Saturday night, Silvas walked toward an exit, his team's charmed postseason complete. He cradled the trophy in his arms. "We finally got it," he said to Dominican fans on the track. St. Scholastica, Dominican to battle for Division I title - Doves seeking third consecutive crown Times-Picayune, The (New Orleans, LA) - Saturday, February 26, 2011 Author: Mike Strom Staff writer At first glance, St. Scholastica's quest for a third consecutive Division I girls soccer championship would seem to favor the reigning state champion against Dominican. The veteran-laden Doves have beaten Dominican in their past two meetings, 6-0 in November, and 1-0 in the 2010 quarterfinals. So, advantage SSA? Not so, said Dominican Coach Al Silvas. "When you get to the state finals, all bets are off.'' "Looking back at last year, we're a different team,'' Silvas said. "This year, although we did lose to them earlier in the year, when you get to the final, it's more about who's playing the best and who can keep their emotions in check throughout the game.'' The championship match is scheduled for 4 p.m. today at Tad Gormley Stadium. St. Scholastica (15-4-1) lost its final two regular-season matches, versus Fontainebleau and Mandeville, and entered the state playoffs as a District 7-I wild card and the No. 5 seed. The Doves defeated No. 28 Bonnabel 8-0, No. 12 Byrd 4-0, No. 4 Fontainebleau 3-2, and then No. 1 Mount Carmel 2-1 in the playoffs. The Doves are shooting for their fourth state title in five seasons under Coach Mike Ortner, having won the Division II title in 2007. Dominican (19-6-3) advanced to the postseason as a No. 6 seed and the District 10-I runner-up behind Mount Carmel. Dominican ended the regular season with a loss to Mount Carmel, but then beat No. 27 Central Lafourche 4-0, No. 11 Dutchtown 1-0, No. 3 Mandeville 5-4, and No. 7 Lafayette on penalty kicks. "Obviously, this week, you pick up in seriousness,'' Ortner said. "We have been a little laid-back in the semifinals and quarterfinals. Our goal this week is to pick up our focus and pay more attention to detail. But we're still remaining a little laid-back in our approach. It's been working for us so far. The game is just a little bigger this time.'' St. Scholastica's projected starting lineup, with 10 returning starters from last season, will come from a group of six seniors, three juniors, one sophomore and three freshmen. Seniors Lauren Salles, Natalie Childress and Ashley Martinez and junior Lindsey Achary are the defenders. Seniors Sarah Gaudet and Emily Descant and junior Brittany Bosarge are forwards, and junior Kim Moreau, sophomore Rebecca Beatty and freshmen Kate Gutterman and Abby Childress are the midfielders. Senior Sara Kuebel is the starting goalkeeper, but her status is uncertain. She left the semifinals victory against Mount Carmel with about 10 minutes remaining in the first half with a shoulder injury. Freshman Elena Naccari allowed one goal in the final 50 minutes. Naccari would be the Doves' keeper if Kuebel cannot play. Dominican, Division I state champion in 2003 and 2007, is trying to win its first championship in three seasons under Silvas and also will field a veteran team, although less heavy in seniors. Ten starters return from a 19-3-7 team that lost to St. Scholastica in last year's quarterfinals. Senior Mathilde Kepper and juniors Kathryn Ernst, Ashley Harber and Amber Dieudonne are the defenders. Senior Katherine Cuntz, juniors Emilie Bourgeois and Caitlyn Flint and freshman Mia Meydrich are midfielders, senior Jasmine Francis and sophomore Jeanette Zavala are the forwards, and senior Catalina Rubiano is a first-year starter at keeper. Kepper, Cuntz, Francis, Ernst, Harber, Dieudonne, Bourgeois and Flint are returning starters. A stout defense has carried Dominican. It has 21 shutouts and allowed only 15 goals in 28 matches, and has scored 60. Cuntz, a Louisiana-Monroe signee, leads the team with 10 goals. "We want to be very stingy in the back,'' Silvas said. "We try to make the other team predictable. When we do that, it's easy to anticipate their next option, and we're usually a few seconds ahead of their move. It has taken a lot of work by the girls, a lot of commitment and a lot of understanding in knowing what they are doing and knowing where their teammates are. If we know where our teammates are, then the other team shouldn't be able to break us down.'' In November's loss to SSA, Dominican played without five of its current starters. "We don't like to make excuses,'' Silvas said. "I don't know if we would have won the game, but I do know that it would have been closer.'' Said Ortner: "No amount of goals you score in November are going to help you at this point in the season. The team you are in November is not the team you end up being in February.'' The Doves should know.
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Post by Scott Crawford on Apr 28, 2013 10:18:10 GMT -6
2011 Division II Girls February 25, 2011 Buddy Marcello Stadium, Vandebilt Teurlings 2 Vandebilt 1LAprepSoccer in-game thread: laprepsoccer.proboards.com/thread/14075/teurlings-2-vandebilt-1 Late goal lifts Teurlings past Vandebilt Sat. February 26, 2011 at 12:35 a.m. Chris Singleton Staff Writer HOUMA — Vandebilt Catholic's hopes for a third state championship in four years ended on the foot of Teurlings Catholic's Sarah Hollier during Friday's Division II girls soccer state finals match in Buddy Marcello Stadium. Right after Teurlings was awarded a free kick off a controversial foul call on the Lady Terriers, Hollier scored on a rebound shot off a direct kick during second-half stoppage time, helping the second-seeded Lady Rebels pick up a 2-1 win over No. 1 Vandebilt. The victory gave Teurlings its first-ever state championship in girls soccer. The Lady Rebels also ended a two-year losing streak in the playoffs to Vandebilt, getting revenge for losses in the 2008 state finals and last year's semifinals. "This was a nice victory for us," Teurlings coach Lance Peltier said. "It's always tough to come to Vandebilt and take a win from Vandebilt on their home field. I'm very proud of the girls. When you play a team as good as Vandebilt, you use everything you can to get the girls motivated. At the end of the day, they were motivated. They felt like they didn't compete well in the semifinal game last year, and they wanted to prove that they were a better team. (Friday) we came out on the good end of the stick." For the Lady Terriers (29-5-1 overall), they finished as state runner-up for the second straight season. "It's tough," Vandebilt Catholic coach Philip Amedee said. "You work hard and you get to this stage. You want to win the last one. It's what its all about getting here. It just seemed like it was one of those nights where the ball wasn't bouncing our way. That just happens sometimes in this sport." After a scoreless first half, Teurlings (19-4) came out of the gates strong in the second half, getting a quick goal from Hannah Savoie in the 42nd minute to put the Lady Rebels ahead 1-0. Vandebilt (11 shots on goal) had several chances to tie score in the following minutes, but shots from Makella Pena and Kayla Wayne hit the crossbar to keep the Lady Terriers scoreless. Vandebilt's Meghan Philp finally got the Lady Terriers on the board with a header goal off the corner kick, tying the score at 1 in the 56th minute. Both teams remained tied until stoppage time in the second half, when a controversial call led to Teurlings' go-ahead goal. The Lady Rebels (six shots on goal) were called for an offside penalty by an referee, but another referee also called a foul on Vandebilt at the same time. With the foul overriding the offsides call, Teurlings was rewarded with a free kick. Amedee said