After cruising past South Miami to open postseason play, Key West faced the top ranked team in the region, St. Brendan, in their district playoff bracket. The Sabres beat the Conchs 1-0 on Jan. 30 in a loss which could have ended the season for Key West. But the Conchs weren’t done yet. Their record, combined with the difficulty of their schedule, gave Key West a boost in their power ranking, used by the FHSAA to determine at-large bids to the state playoffs.
Key West, ranked sixth in the region, was matched against third-ranked MAST Academy, a team heavily favored to win the Feb. 8 game.
Nobody bothered to tell the Conchs.
Key West played an incredible game. Jonathan Gvili scored the Conchs’ lone goal in the second half on a penalty kick, and it would be enough to send the teams into overtime deadlocked at 1-1. Key West goalkeeper Karel Bublak allowed just one goal in 80 minutes of regulation play, making several key saves when the game, as well as the season, was on the line.
Bublak kept MAST off the scoreboard throughout two overtime periods, forcing penalty kicks to settle the match. Bublak was crucial again in keeping the ball out of the net, sending the Conchs to the regional semifinal match. On Feb. 11, the Conchs traveled to FIU’s stadium in Miami to face the number two team in the region, Gulliver Prep.
Gulliver scored in the opening five minutes of the game, which would go without another goal for the remainder of the half. Undeterred, Key West kept their composure, and when the moment was right, Jonathan Bahri struck, scoring in the third quarter.
Bahri put the ball in the net again in the fourth quarter, giving Key West an electrifying lead, which they held onto until Gulliver took advantage of a free kick in the final moments of the game, sending the teams into overtime tied at 2.
Both teams held strong throughout two overtime periods, and the Conchs found themselves in their second penalty kick shootout in as many games. Gulliver won the contest on penalty kicks, ending an incredible 12-5-2 season in which the Conchs did not lose a single match at home.
