- November 21, 2024
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The last time the Lakewood Ranch High girls soccer program finished a regular season undefeated, in 2013-2014, the Mustangs reached the state final four.
This year's Mustangs would like history to repeat itself.
Mustangs Head Coach Delaney Riggins said they can — and she would know. She was a player on that 2013-2014 team. Riggins said she sees similarities between the two teams.
"This is the first team I have coached that has reminded me of the successful teams from the past because of the camaraderie they have," Riggins said. "They're all close, and that was the experience I had (in 2013-2014), so I'm able to relate to them. It has been fun and awesome to see."
Riggins said she could tell at the beginning of the season that this year's Mustangs were different than previous teams. The program has been successful, but has not had the variety of ways to win games that this year's team has.
The Mustangs can put on an offensive clinic — the team has scored five or more goals in nine of 18 games — but it can also slow down a game and constrict the other team. Lakewood Ranch has 10 shutouts and has allowed more than one goal in just one game. That play style versatility gives Riggins plenty of options for how to use her talented players.
"When you only have one game plan, it can be a challenge if it's not working in a certain game," Riggins said. "We have several players who can play multiple positions and work well with others. It is fun to see people stepping up and finishing their goal opportunities or getting to serve in a more defensive role than they are used to having."
It follows course that the Mustangs would have balanced offensive stats. Junior forward Sophie Lemus leads the team with 16 goals, but right behind her is senior Julia Magno with 15, sophomore Olivia Hadad with 12, junior Madison Adams with 11, and senior Elizabeth Fetchko with 10.
The Mustangs put an exclamation mark on their season by winning their first district championship in four years on Feb. 1, taking down North Port High 2-0 at home. Mustangs senior midfielder and captain Gabi Madrid said it was a relief to finally win the tournament after reaching the finals three straight years but losing each time. It's another sign that this year's team is different, Madrid said.
"We have build off of our past," Madrid said. "We all know each other's strengths and weaknesses. A few games into the season, we started to figure out how we played our best and we have grown from that. We showcase everyone's talents."
As exciting as the win over North Port was, it was the game prior, against Venice High, that Riggins said taught her team the most valuable lesson. The Mustangs had beaten Venice twice already, 6-1 and 7-0, and Riggins said her team entered the district semifinal against the Indians overconfident, even cocky. That lackadaisical attitude led to the Mustangs falling behind. With less than a minute remaining, the Mustangs trailed 4-3.
A goal from Magno with 20 seconds remaining prevented a loss in regulation, and in the overtime session, the Mustangs played like their old selves, netting three goals for a 7-4 final score.
"It showed some pride and some heart," Riggins said. "The girls did not want to go out that way. I think it was a wake-up call for them. They can't underestimate anybody."
The road to the final four is long, but Lakewood Ranch will be favored to win at least its next two games. The Mustangs will play Plant High (12-3-1) on Feb. 7 in the regional quarterfinals. According to MaxPreps, Lakewood Ranch is ranked third in Class 7A and 11th in the state. Plant is ranked 21st in Class 7A and 63rd in the state.
If the Mustangs advance, they will play either Steinbrenner High (17-1-3) or North Port High (12-5-1) on Feb. 10 at home. Steinbrenner is ranked ninth in Class 7A according to MaxPreps, while North Port — which Lakewood Ranch has now beaten twice this season — is ranked 18th.
After that looms a potential rematch with Palm Harbor University High (16-0), the No. 2 ranked team in Class 7A and the team that eliminated Lakewood Ranch from the postseason last year in a 1-0 game. In January, senior Regan Kelly and junior Sophie Lemus said they would welcome a rematch with PHU, as they are friendly with many Hurricanes players through club soccer and are tired of hearing them brag about last year's win.
A revenge victory would put the Mustangs in the state final four — exactly where the last undefeated Mustangs team ended up.
"We know now that every game will be a challenge," Madrid said. "We can't be frantic, but we have to be on from the first second of the game. If we are, we'll be fine."