the foul call was confusing. "They didn't explain it to me in detail," Amedee said. "Teurlings were actually in the offsides position. The whistle was blown, and the next thing, they are taking the free kick. I really don't understand what happened there." Teurlings' Brooke Conque took the direct kick near midfield, which bounced off Vandebilt goalie Nicollette Terrebonne (four saves), but Hollier was there to score off the rebound, putting the Lady Rebels ahead 2-1. Amedee said it was an unfortunate turn change of events for Vandebilt. "They did what they had to do," Amedee said. "They got the ball in the back of the net. Give credit to Teurlings. They came out with practically a great game plan and took the middle away from us. They played hard. It just wasn't our night." Peltier said he offered some advice to Conque before she attempted the free kick from 40 yards out. "We told our Brooke to try to hit the cross bar of the goal," Peltier said. "We felt we could put it in. We put a couple of tall girls in the box. We thought if we could get the ball in the air, we would have a chance to score a goal, and we did." Vandebilt had several chances in the two minutes of stoppage time to tie the match, but they couldn't get a shot past Teurlings defense. "We played good, but fell short," said Terrebonne, who is the only senior on Vandebilt's roster. "It wasn't in our favor (Friday night). It's a tough loss. It happens. We'll come back next year." Despite the loss, Amedee said the young Lady Terriers squad had an excellent season. They overcame the loss of two starters to season-ending ACL injuries and played with only one senior on the roster. "We need to be proud of what we accomplished," Amedee said. "We made it to the state finals four consecutive years, and that in itself is quite an accomplishment. You always want to win the last one, but it just doesn't work out that way in sports all the time."
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Post by Scott Crawford on Apr 28, 2013 10:19:20 GMT -6
2011 Division III Girls February 25, 2011 Tad Gormley Stadium Sacred Heart 3 Catholic New Iberia 1
LAprepSoccer in-game thread: laprepsoccer.proboards.com/thread/13997/sacred-heart-3-catholic-highSacred Heart repeats as Division III champ - Cardinals overcome halftime deficit Times-Picayune, The (New Orleans, LA) - Saturday, February 26, 2011 Author: Andrew Astleford Contributing writer sacred heart 3 . catholic 1 More than a few Sacred Heart players had tears to go along with their grins when it was all over. The Cardinals successfully completed a mission to repeat as Division III girls state soccer champions with the same dominating effort that had come to define their postseason run over the past three weeks. Even though they trailed at halftime, the Sacred Heart players and coaches were confident the second half would yield a familiar result. Coach Tooraj Badie refused to change a single scheme with the Cardinals trailing 1-0 at the break, their first goal allowed in the playoffs. He knew, sooner or later, Sacred Heart would score. He knew, sooner or later, the Cardinals would find their form. He was right. Top-seeded Sacred Heart beat No. 2 seed Catholic of New Iberia 3-1 on Friday at Tad Gormley Stadium in the Division III state championship match. The Cardinals (26-5-1) netted three second-half goals while stifling the Panthers (29-3-1). "It is amazing," said Sacred Heart junior Kristen Kern, who was chosen the Most Outstanding Player. "It is the best thing ever. We had always hoped that we would do it again. We did it." Kern's tying goal changed the momentum. In the 44th minute, she sized up a shot from the right side. Kern put enough loft on the ball for it to float above junior goalkeeper Taylor Lahasky's reach. After the ball hit the net, teammates swarmed Kern. Nearby, Lahasky kicked the ball away in frustration. From there, Sacred Heart played with an extra skip in its step. In the 72nd minute, Sacred Heart senior Katherine Moody scored on a sliding kick from the right side. The ball skidded from her foot, ricocheted off the left post and dribbled into the goal, giving the Cardinals a 2-1 lead. Seven minutes later, Sacred Heart sophomore Sarah Martin provided the finishing touch with a goal in the open field. Late in the second half, a chant rose from the stands. "Sacred ... Heart!" The Cardinals' championship countdown had begun. "That first goal that we scored pretty much changed the game," Badie said. "We gained confidence by that goal, and we started pushing forward, and they started playing their game." After Kern's goal, Catholic's execution was muddled. The Panthers had taken the lead on a shot by freshman Madeleine Vines in the 19th minute. But soon after, Badie's team started to take control. "You give them that many shots, and eventually they're going to start to fall in," Catholic Coach Chris Hoag said. "Unfortunately, they did." Before Friday, Sacred Heart had coasted through the playoffs. The Cardinals routed their four previous postseason opponents by a combined score of 24-0. A one-goal victory over No. 9 seed University in the quarterfinal round was the only time Sacred Heart had won by less than five goals. Catholic enjoyed similar success. The Panthers had beaten their postseason opponents by a combined score of 23-1. A 2-1 overtime victory over No. 3 seed Baton Rouge-Episcopal in the semifinals was the only time the Panthers won by less than seven goals. The pairing was familiar. Last February, the same teams met for the Division III state championship, with Sacred Heart winning 1-0. It was the Cardinals' first state soccer championship since a Division II title in 2005. Friday's result was familiar, too, with Sacred Heart winning a consecutive Division III championship. "Sooner or later," Badie said near a screaming Sacred Heart crowd, "it was going to go in." SENIOR ACHIEVEMENT - Veteran Sacred Heart squad strives for nothing less than to be the best, and that includes another shot at a state soccer crown Times-Picayune, The (New Orleans, LA) - Friday, February 25, 2011 Author: Andrew Astleford Contributing writer Tooraj Badie slouched on an aluminum bench Tuesday afternoon at Pan American Stadium, his progress as Sacred Heart's coach mirrored by the success of eight seniors who performed drills a few yards away. Badie, in his fourth season, has grown with his seniors. Last February, Sacred Heart beat Catholic-New Iberia in the Division III girls soccer championship match in Shreveport to win the Cardinals' first state crown since a Division II title in 2005. Since that year, Sacred Heart has played for each state championship in either Division II or Division III. Under Badie, Sacred Heart's tradition has remained strong. "Obviously, it's going to be tough to replace those kids," said Badie, his arms stretched across the bench as he looked toward the field. "It has been quite a run." Their run continues when top-seeded Sacred Heart faces No. 2 seed Catholic-New Iberia at 4 p.m. today at Tad Gormley Stadium in the Division III championship match. The Cardinals haven't allowed a goal in the postseason, outscoring their four opponents by a combined 24-0. Badie wants to send his senior class out with consecutive championship memories. Sacred Heart has three senior captains -- forward Katherine Moody, stopper Reid Harris and midfielder Izzy Correa -- but each is quick to point out that leadership responsibilities are shared among all members of their class. Correa said success has become an attitude at Sacred Heart. Younger players spend their first three years in admiration of older mentors. By players' final season, she said, they understand they must curate a winning legacy. "The team leads itself," Correa said. "There's