- April 19, 2024
-
-
Loading
Loading
Both Seabreeze and Father Lopez head into their respective distinct tournaments with the same goal, but from very different perspectives.
BY MATT MENCARINI | STAFF WRITER
The girls soccer seasons are about to reset. What happened in the regular season will soon be forgotten as teams start jockeying for a place in the playoff bracket.
District tournaments begin Jan. 14, and both Seabreeze and Father Lopez will host games for their respective districts.
For the Sandcrabs, it’s Class 5A, District 4, where they went undefeated (6-0-2), but tied two games, in the regular season. But both of those ties, to head coach Frank O’Donnell, should have gone Seabreeze’s way, if only they had been better at converting.
“We have, I think, a deficiency in scoring,” he said. “We have this high number of opportunities to score (each game), and we don't convert. There was always the expectation that we would have a good year.”
But just how good of a year may depend on how O’Donnell’s team performs in districts. A district championship will give them an easier matchup in the first round of the regional tournament, where competition, he said, can get tough quickly.
For Father Lopez, in Class 1A, District 4, advancing to the regional tournament is less of a certainty. It hasn't happened once in the team's past eight seasons.
In each of head coach Paul Beaudoin’s first eight seasons as head coach, he said it’s been Master’s Academy and Orange Wood advancing.
“It would be a phenomenal accomplishment,” he said. “I can't describe how I would probably feel. We’ve been close but we haven't been this close. I haven't had a team that's worked this hard from spring training to now.”
Not only has this been the best season Beaudoin has had at Father Lopez, it’s the best his senior class has had. In a year plagued with injuries early on, younger players had to step up more than expected. And they stepped up strong.
Inexperience, for Beaudoin, may not be a disadvantage for the Green Wave, who start five seniors.
“I think it’s going to be an advantage, because that’s all they’ve talked about since Day One,” he said. “(They’ve said), ‘We can finally make an impact and finally win.’ The motivation has really carried on throughout the season for them.”
O’Donnell said he doesn't underestimate the rest of the district teams, but he thinks his Sandcrabs team is reaching its potential.
“Based on the way the girls have played the last two weeks, based on our practice sessions we had over the recess,” he said, “they're ready for it.”
Part of being ready for the challenge is being mentally prepared. Throughout the season, O’Donnell said his team lacked confidence when playing other elite teams. But in a recent game against Hagerty, a game they lost 1-0, he feels like his players realized that they could play with the best.
They realized they were just as good as any other team.
While the Sandcrabs seem to have a sense of confidence and assurance heading into districts, to the south, there’s a clear sense of urgency and responsibility to finish what was started.
“(The season) has to be a success with the talent that we’ve had,” Beaudoin said. “I’m very proud of them.”
