Central focus

LAKEWOOD RANCH — Alex Latham stands at the edge of the penalty box completely at ease.

The Lakewood Ranch High senior goalkeeper keeps her eye on the ball, while it zigzags across the field.

Latham watches senior center defender Lindsay Martinez, in one fluid motion, send the ball up to senior center midfielder Bri Reda, who easily controls the ball, zips past an opposing defender and crosses the ball back to the outside.

The ball bounces around outside for a matter of seconds before landing back in the center of the field — this time at the feet of senior center forward Delaney Riggins, who dribbles past the only defender standing between her and another Lady Mustangs victory.

After firing off a shot into the back of the net, Riggins returns to the center of the field where her teammates, including a smiling Latham who offers praise from the penalty box, congratulate her.

“I’m really relaxed out there, because I know I have them (the seniors) out in front of me,” Latham says.

The feeling is mutual for Latham’s fellow seniors who know they have a goalkeeper behind them who has only allowed six goals this season.

“I’m really relaxed,” Martinez says. “I know she’s always behind me. It puts you at ease knowing you have someone like that behind you.”

Latham, Martinez, Reda and Riggins, along with fellow seniors Juliana Guida and Gabby Photos, have been playing competitive soccer together since they were 10.

Over time, the players have developed a unique chemistry — one that has established them as one of the most dominant girls soccer teams in the state.

Since starting on the team as freshmen, the six seniors have helped lead the Lady Mustangs to three consecutive district titles, two regional semifinal appearances and a berth in last year’s Final Four.

Now, in their final season together, the girls have led Lakewood to perhaps its best season in recent years; the team finished the regular season with an 18-0-1 record. A 0-0 tie to rival Braden River in the season opener serves as the only blemish on the Lady Mustangs’ perfect season.

Through 19 games this season, Lakewood has posted 13 shutouts and outscored its opponents 59-6.

Lakewood once again captured the No. 1 seed in the Class 4A-District 11 tournament, which began Jan. 13, but an undefeated season isn’t something the seniors envisioned at the beginning of the season.

“I think we were pleasantly surprised,” Latham says. “We had some players (from last year’s squad) not with us, but everyone has stepped up.”

Riggins agrees.

“I think a lot of the underclassmen have stepped up and proven they are capable of playing at this level,” Riggins says. “I think we’ve grown so much this season.”

Now, as Lakewood prepares to defend its district crown, the Lady Mustangs’ focus remains the same — control the center of the field and work from the outside.

The approach is one the Lady Mustangs have been perfecting for several years and are comfortable executing.

“We’ve been playing together since we were 10 years old,” Martinez says. “That helps a lot. We all kind of know how each other is going to move. This year we’ve been forced to be more of a team, because we don’t have one superstar player.”

Lakewood played host Jan. 15 to the winner of the district quarterfinal between North Port and Charlotte in the district semifinals, with the winner advancing to the district championship Jan. 17.

Check yourobserver.com to see how the No. 1 seed Lady Mustangs fared.

“I feel like everyone comes out harder when they play us,” Reda says.

Contact Jen Blanco at [email protected].