no need for an extra push." Sacred Heart hired Badie to maintain those expectations. A former coach at Newman, he replaced Sean Moser in spring 2007, because Moser left to become an assistant coach at St. Paul's. Moser led the Cardinals to eight state championship appearances and four titles in 15 seasons. Moser is now St. Paul's coach. After he arrived at Sacred Heart, Badie led with a steadfast philosophy: A player would play if she was good enough to play, no matter her age. Harris made a favorable impression as a freshman. Badie remembers Harris' confidence impressed him during her early months in the program. That year, he made a prediction: The thick-skinned kid would become his captain one day. "Patience," Harris said when asked what she has learned at Sacred Heart. "It's not always going to come. Life isn't always fair, but you keep working the next year for it. You keep going for it. One of the reasons we do so well is because as a team, we don't play for ourselves. We play for one another." Moody, a starter since her freshman year, has produced more than a few memories as well. One of Badie's favorites came when she made an athletic goal in a Division III semifinal in 2008 at Catholic-New Iberia. The score was tied at 1 deep in the second half, and Moody sprinted toward the box. She made a quick cut before smashing the ball into the net, giving the Cardinals their decisive margin. On the sideline, Badie was beside himself. He thought, "Holy cow. That's something you see guys do." "I think she has grown into her role as a player and really understands ... what she brings to the game," said Country Day Coach Glenn Benjamin, whose team lost to Sacred Heart 5-0 in a Division III semifinal last Thursday. "She pulls the rest of her team together." All of Sacred Heart's veterans do. The Cardinals have three captains, but leadership from each senior has kept their tradition strong. "Becoming so close with all my teammates," Moody said, "has been the best experience of high school." Soccer title matches warm, cozy this time - Finals' return to N.O. a real treat to local teams Times-Picayune, The (New Orleans, LA) - Thursday, February 24, 2011 Author: Ted Lewis Staff writer Even though he was standing relatively unprotected in a miserable wintry mix of sleet and freezing rain in Shreveport's Independence Stadium a year ago, Sacred Heart soccer coach Tooraj Badie wasn't that uncomfortable. Guiding the Cardinals to a four-overtime victory against New Iberia-Catholic for the state championship, after being denied in the title match the previous three years, allowed him to ignore the elements. "I got so caught up in the game that I really didn't notice the cold," Badie said. "Now my wife was sitting in the stands, and she really felt it." There was one thing Badie did notice -- the people, or the lack thereof, in the 50,000-seat stadium. There was room for at least 49,900 more. "There was this huge stadium, and it was completely empty," he said. "I guess it was the parents of the players from both teams, and that was pretty much it. I know there were others who wished they could have been there celebrating with us." Wish granted. Ditto on the weather, too. Sacred Heart and New Iberia-Catholic meet at 4 p.m. Friday in a rematch of last year's Division III title game, not in Shreveport but at Tad Gormley Stadium, with a game-time forecast of 60 degrees and partly cloudy. The match is the first of four state title showdowns at Gormley this weekend, and seven of the participants are from the metro area. The eighth, New Iberia-Catholic, is from only 130 miles away. Ben Franklin and Northlake follow the Friday opener playing for the Division III boys title. On Saturday, St. Scholastica meets Dominican for the Division I girls championship at 4 p.m., followed by Jesuit vs. St. Paul's in the Division I boys final. To Badie, that's the way it should be. "The state championships," he said, "are back where they belong." Indeed. It has been six years since the state soccer championships were held in New Orleans, after Katrina forced the 2006 matches to be relocated and Shreveport put in a strong bid and grabbed the event away from its normal southern Louisiana site for the past four years. But after last year's weather/attendance debacle in Shreveport, at which no more than 300 people were in the stands the next night for the Division I title matches between Jesuit and Lafayette and St. Scholastica and Mount Carmel, local businessman Richard Smith worked with local soccer figures to bring them back to New Orleans. Smith had been heavily involved with the championships when the Sugar Bowl was the title sponsor, The LHSAA executive committee awarded New Orleans the championships last summer by a one-vote margin over Pineville. However, it was only a one-year guarantee. Starting in 2012, the Division II championships, now played at home sites, will be included in the package. That will be bid in June. "The best way to get that bid will be to win this weekend," said Smith, whose Old Metairie Apartments are the new title sponsors. "We couldn't have asked for any better luck between all the local teams in the finals and the weather. We're working our tails off to make this a special event. It's not inconceivable that we'll have more than 10,000 people over the two days." This weekend's championships will feature entertainment by Deacon John between games. Smith said he hopes to add a soccer -festival atmosphere outside the stadium next year, with food booths and games. Those from the schools in the finals like the change in venue. "Being so cold and so far away from home certainly took away the atmosphere for us," said St. Scholastica Coach Mike Ortner, whose team won Division I titles in Shreveport in 2009 and 2010 and defeated Neville for the 2007 Division II championship in Monroe. "Shreveport did a great job as hosts, but we were swallowed up in a huge stadium with no one watching us play. I think we'll be a lot more focused on the game than we were up there." The support level, Ortner added, will be greatly increased. "First off, there are a lot more soccer people in southern Louisiana," he said. "And our own students are going to turn out. "Plus there's the kids from Mandeville and Fontainebleau who play club with our players. Most people can't make 10-hour round trips to Shreveport, but 30 to 40 minutes across the lake is doable for everyone." Ben Franklin sophomore midfielder Aarian Rahman said with the Falcons making the title game for the first time since 2005, there is a high level of anticipation at his school. "Everybody's been congratulating us and everyone's being telling us they're going to be there," he said. "We've made it a Facebook event, there are posters everywhere, and they make announcements about it all day.'' The attitude is similar at Northlake, which is in its first state title match. "To see my boys able to walk out there on the biggest stage we have is going to be special," Wolverines Coach Nick Chetta said. "I'm just happy it's in New Orleans. I've had multiple friends tell me they absolutely dreaded going to Shreveport. I know we're going to have a big turnout because it's close enough for all of our fans to go." Jesuit Coach Hubie Collins, whose team will be going for its third consecutive title, said that even though his players, most of whom are on travel teams, are used to playing away from home, the switch to Gormley will be beneficial to all. "Each venue has its own challenges," he said. "And it was certainly a long day up there for us waiting for the match to begin. "This week, we've been able to go through our regular routine, and our students and our alumni and other fans are going to turn out in good numbers, we're sure."
