West Orange soccer edges Evans in PKs, advances to regional championship

WINTER GARDEN — It’s hard to beat a good team three times in one season.

The West Orange boys soccer team realized just how hard that task can be Tuesday night, when the Evans Trojans, whom the Warriors had defeated once in the regular season and then again in the district championship just two weeks ago, gave them all they could handle in the FHSAA Class 5A Region 1 Semifinals.

After a scoreless regulation game and two scoreless overtime periods, West Orange edged the Trojans in penalty kicks, 5-4, to advance to Friday’s Class 5A Region 1 Championship.

“I told the team yesterday, ‘Part of the reason it’s hard to beat a team three times is because you kind of do the same thing you’ve done to win, and the other team gets better and knows what they have to do,’” coach Scott Fisher said. “I said, ‘We have to strive to be better then we have been.’

“(Evans) left four in the defense and took (our offense) away and basically made it a running game — which is their game,” he said. 

Senior midfielder Anthony Schultes kicked the fifth and deciding penalty kick for the Warriors (12-1-4) and was mobbed by his teammates after the ball found its way to the back of the net. West Orange converted all five of its penalty kicks, while Evans (19-6-3) had one kick sail just over the goal, creating the opportunity for the Schultes to seal the win for the Warriors.

“I saw Felipe Silva score his (penalty kick), and he came over and said, ‘You’re going to make it,’” Schultes said, recalling the pressure-packed moment. “I was just thinking, ‘Just put it to the right corner and don’t change your mind.’ … Once it went in, my mind went blank.”

West Orange now will host Flagler Palm Coast, which defeated Mandarin (Jacksonville), at 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 6, for the Region 1 Championship. 

The winner will advance to the FHSAA Class 5A State Semifinals in Melbourne next week.

Lakers fall to Orangewood

The Windermere Prep boys soccer team saw its season come to a close Tuesday afternoon with a 6-0 lost to host Orangewood Christian in the regional semifinals of the FHSAA Class 1A State Tournament.

The Lakers had gone on the road and defeated Father Lopez, 3-1, in the regional quarterfinals Jan. 29 before falling to the Rams.