The Lady Fins soccer team picked up its first win of the season on Dec. 11 against Downtown Doral, celebrating senior night in style with the 5-1 victory. Senior Rain Banks had a hat trick and Jordan MacDonald and Allison Helms had 1 goal each.
Two nights later, they picked up win number two at International Studies. Banks authored an offensive onslaught, scoring 5 in the mercy-rule win with 2 assists by Mackenzie Budi and 1 each by Shilo Yeider, Hannah Davis and MacDonald. Budi scored 1 unassisted, Davis scored on a penalty kick and Maeve Merryman scored 1 with an assist from Davis.
Coach Cathy Warner was pleased with her team’s mid-season stride, saying, “They are coming together as a squad. As we get into the more difficult matchups later this season we will need to play hard and hold our positions to continue to have success. I love the feeling of a team they have put together.”
The Lady Fins were not able to make it a three-game streak, however. They fell to district rival Keys Gate 4-1 on Dec. 15. Banks scored the lone Dolphin goal in that game on a free kick.
Marathon’s boys played at home on Dec. 11 against an exceptionally talented Downtown Doral unit. The Fins lost 8-0, but found their groove two nights later at Kendall Soccer Complex, where they defeated International Studies 4-1. The Fins battled the elements in addition to the winless Eagles, who managed just 1 goal against Marathon goalkeeper Tiago Rivero. Rivero stopped all but one of the 28 shots on goal from the Eagles, with the only goal scored coming from a direct kick from the penalty kick line three minutes into the game. After that, it was all Fins. Fab Louis Jeune scored 1 unassisted and Jayden Rosete expanded the lead following a penalty corner. Oscar Cardona scored 2, 1 from a direct penalty kick and the other coming off of an unassisted cross shot. A third game scheduled for last week was canceled, bringing the Fins’ record to 4-2-1 with just one game before the holiday break.
The Lady Conchs did not play last week, with the weather dampening their hopes to even out their record. The boys, however, caught fire in a pair of road wins beginning on Dec. 11 at North Miami Beach. The Chargers struck first, taking an early lead in the first half just before the water break. Both teams battled for the remainder of the half, with North Miami hanging on to their lead until just before the halftime whistle. Bryden Parson fired off a shot that deflected to Finn O’Hearn, who capitalized on it by scoring the equalizer and his first varsity goal.
The Conchs scored the go-ahead goal just after the second half water break when Niko Sulak endured a foul in the box. The Charger keeper managed to save the shot, but the goal-hungry Conchs descended on the net. Emmanuel Innocent set up Bryden Parson with an assist, resulting in Parson’s first varsity goal and a Conchs lead. The Chargers did not make it easy for the Conchs, but Key West coach Nic Farrar credited the preservation of the win to fantastic play from defenders Ricky Flores-Pena, Albie Bowden, Kieran Smith, Woodly Jean and Finn O’Hearn, who managed to stave off the Chargers with some key headers.
Emboldened by their first win of the season, the Conchs headed to St. Brendan on Dec. 15, where they poured on the points for an 8-0 mercy-rule victory. Loubins Fleuridor had a hat trick over the Sabres while Niko Sulak scored 1 and assisted 4 more. In all, six Conchs found the net in the wet, rainy match. Key West scored 4 each half, with Fleuridor starting things off followed by Sebastian Camargo. Sulak tapped 1 in from close range on a Bryden Parsons assist, then Fleuridor scored the fourth first-half goal assisted by DJ Barrett.
In the second half, Parsons found the net, assisted by Sulak, then Fleuridor completed his hat trick on another Sulak assist. Sulak assisted Wyatt Gibson on goal number 7 for Key West and Barrett struck gold on a 25-yard unassisted shot to end the match. Key West goalie Sebastian Cruz secured the shutout for the Conchs, who hoped to make it a three-win streak against their next opponent, Marathon, on Dec. 19 (results not available at press time). The Conchs had a chance to even up their record with a win against the Fins and another against Westland Hialeah, their final match prior to the holiday break.
The Lady Canes suffered two losses last week, both on the road. On Dec. 13, they lost 6-0 to True North Classical Academy and two days later fell to Miami Country Day 7-1. Coral Shores’ boys played just one match last week, losing to Westminster 6-0 on Dec. 12 on the road. A Dec. 15 home game against Florida Christian was rained out.