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Post by Scott Crawford on May 1, 2013 15:06:03 GMT -6
2012 Division I Girls February 25, 2012 Tad Gormley Stadium Mount Carmel 2 St. Scholastica 1
LAprepSoccer in-game thread: none found
Corner kick goals swing title to Mount Carmel - Cubs score late to beat Doves Times-Picayune, The (New Orleans, LA) - Sunday, February 26, 2012 Author: Ted Lewis Staff writer mount carmel 2 . SSA 1
For all of the practicing of corner kick situations Mount Carmel does, for Kristen Delaune on Saturday, it basically came down to running in, trying to get her head on the ball and hoping for the best.
And the best certainly happened.
Delaune's header with about 30 seconds left in stoppage time lifted the Cubs to a come-from-behind 2-1 victory against St. Scholastica for the Division I girls state soccer championship at Tad Gormley Stadium.
"I'm usually not part of the setup," Delaune, a junior defender said. "I still can't believe it went in. When I saw the ball in the back of the net, I was speechless."
Delaune's goal, while perhaps unexpected, capped a gritty effort by the fourth-seeded Cubs (30-3), who were on the defense most of the night. After giving up a direct kick goal by Kim Moreau in the 53rd minute, Mount Carmel looked headed for a second title loss to St. Scholastica (20-2-1) in the past three years sandwiched around a semifinal loss to the Doves last year.
But Mount Carmel tied the score in the 69th minute on Margaux Fontana's high bouncer into the net off a corner kick from game MVP Brooke Gros, and hung on until the final corner kick, also sent in by Gros, when overtime seemed inevitable.
"We would have felt OK in overtime," Delaune said. "But we were praying for one more chance to end it."
The title is Mount Carmel's first since 2005. St. Scholastica, whose only regular-season loss also was to the Cubs, fell in the title match for the second consecutive year after winning it all in 2009 and 2010.
"We never thought it could happen again," St. Scholastica senior forward Brittany Bosarge said. "I didn't think I could feel any worse than I did for our seniors last year. But now that I'm a senior, it is worse."
Except for a 15-minute span in the first half when Mount Carmel was able to execute its normal possession game, keeping the ball in the middle of the field while gradually wearing down the Doves, St. Scholastica was on the attack most of the time.
Near the end of the first half, the Doves were denied a goal when Abby Childress scored after getting a rebound off the crossbar on a shot by Courtney Robicheaux. Childress, however, was ruled offsides.
Frequently, it was Bosarge going one-on-one with senior defender Zoe Perret. Continually, Perret was able to deny Bosarge the opportunity to get a clear shot or to pass to a teammate.
"I knew she would be coming straight at me," Perret said. "I just kept cutting her off. There was no way she was going to get behind me."
Mount Carmel Coach Pavlos Petrou said that was the way Perret played all year.
"Zoe sets the tone for our defense," he said. "She's also our vocal and emotional leader. Even when we got behind, she wasn't going to let us lose."
The Cubs fell behind when St. Scholastica was awarded a direct kick from about 30 yards out.
Moreau and Robicheaux lined up on either side of the ball with Moreau taking the kick, lining the ball past the outstretched fingertips of Mount Carmel goalkeeper Maddie Power.
Mount Carmel went on the attack after that, and, after being turned back by Childress and Drew Kinchen, the Cubs finally got their chance on a well-executed corner kick by Gros and Fontana.
Things were even over the final 10 minutes until Delaune's go-ahead goal.
There was one last chance for St. Scholastica. But, fittingly enough, Perret deflected Bosarge's final attempt.
"We had our chances right up until the end," Bosarge said. "Maybe if I had gotten to a few balls quicker, it would have been different.
"We just didn't do a good enough job."
Mount Carmel wins with style - 'Freestyle soccer ' behind Cubs' consistent success Times-Picayune, The (New Orleans, LA) - Friday, February 24, 2012 Author: Mike Strom Staff writer Their bright orange jerseys aren't all that separate the Mount Carmel girls soccer team from its contemporaries.
The Cubs, who meet St. Scholastica for the Division I championship Saturday at 5 p.m. at Tad Gormley Stadium, have embraced a brand of soccer seldom seen west of the Atlantic.
"Freestyle soccer ,'' as it has become known globally since being developed in Holland in the late 1970s and refined by Barcelona teams, is the preferred style used by the Cubs in moving to a victory of the school's fourth state title.
Fourth-seeded Mount Carmel (29-3) faces No. 2 St. Scholastica (20-1-1) in a rematch of the 2010 Division I championship won 5-4 by the Doves.
"We play a different style of soccer than everybody else,'' Mount Carmel Coach Pavlos Petrou said. "We are a possession team. We like to keep the ball on our feet and pass it around to give us a chance for a goal. We try to keep the ball on our feet and never give it up. In fact, that's our motto, 'Keep the ball on our feet.' That's the most important thing to us, almost as important as scoring a goal.''
Scoring and defending have not been a problem for the Cubs, particularly in the state playoffs, where they have 17 goals and allowed just two in earning the program's fifth championship appearance.
In 32 matches, the Cubs have scored 164 goals and allowed 26. Sixteen of the 29 victories have been shutouts.
The nickname "The Orange" and selection of orange jerseys, Petrou said, originated many years ago when school officials could not find official soccer gear in MCA's chocolate brown color.
Playing freestyle soccer has required a discipline and dedication.
"It is much more difficult to play,'' Petrou said. "We've been trying to play this way for the last three or four years. In order to do so, we've had to work on our technical skills a lot, (having) good first touches, good (ball) control, good passing skills. Otherwise, you can't do it. The girls have watched a lot of film of teams playing this style.''
Rave reviews have followed for what Petrou describes as a "complete team.''
"Everybody understands what they have to do,'' Petrou said. "We've had college coaches and teams we've played who were very complementary of us and said how beautiful of a style it is that we play. I don't think it's ever been done (in Louisiana) before.''
A seasoned and experienced lineup has helped bring Petrou's vision to fruition. The Cubs have eight returning starters, eight seniors, three juniors and one sophomore.
