Feb 8,
2001 - 06:32 PM
LOL's title hopes ride on defense
LAND O' LAKES - Defenders
may be the key to the Gators reaching the state final four for the third
consecutive season.
They are responsible for
guarding a holy opening 20 feet wide and 10 feet high from a soccer ball.
Certainly not a glamorous gig, but important enough that the last line of their
defense, goalkeeper Greg Kline, has considered rewarding the Land O' Lakes
defenders with gaudy gifts.
He even joked with Coach
Mark Pearson about getting all of them Rolexes.
``They've saved my butt
several times,'' Kline said. ``I owe every
one of those guys many
things because the job they do is incredible.
``If you look at some of
the shutouts, I probably had one or two shots on me in those games. That's
because the defense plays so solid that they don't let much get through.''
The group Kline raves about
is anchored by sweeper J.P. Rodrigues, and includes fellow juniors Chris Gray
and Brian Bishop, along with senior John Peteck and sophomore Keith Strand.
They, along with Kline, have combined to record a school-record 17 shutouts
while allowing just 20 goals and scoring 88 in 29 games this season.
``It's really a thankless
job, that of a defender,'' Pearson said. ``The shutout is a stat, it's just not
as highly regarded as a lot of the other stats. But it's just as important. You
know the old saying, `Defense wins championships.' ''
Defense will be even more
crucial starting today, as the Gators (24-4-1) begin what they hope will their
third consecutive run to the Class 3A state final four. Regional play opens
tonight at 7:30 with a match at Plant, which boasts Hillsborough County's
second-leading scorer in Bobby Boswell (25 goals, nine assists).
``If your defense isn't
fine-tuned by now, you're probably going to be in a lot of trouble because the
teams you play now as you get higher up into the bracket, they're going to have
better offenses and are going to be scoring more goals,'' Kline said. ``And
that's where you have to shut them down. Most of these games are going to be
decided by one goal.''
Despite not having
Rodrigues for nearly a month because of an early season suspension, Land O'
Lakes hasn't surrendered more than three goals in a match. In doing so, it has
contained some of the area's top scorers, including Gaither's Bryce Wegerle and
Pasco County's leading goal scorer, Zephyrhills' John Briscoe.
``Their defense is quick,
you have to beat them with speed,'' Briscoe said. ``And they all have touch and
skill. That's what a lot of teams around here are lacking. Your passing is
going to have to be good to win.''
Pearson said while his
defenders aren't as strong as others he has had in the past, they are smarter.
``They make better tactical decisions of when to tackle, when to hold and how
to push a player away from goal,'' he said. ``They do that much better.''
Pearson describes
Rodrigues, Gray, Bishop, Peteck and Strand as players who are ``somewhat
subdued.'' Otherwise, they're not very big trash-talkers. They do, however,
communicate heavily on the field, a main reason why they have been successful,
Rodrigues said.
``We keep it organized,''
he said. ``We keep everyone marked up on their men,'' he said.
While the Gators' overall
record is nearly identical to last year's (25-4-1), the identity clearly is
different. Last season, they were known for their dominant goal scorers. Now,
the Gators are more recognized for turning back shots.
``They've been a big factor
in how many wins we have and how far we've gotten,'' Land O' Lakes' top scorer
Kyle Crawford (21 goals, 18 assists) said of the defenders. ``Without them, we
couldn't be where we're at.''
(CHART) Regional Facts
-- What: Class 3A-Region 3
boys soccer quarterfinal
-- Who: Land O' Lakes
(24-4-1) vs. Plant (12-2-1)
-- When: Tonight, 7:30
-- Where: Plant High, Tampa
-- Admission: $5
-- Analysis: Land O' Lakes,
ranked 13th in Fox Sports' top 50 national prep poll last week, dropped out
after losing to Clearwater Countryside in the district final. ... This is
Plant's first playoff appearance since 1996. ... Plant sophomore GK Loren
Shumard has allowed just 17 goals in 14 games. ... The Gators have two players
with more than 50 points - Kyle Crawford (56) and Justin Read (51).