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Soccer Coach Calls Sixth Seed In Districts 'Perfect'

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By DAREK SHARP, The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 16, 2008

PLANT CITY - With no true star on offense and a handful of freshmen getting their indoctrinations to high school soccer, it's been a very different season for Durant.

But that doesn't mean it has been a bad experience for the Cougar girls.

Durant entered this week's District 6A-8 tournament with a 5-8-2 record, the first time the Cougars have finished the season below the .500 mark. But the Cougars expected it would take time to gain form and were optimistic they could pull a surprise at districts.

"We have five or six freshmen out there, and they are basically learning defensive techniques as we go along this season," Cougars head coach Dick Sheffield said. "But now I've told them 'I don't want to hear that you're freshmen again' because they've got so much experience."

Caitlin Dever, Jessica Ross and Leslie Knopp are ninth-graders playing defense. Amanda Bricker and Mary-Helen Moran complete the defensive unit in front of goaltender Megan Fox - another freshman.

Toward the end of the regular season, and particularly in a recent 1-0 loss to Bloomingdale, the defense has been outstanding.

Sheffield said longtime Bloomingdale head coach Sue Peet was impressed. "She said 'Hey, you guys didn't give us an inch.' And the chemistry is really good on this team. The losing record is not affecting them negatively," Sheffield said.

On the other hand, the offense has been lacking firepower. But the good news is that Trinity Thompson, the team's top forward, recently returned to the lineup.

Thompson had the lingering effects of a dislocated shoulder from spring's flag football season. Then she turned her ankle making it difficult to function on the soccer field.

"We get her back, and she get's absolutely crunched against Bloomingdale. I was so worried she hurt her shoulder again but, no, she was fine," Sheffield said.

Going into the district tournament as the sixth seed of seven teams doesn't sound like a great spot, but Sheffield said it might be perfect.

That's because no one wants to have to meet top seed East Bay until the district final. Sarasota and Lakeland, as the fourth and fifth teams, were scheduled to play Tuesday, and the winner of that game must face East Bay Thursday at 8 p.m.

"East Bay is just stronger than everybody, but teams two through six, it's a coin flip," Sheffield said. "The sixth seed? Are you kidding, I think it's a pretty good deal for us."

Durant was scheduled to play Tuesday against Riverview, and Sheffield was hopeful his team would win that game and advance.

Reporter Darek Sharp can be reached at dsharp@tampa trib.com.

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