The senior starters are keeper Maddie Power, right back Clare Levy, center back Zoe Perret, left back Dominique Becnel, defensive midfielder Danielle Daigle, attacking midfielders Brooke Gros and Jessica Leslie and forward Margaux Fontana.
The junior starters are center back Kristen Delaune and forwards Caitlin Robert and Colette Cobb. Sophomore Brielle Bordes is the top reserve and plays as much as a starter.
"I think she is the best player in Louisiana,'' Petrou said of Bordes. "We usually put her in after about 12 minutes, and the game always changes when she gets in. Her understanding and her vision of the game is just at another level.''
Fontana leads the team in scoring with 42 goals. Robert has scored 23 and Cobb 21.
The Cubs defeated the Doves 4-2 seven weeks ago.
"We're all in this together, and we want it so bad, we're not going to give up,'' Fontana said. "We want to focus on doing this for each other first. It would feel great to beat SSA or any other team, for that matter, because we want this so bad.''
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Post by Scott Crawford on May 1, 2013 15:08:51 GMT -6
2012 Division II Girls February 24, 2012 Tad Gormley Stadium Teurlings Catholic 2 Vandebilt Catholic 1
LAprepSoccer in-game thread: laprepsoccer.proboards.com/thread/15690/teurlings-2-vandebilt-1Teurlings again wins Div. II title - Rebels triumph 2-1 against Terriers Times-Picayune, The (New Orleans, LA) - Saturday, February 25, 2012 Author: Joseph Halm Contributing writer Teurlings Catholic's Hannah Savoie scored the winning goal in the 49th minute, and the second-seeded and defending champion Rebels held on for a 2-1 victory over top-seeded Vandebilt in the Division II girls soccer state championship at Tad Gormley Stadium on Friday. Teurlings defeated Vandebilt by the same margin in last year's championship. The Terriers (21-6-2) controlled the play throughout, but Teurlings' Kristin Chapentier floated a shot over the goalkeeper in the ninth minute to give the Rebels (21-5-3) a 1-0 lead. "We thought it was very important to score in the first half because we had the wind," Teurlings Coach Lance Peltier said. "We snuck one in against the wind in the second half. We were very happy with the two-goal buffer because we knew it would be hard to keep Vandebilt from scoring." Savoie, the match's Outstanding Player, scored in the 49th minute as she directed a rebound passed the 'keeper. "We were feeling good going out in the second half, but we just couldn't manage to capitalize on our chances," Vandebilt coach Philip Amedee said. "They defended tenaciously, and we couldn't put enough in." Vandebilt's Kimberly Grasso scored in the 67th minute.
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Post by Scott Crawford on May 1, 2013 15:12:55 GMT -6
2012 Division III Girls February 25, 2012 Tad Gormley Stadium Sacred Heart 2 Episcopal BR 0
LAprepSoccer in-game thread: laprepsoccer.proboards.com/thread/15645/div-final-sacred-heart-episcopalCardinals score another victory - It's Sacred Heart's third straight Division III state title Times-Picayune, The (New Orleans, LA) - Sunday, February 26, 2012 Author: Pat Mashburn Contributing writer Experience and leadership often go hand in hand, and Sacred Heart used them to its advantage in defeating Baton Rouge-Episcopal 2-0 at Tad Gormley Stadium on Saturday for the school's third straight Division III girls soccer state championship. Senior Kristen Kern scored both goals and was the match's outstanding player. It was the eighth consecutive appearance in a state championship for the fifth-seeded Cardinals, and the seventh consecutive appearance in the Division III title game. It was also the fifth in a row under Coach Tooraj Badie. "We knew this team could do it again," Badie said. "When we were in the locker room before the match, I told them that my assistant (Lee Westlake) and I were the only ones in this room who knew we were going to be here. None of the players believed we could make it this far. The key to our team is that we got all of our injured players back, and two games before the playoffs, we really started clicking." Sacred Heart (16-8-2) had gone into the previous two championship matches as the top seed. Before that, they lost in four straight title games. During the 2004-05 season, its last year in Division II, Sacred Heart defeated St. Scholastica 1-0 for the title. In the early stages of the match, second-seeded Episcopal (25-4-1) effectively applied pressure with the wind at its back, and got a pair of shots on goal in the first 10 minutes, without force. The Cardinals' break came in the 27th minute when Kern scored. That seemed to settle the team down. "We had been practicing this, building up from the back," said Kern. "We were passing back and forth between everyone, and M.J. (Williams) made a beautiful cross, and I just happened to be there." Sacred Heart stuck with its 4-4-2 alignment, which became troublesome for Episcopal, continuously probing for a quality shot. "They are definitely a quality team, and it came down to wanting it," said Episcopal Coach Matt Shelton. "We couldn't get the breaks, or the ball to bounce our way. There was no doubt we had a chance to win, and we got some good opportunities toward the end, but we couldn't close them out." "Our game is possession," said Badie. "As long as we didn't give up a cheap goal, I felt we'd settle in and play our type of soccer . When we started to find our midfielders, that is when our game started to flow." In stoppage time Kern struck again, for a 2-0 lead. "I knew we were at a dangerous point with only one goal, because they could score and get right back in it," said Kern. "All of the three championship teams I've been on were unforgettable. With this being the last match of my career, it also meant a lot because it was an honor to play with all of these girls." INFOBOX: SACRED HEART'S TITLE GAME RUN Sacred Heart won its third straight state championship Saturday, playing in its eighth straight title game. 2012: Sacred Heart 2, BR-Episcopal 0 2011: Sacred Heart 3, NI-Catholic 1 2010: Sacred Heart 1, NI-Catholic 0 2009: St. Louis 4, Sacred Heart 0 2008: St. Louis 2, Sacred Heart 1 2007: Newman 1, Sacred Heart 0 2006: Newman 2, Sacred Heart 0 2005: Sacred Heart 1, SSA 0 Division III finalists similar *** Episcopal, Sacred Heart-N.O. possess competitive fire, ball-control offenses Advocate, The (Baton Rouge, LA) - Saturday, February 25, 2012 Author: ROBIN FAMBROUGH At first glance, the Division III girls soccer