The final week of the regular soccer season can always bring out some ‘do or die’ games and that was certainly the case at the Shark Tank this week when Pasco and Nature Coast faced off against each other. The winner would walk away with the number 1 seed and a bye in the first round.
It was Nature Coast who struck first with Vinny Stulec finding the back of the net with his left foot from close range after 34 minutes. It would stay that way into half time with the Sharks looking like they would be the number 1 team at the end of the season.
However The Pirates of Pasco would not ‘walk the plank’ and they came out with swords brandished for a fight in the second period. It took 10 minutes for Migual Flores to hit the back of the net and bring the Pirates back on level terms 1-1.
Nature Coast registered just 4 shots on goal throughout the match and this could well have cost them as Jason Nicolette popped up to steal the lead for Pasco with just 14 minutes remaining on the clock.
The score was to remain that way and it was Pasco who came away with the bye in the first round of District Playoffs. Meanwhile Nature Coast will face off against winless Zephyrhills.
Zephyrhills closed out district play with a 7-0 thrashing by Hernando Leopards and a 9-1 thumping from Coach Leko’s Springstead. This has left them firmly rooted to the bottom of the table where they will head into the Districts against Nature Coast.
Elsewhere and it will be an all ‘Hernando County’ tie as Weeki Wachee and Springstead finished 4th and 5th in regular season play. Springstead ending the season with that win against Zephyrhills. They will face off against a Weeki Wachee team that they beat 5-2 in their last matchup. Weeki Wachee however will go into the game on the back of the fact that they turned over Springstead 4-1 earlier in the season.
Coach Stone’s Hernando Leopards closed out the week with a 9-2 non district win against the Central Bears. Hoping for a morale boosting victory as they go into a weeks worth of non district play before they face off against Wesley Chapel at Tom Fisher stadium in the first round of Districts. The winners of that game earn the right to play either Nature Coast or Zephyrhills.
With many teams in non district action this week make sure to come back next week as I take an in depth look into both the girls and boys district tournaments!
