If you’re still playing soccer and it’s towards the end of February, you know you’re doing something right; that’s right where the Weeki Wachee’s boys soccer team is at currently. The Hornets are a step away from clinching a berth in the Class 4A state semifinals and they can clinch their ticket on Tuesday night. The problem is they will have to do it against a very talented Cape Coral Mariner team on the road. The Hornets, fortunately, have been a very good road team for the 2020-2021 campaign, as Weeki Wachee holds an overall record of 8-1. The only road loss for the Hornets was against Nature Coast 2-1, but that game was also within the friendly confines of Hernando County. Weeki Wachee will travel over into Lee County and make the three-hour drive down south. We take a closer look at the Class 4A, Region 2 final matchup between Weeki Wachee and Cape Coral Mariner.
Weeki Wachee (17-3) at Cape Coral Mariner (19-5-2): To get a berth at states, the Hornets must get by the Tritons, who have only lost five matches all season long. Mariner’s five losses came against Naples Gulf Coast, New Port Richey Mitchell, Fort Myers Riverdale, and Naples. The Tritons are led in the goal-scoring department by the duo of Nicco Ramirez and Santiago Guerrero, who have 44 goals scored combined. Stopping the duo will be the top task for Weeki Wachee, as the Hornets have been very stingy on defense all season long. Weeki Wachee has only yielded 19 goals through 20 games and Mariner has given up a total of 30 in 26 matches. The Hornets also have their own duo to worry about in scoring goals, as they feature Jacob Kelly and Seth Tarbox. Kelly has a team-high 33 goals and Tarbox is second with 24, respectively. The commute from Hernando County to Lee County is no easy one, but the road to states was always going to run through the Gulf Coast region. The winner of the matchup will take on the winner of the Region 1 final between Arnold and Menendez.
Andy Villamarzo can be reached at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter @avillamarzo.