final appears to be a meeting of opposites. Fifth-seeded Sacred Heart-New Orleans (14-8-2) has been in the state finals for nine straight years, winning four titles, including the past two. Second-seeded Episcopal (25-3-1) is the newcomer to the Louisiana High School Athletic Association's Soccer Championships in New Orleans. However, the teams share two important qualities - ball-control offenses and the desire to win - both of which will be on display Saturday. "Our goal this year, after losing in the semifinals for two straight years, was not just to make it to the finals but to do one better," Episcopal coach Matt Shelton said. "At practice the attitude isn't 'Oh, we're glad to be in the finals.' Our mindset is what do we have to do in order to win it." The Sacred Heart-Episcopal contest opens a full day of soccer finals at New Orleans' Tad Gormley Stadium at 11 a.m. Metairie Park Country Day takes on Northlake Christian-Covington (20-4-3) in the Division III boys final at 1:30 p.m. Two Division I finals wrap up the weekend of action that began Friday with two Division II finals. St. Scholastica-Covington (21-1) meets Mount Carmel Academy-New Orleans (29-3) in the Division I girls soccer final at 5 p.m. St. Paul's-Covington (22-1-1) faces Jesuit-New Orleans (26-1-4) in the Division I boys final at 7:30 p.m. "Episcopal is like us in that Matt has them playing a possession-oriented game, which to me, is the way soccer should be played," Sacred Heart coach Toorag Badi said. "They're a solid team. To be honest with you, our focus is more on defense and on doing the things we need to do to be successful. We've told our defense all year that if the other team doesn't score we'll win, plain and simple." Badi said Sacred Heart has overcome an injury-plagued season and is now healthy for the first time. Badi and Shelton agree Episcopal and Sacred Heart are different teams than they were in December when they played to a 1-1 tie. The Cardinals have benefitted from the return of offensive weapon Sarah Martin from a knee injury. Martin scored the lone goal in SHNO's 1-0 win over top-seeded Newman in the semifinals. Kristen Kern has more than 30 goals for the Cardinals. Episcopal is led by Keely Davis, who has 58 goals and 21 assists. Nicole Newton has 36 goals and 19 assists, while Taylor Coleman has 31 goals. Sacred Heart has allowed only one goal in the playoffs, while Episcopal has yielded only two goals. Caroline Goodner and goalkeeper Moira Fontenot help lead Episcopal's defense, while Hailey Housey and Miranda Lee pace the Sacred Heart defense. "It's going to come down to who wants it more and who can control their emotions," Shelton said. "And also who can control the game. They've been there, and you can't discount experience. Our focus has been on winning the finals. It's what can we do to beat Sacred Heart? The answer is we have to be very focused and patient." Badi said, "It could come down to which defense makes a mistake." Stingy defense *** Episcopal unit big reason why Knights in final Advocate, The (Baton Rouge, LA) - Thursday, February 23, 2012 Author: ROBIN FAMBROUGH Episcopal girls soccer coach Matt Shelton is not afraid to use a cliché to drive a point home. As the Knights (25-3-1) prepare to play Sacred Heart-New Orleans in the Louisiana High School Athletic Association's Soccer Championships, Shelton pulled out an old, reliable catch phrase. "You hear this in every sport," Shelton said. "Defense wins championships. And it's true. In this case it's going to come down to which defense breaks. Ideally, you don't want your defense to give up anything." Though Episcopal is known for offense, having scored 159 goals this season, the Knights also excel on defense. Shelton's team has allowed only 16 goals in 29 games, an average of less than one goal per contest. When second-seeded Episcopal travels to New Orleans to take on No. 5 Sacred Heart in the Division III final set for 11 a.m. Saturday at Tad Gormley Stadium, Shelton will depend on a group of defenders, the Knights' unsung heroes. Three juniors lead the Knights' back line. Caroline Goodner serves as the unit's quarterback, a role similar to that of a middle linebacker in football. Summer Rhynes and goalkeeper Moira Fontenot are the other juniors. Fontenot is a first-year starter, while Rhynes moved back to defense from the midfield after a late season knee injury sidelined Mary Heintz. Sophomore Caroline Chapple and freshman Caroline Sides complete the Knights' line of defense. Through the playoffs, Episcopal has given up just two goals, something the defenders take pride in. "I do get upset when somebody scores on us," Fontenot said. "I didn't get to play a lot until this year because there was another goalkeeper ahead of me. I felt like a freshman. "We all play well together and rely on each other. You have to do that on defense. If you get caught out of position, the other team has you." Goodner said being a defender takes a certain kind of attitude. "I like being a defender," Goodner said. "You have to cut off the passing lanes and deny the other team, and it's a challenge. It's physical. "You have to want to win on every ball that comes in your direction. And it's also about teamwork. These girls are my best friends on and off the field. We look out for each other." The Knights play a mixture of man-to-man and zone defenses during the year, based on what its opponent does. Sacred Heart is more of a possession-oriented team that will test the patience of Episcopal's back line. Episcopal and Sacred Heart played to a 1-1 tie in December. Since then, both teams have changed. Sacred Heart has benefited from the return of forward Sarah Martin, who missed all but the past two playoff games with a knee injury. Martin scored the lone goal in the Cardinals' 1-0 win over top-seeded Newman in the semifinals. "She (Martin) is a very good player," Goodner said. "She's fast, and we'll have to be aware of where she is at all times. But we can't forget about their other players. They can be just as dangerous." This is the first title-game appearance for Episcopal, a Division III semifinalist for three straight years. While it is the fifth straight final for Sacred Heart, Shelton said he believes the Knights and their defense are ready. "We've got a good defensive unit," Shelton said. "There's been a commitment by our defense to say we're not giving up a goal. We have to have patience and discipline against Sacred Heart. If we play like a unit like we have all year, I like our chances."
