Northeast Florida high school girls soccer regional finals: Creekside, Fletcher among winners

Clayton Freeman, Florida Times-Union

February 16, 2022 at 10:04 AM·5 min read

Fletcher center back Bowen Phillips (12) shields the ball from Fleming Island midfielder Catalina Broadbridge (18) in the FHSAA Region 1-6A girls soccer championship on February 15, 2022. [Clayton Freeman/Florida Times-Union]

With a grand total of one goal before Tuesday night, Sawyer Reynolds wasn't used to the feeling.

"When I left my foot," she said, "I was like, 'Wow, I think that might be going in.'"

The junior was right, and the result — the second of two long-range goals on the night — lifted Fletcher past host Fleming Island 2-1 in double overtime to win the Florida High School Athletic Association Region 1-6A girls soccer championship.

The Senators' next stop: A Friday night state semifinal at Jack Taylor Stadium against Viera, their first final-four game since 2002.

Seven minutes into overtime, Reynolds lined up from more than 30 yards and drove a strike into the net past Golden Eagles senior goalkeeper Mackenzie Kirk. For Reynolds, normally the most defensive of Fletcher's midfield quartet, the goal was only her second of the season.

"With Sawyer on that second goal, finding that space and hitting that shot was just unbelievable," Fletcher coach Bradley Plummer said.

Once more, the matchup of the district rivals proved as tight as in the past. The teams tied 2-2 in the regular season, and Fletcher edged Fleming Island (15-4-1) on penalty kicks in last month's district semifinals.

Fletcher (16-5-2), which had only sporadically threatened to score early, had rallied from a second-half deficit in the 68th minute on an even longer goal when Josey Rossignol took aim from nearly the corner flag and found the far side netting. Fleming Island took the initial 43rd-minute lead when Lily Graham broke in behind the defense and chipped the ball past Senators keeper Taylor Sweat.

But despite heavy pressure from the Golden Eagles, a Fletcher defense of Sweat and the back four of Avery Langlois, Bowen Phillips, Mia Diaz and Evie Poland held firm. The Senators particularly limited the opportunities for Fleming Island attacking midfielders Kaitlyn Scherer and Taylor Tamares to receive the ball around the box.

Fletcher players congratulate Sawyer Reynolds (13) after her game-winning goal against Fleming Island in the FHSAA Region 1-6A girls soccer championship on February 15, 2022. [Clayton Freeman/Florida Times-Union]

"This is a really special group," Plummer said. "They don't ever quit fighting."

Now, the Senators stand two games away from history. No Duval County public school has won an FHSAA title in boys or girls soccer — but if they beat Viera Friday night and either Land O'Lakes or Miami Lourdes in the state final next week at Spec Martin Stadium in DeLand, they'll be writing their names in the First Coast's history books.

"It's a great feeling," Reynolds said. "It's so exciting, and this is what it's all about."

How they got here: Creekside stuns Bartram Trail, Fletcher wins

Girls soccer leaderboard: Final Northeast Florida regular season stats leaders

Region 1-7A

They're off to the semifinals.

One game removed from their upset of U.S. No. 1 Bartram Trail, Creekside kept the momentum rolling with a 4-2 win at Lake Brantley to earn the region title.

Paige McSwigan scored a pair of goals and the Knights held off a second-half rally by the Patriots (14-3-1) to seal the victory from the fifth seed.

Creekside (17-3-1) will play at home on Friday against Palm Harbor University with a trip to the state final on the line.

Ava Matherne (5) takes control of the ball during the Stanton vs Gulf Breeze girls 1-5A Regional Final championship game at Gulf Breeze High School on Tuesday, Feb. 15, 2022.

Region 1-5A

The playoff dream ended for Stanton, going down to a 2-0 loss at Gulf Breeze (15-3-1).

Dolphins forward Ava Matherne scored in each half to overcome the Blue Devils (11-6-1) and extend Gulf Breeze's shutout streak to seven games.

The junior forward broke free in the 12th minute, burying a shot past Blue Devils freshman goalkeeper Savannah Yerger to put the hosts up 1-0. Five minutes into the second half, Matherne scored her second after a long ball by Delaney Williams and a Stanton misplay.

Region 1-3A

Sixth-seeded Providence upset P.K. Yonge 3-2 in the region final on Tuesday night, punching the Stallions' ticket to the Final Four for the first time ever.

Providence will travel to Class 3A No. 1 Lakeland Christian Friday.

"They're lighting the fire themselves," Stallions coach Rylie Hirst said. "Again, not feeling super respected and kinda being the underdog the whole tournament. I think they want this more than any team has ever wanted it. I'm feeling pretty confident going in."

In the 15th minute, Providence opened the scoring with a free kick. Senior Marisa Dill sent the ball flying towards the upper right corner of the goal, where it ricocheted off the goal post and slipped past P.K. Yonge's eighth-grade goalkeeper, Norah Pancoast.

After more than 20 minutes of physical, back-and-forth play, Dill and the Stallions (12-3-2) struck again on a shot that squeezed just below the crossbar and off the fingertips of Pancoast. Providence tacked on another goal with a high shot from junior Ansley Cryan, making the score 3-0 with 31 minutes to play.

Freshman Faith Hardy got P.K. Yonge (14-2-2) on the board just before the second-half water break and added a penalty kick that cut the Stallions' lead to one goal with 19 minutes to play, but Providence held on.

"We were never behind and our girls just had to change their mentality that we were still winning the game and everyone had to work the full 20 minutes left in the game," Hirst said. "Some seniors stepped up and dropped to defense and really helped us out there."

Ainslie Lee/Gainesville Sun

Region 1-2A

The regional championship streak goes on — this time in a milestone win for St. Johns Country Day coach Mike Pickett.

Julia Boaventura netted a hat trick and St. Johns Country Day poured on the goals for an 8-0 victory over Christ's Church as Pickett earned his 500th career win, setting up a Friday night state semifinal against Westminster Academy.

The Spartans (17-3-1), state champions for 10 consecutive seasons, broke through after 15 minutes of solid Eagle resistance on three goals in three minutes. Ava Johnson converted a tap-in, Boaventura scored from the top of the box and Hannah Lemieux scored from long range to open the floodgates.

Lemieux also added a second goal, while Lauryn Mateo and Essie Melicharek scored once each.

The Eagles conclude their deepest-ever playoff run at 15-4-1.

The Pensacola News-Journal contributed to this story.

Clayton Freeman covers high school sports and more for the Florida Times-Union. Follow him on Twitter at @CFreemanJAX.

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: 2021-22 high school girls soccer regional finals in Jacksonville area

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