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Post by Scott Crawford on May 1, 2013 15:22:08 GMT -6
2013 Division I Girls February 23, 2013 Tad Gormley Stadium Lafayette 2 St. Scholastica 1LAprepSoccer in-game thread: laprepsoccer.proboards.com/thread/17229/lafayette-2-st-scholastica-1Lafayette upsets top-seeded St. Scholastica in Division I girls soccer championship Kelly Morris, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune, February 23, 2013 9:35 p.m. Lafayette goalkeeper Larae Breaux admits she thrives on pressure. She got loads of it late in Saturday’s Division I girls championship game against St. Scholastica. The 5-foot-4 junior repeatedly made diving save after diving save and the crossbar saved her on another header in extended play. “That’s the best game I’ve ever played, but thank God for that crossbar,” she said. “I’m short, so I’m always going to remember the high balls. I’m not going to remember the diving ones.” Her teammates will. With her help, No. 2 seed Lafayette pulled out a 2-1 stunning upset over the top-seeded Doves at Tad Gormley Stadium. Lafayette Coach Katie Breaux enjoyed a group hug from her players after the game. “It’s been awhile since I’ve had a team in the championship,” said Breaux, whose team won in 2006 and lost in 2007. “I always want it bad for them. In the moment, I get nervous for them, but I’m glad they got to live out the moment.” The Doves played in their fifth straight championship but have lost the last three. St. Scholastica’s most recent titles came in 2009 and 2010. “It certainly doesn’t get any easier,” said Ortner, who consoled many emotional players after the game. “We’ve been in this situation for three years now. This one was the toughest one because we played really well.” Ortner said the Doves (18-2-2) hit “at least” three crossbars. “At any moment, we had a chance to put it in the back of the net,” he said. “We reduced them having to sit in and counter us. We controlled the tempo for most of the second half.” Lafayette’s “special shot” broke a 1-all tie in the 68th minute. Arieal Alexander has been the set-up player, but she switched roles Saturday. With her sister, junior leading scorer Alexcia Alexander, man-marked, younger sister had to be the one to step up. She found the back of the net from 30 yards out. “Like my dad says, take the shot when you have it,” Alexander said. “You never know when you’ll get it again. I saw my chance to shoot and took it.” It looked like St. Scholastica would counter again when the field was heavily tipped in the second half. “We have a tendency to fall back on our heels when we go up,” Katie Breaux said. “It’s almost like we get in this mode and we get out of our passing game, but luck was on our sides.” The Doves had their chances on free kicks but couldn’t get it past Breaux, who was the game’s Most Valuable Player. “We struggled tactically to make more opportunities for as much as we had the ball,” Ortner said. “The last 20 we pressed and pressed and pressed.” In their first meeting on Dec. 1, St. Scholastica scored twice in a 2-0 win. Fans needed just five minutes to see two goals Saturday. The rematch was also more physical. St. Scholastica’s Abby Childress scored off a corner kick in the third minute. Lafayette (20-2-1) countered quickly but received some help when a St. Scholastica player fell down on a breakaway. Cayla Hebert took control of the ball and shot it from 25 yards out. The Doves closed in on the net in the 58th minute off a miscue by the Lafayette defense, and more than once hit the side of the net. Layfayette graduates seven seniors, including three in the backline. “Collectively, that’s the best we’ve played," Katie Breaux said. "We made some adjustments. I felt like they were shifting too much to one side, but we fixed it.” And in the end, it was the No. 2 seed doing the celebrating. “This is the best feeling in the world,” Arieal Alexander said. “Nothing in my life has been better than this moment.” Motivated Doves have visions of another title Times-Picayune, The (New Orleans, LA) - Sunday, February 24, 2013 Author: Kelly Morris Staff writer St. Scholastica Coach Mike Ortner has reminisced a lot this week. His girls soccer team will play in its fifth consecutive Division I state championship. Consequently, the last Division I team to do that was Northshore from 1986-1990. Ortner's sister, Michelle, was a midfielder for the team from 1987-1990, and their father, Garry, who died in July, was her assistant coach. "I was a ball boy when my sister won her four championships," Ortner said. "Certainly, soccer has grown a lot in the last 20 years. I don't think we'll ever see a team on the girls side dominate quite like Northshore did." This season's top-seeded Doves meet No. 2 Lafayette at 5 p.m. Saturday at Tad Gormley Stadium. Ortner said he has his "most complete" team with Courtney Robicheaux, Lucy Duet and Maegan Due sparking the defense. St. Scholastica's last titles came in 2009 and 2010. "The seniors are the last group to win a title, so I think they're anxious to win another one," Ortner said. "The pain and disappointment motivates you." St. Scholastica defeated Lafayette 2-0 on Dec. 1, and Ortner knows it's hard to defeat a team twice. "We have to be more creative in our runs," Lafayette Coach Katie Breaux said. "He's got a very good defense. It's the best defending group we've seen this year." Said Ortner: "We definitely take pride in our defense." Breaux said her team's offense has improved since its first meeting with St. Scholastica (18-1-2). Junior leading scorer Alexcia Alexander plays alongside her freshman sister Arieal. Arieal assisted on both of Alexcia's goals in Lafayette's 2-1 semifinal win over Fontainebleau. "That was their best chemistry to date, and that's what you hope for this time of year," Breaux said. The Doves' only loss is a 1-0 setback to Fontainebleau on Dec. 14. Lafayette (19-2-1) is in the final for the first time since 2007. "It's just how you approach it," Breaux said. "The girls I have have never been in a state final, so we're using it as the moment." St. Scholastica will have a good luck charm in the stands. Michelle Ortner, whose had a recurrence of breast cancer, will attend her second playoff game. "The weather certainly helps out a little bit," Mike Ortner said. "She had pneumonia a week or two ago. "She's certainly an inspiration." Said Michelle Ortner: "I'm very excited to be there. It's an amazing group of girls that have played together for a long time. When I was playing, there was a core group of girls who played select soccer . Having that helps."
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Post by Scott Crawford on May 1, 2013 15:25:02 GMT -6
2013 Division II Girls February 23, 2013 Tad Gormley Stadium Ben Franklin 2 Vandebilt Catholic 0LAprepSoccer in-game thread: laprepsoccer.proboards.com/thread/17228/ben-franklin-2-vandebiltBen Franklin caps undefeated year with dominating showing - Falcons shut down top-seeded Vandebilt Times-Picayune, The (New Orleans, LA) - Sunday, February 24, 2013 Author: Kelly Morris Staff writer After every win this season, the Ben Franklin girls soccer team celebrated but still wanted more. They had a bigger goal in mind and didn't want to let up. They never did. The No. 3 seed defeated top-seeded Vandebilt Catholic 2-0 in the Division II state championship game at Tad Gormley Stadium on Saturday and finished with a 20-0 record. "Expect the unexpected," said Ben Franklin freshman forward Alex Thomas, who was Most Valuable Player. "It's even better to win knowing people were doubting us. That just means we proved them wrong. This is the greatest game we've played this season." Ben Franklin ran to celebrate with rowdy fans in the crowd. Vandebilt left the field with tear-stained faces. More impressive than the win was how Ben Franklin got it. Vandebilt (26-3-1) has nine seniors, but youth trumped experience. The Falcons, who start four freshmen, corralled the high-scoring Terriers, who scored 18 goals in three previous playoff games. It was the Terriers' sixth straight finals appearance, but they've now lost their last four games after winning it all in 2008 and 2009. "It's been our motto this year," Ben Franklin Coach Jose Ferrand said. "We only allowed eight goals this season. We prepared well. We basically stopped them from getting their crosses." Vandebilt excels by getting balls outside, but never really did against Ben Franklin. Thomas called her defense the "Great Wall of China." "I was surprised," Vandebilt Coach Philip Amedee said. "No one's been able to be that effective against us defensively in years. They kept numbers back, and that just frustrated us. We couldn't get the ball through and didn't get a good touch on our passes." Junior goalkeeper Katrina Seal earned the shutout. "I can't tell you how excited I am," senior center back Audrey Peterson said. "This is incredible. It's awesome to say we went undefeated." "It's been a great, great, great season," said Ferrand of his program's fourth title. "I'm really proud of them. I'm still on a high." Audrey Peterson scored the game's first goal in the 42nd minute. Vandebilt's Shannon Matzke received a yellow card, setting up Amalia Skalos' free kick. Ben Franklin's defensive captain made the most of it. "I'm usually not up on free kicks. I usually just go up on corners," Peterson said. "Jenny (Kjellgren) just laid it off nicely. I just remember looking up and seeing a wide-open net. It was a great feeling." Thomas scored her team-best 44th goal in the 51st minute. Thomas deked around one defender and found the left side of the net. "My coach has been telling me all year, put it low in the corner. Don't kick it hard," Thomas said. "I faked the defender and went to the right. I saw the goalie come out a little bit, and I knew the space was open in the back post." Vandebilt Catholic wanted to set the tone early, but Ben Franklin didn't allow it. The Falcons' young backline, sparked by Peterson and junior Elizabeth Schreiber, matched Vandebilt's stingy defense. For every Terrier chance, Ben Franklin countered. Sophomore Eleanor Pratt moved from midfield to forward and had good chemistry with Thomas. For Amedee, he was forced to console his seniors. "You love them. That's all you can tell them," he said. "It's not going to make them feel any better, but you tell them hold their head up high. There's only a handful of girls who have made it to the finals every year of their high school career." If the Falcons keeps playing like they did Saturday, they'll be back. "The freshmen push everyone to perform better and work harder," Peterson said. "I expect to see them here next year." FALCONS READY: Ben Franklin Coach Jose Ferrand knew he would have a good team with the addition of five talented freshmen. Good turned to great. The third-seeded Falcons (19-0) play in the Division II final against No. 1 seed Vandebilt Catholic (26-2-1) on Saturday at Tad Gormley Stadium at 11 a.m. "It's all about being mentally prepared," said Ferrand, who starts four freshmen. "The freshmen that came in were quality. We just had to bring the full-time players up to that level." Vandebilt Catholic, which plays in a 4-4-2 formation, has scored 18 goals in three playoff games. It has only allowed two goals. "They're strong and physical," Ferrand said. "We're small, but we're pretty quick. The team that is more composed early will take over." Kelly Morris
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Post by Scott Crawford on May 1, 2013 15:29:23 GMT -6
2013 Division III Girls February 22, 2013 Tad Gormley Stadium Sacred Heart 3 Loyola 0LAprepSoccer in-game thread: laprepsoccer.proboards.com/thread/17227Sarah Martin's hat trick powers Sacred Heart to fourth straight title - Martin's hat trick powers Cardinals Times-Picayune, The (New Orleans, LA) - Sunday, February 24, 2013 Author: Jim Rapier Staff writer sacred heart 3 . loyola prep 0 Sacred Heart senior Sarah Martin was able to take care of some team and personal business Friday night at the State Soccer Championships presented by NOLA Media Group. She had a hat trick, scoring three goals to lead Sacred Heart to a 3-0 victory over Loyola Prep in the Division III state championship match at Tad Gormley Stadium. The team business: That's four consecutive Division III state championships for Sacred Heart. It's something Martin and her teammates weren't too keen talking about before the match, but as Martin said post-match, "Now we can!" It's the eighth title overall for Sacred Heart. The personal business: Martin spent most of her junior year recovering from a Lisfranc injury to her right foot and played sparingly at the end of the season. She admittedly was not up to full speed. "At one point, I thought I'd never be able to do this (play soccer ) again. This (three goals in final match, fourth consecutive title, selected the game's Most Outstanding Player) is way over my head. It's amazing!" What proved impressive from the start was the pressure Sacred Heart was able to put on Loyola's defense. The Cardinals controlled the midfield and methodically peppered the Loyola goal. "This is the best they played all year," Sacred Heart Coach Tooraj Badie said. "They came to play tonight. They were focused, not rushing passes. They were on. What a way to end it." There was no mistaking Sacred Heart's focus when it came to producing goals. The defense, led by Megan Terral, Miranda Lee and keeper Megan LeBlanc, usually quickly thwarted a Loyola push and the got the ball to the midfield, where MJ Williams would help spark a scoring strike. Williams assisted on two of Martin's goals. The Cardinals' first goal was a give-and-go between Martin and Williams on the top right side of the box. Martin passed to Williams, who one-touched it back to Martin as she entered the box. Martin deposited a shot to the left side of the goal in the 27th minute. "It was just a great one-two," Williams said. In the 57th minute, Williams lofted a ball to Martin, who weaved her way through two defenders for about 20 yards before angling a shot low, left and into the goal. "MJ (Williams) is the catalyst," Badie said. "My pregame speech was let's play solid the first 15 minutes and weather the storm. I told them they (Loyola) would come out running. We played like that (relaxed, focused) the whole match." The Flyers, who started seven sophomores and two freshmen, placed several early corner kicks in front of the goal, but the Cardinals' defense had the answers. "I think if we would have got one of those when we pressed a little more, it would have been different," Loyola Coach Mark Matlock said. "We were down 1-0, so at halftime, the idea was that we've got nothing to lose because we had to score if we wanted to get back in it. We committed more numbers forward, but eventually that hurt us by being a little shorthanded defensively." Shorthanded or not, there wasn't much Loyola's defense could do when Martin capped her scoring in the 69th minute by blasting a shot from 30 yards out to the upper right corner. "(My thought) was to keep going. The defense wasn't stopping, so the offense shouldn't stop," Martin said. For Sacred Heart soccer players Sarah Martin, Miranda Lee and Megan Terral, it's all about perspective. That's how they view some issues surrounding the Division III state championship match No. 2 seed Sacred Heart will play against No. 1 Loyola Prep at Tad Gormley Stadium at 5 p.m. today. Sacred Heart (17-3-2) enters the match as a three-time defending champion. "We can't keep thinking we've won three and been here before," Martin said. "Each year is different. It helps take pressure off, but it also helps you focus." Said Terral: "We know what to expect and how the whole state championship game day works. That's the same, but each season is different, too. Last year I wanted to win so badly. I didn't think I could want it more than I did last year, but this year I want it even more." That feeling could stem from how far the team has progressed since the start of the season when it was breaking in many new starters. While Martin helped lead the offense, the defense worked on becoming more cohesive. Sacred Heart has won four playoff matches by a combined score of 19-2. Martin has three goals and two assists in the past two playoff matches. "Our season with defense started slow," Lee said. "We graduated some key players; we had to gain it back through younger players." Jim Rapier
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