Dr. Phillips girls soccer falls in district final, will face Oviedo in regionals | Observer Preps

In the District 5A-4 Final, the Dr. Phillips Panthers girls soccer team was unable to convert on multiple chances to score, eventually falling to the host Apopka Blue Darters 1-0.

“Apopka is one of the strongest teams in the district, so I knew that it was going to be a very tight game,” Dr. Phillips Head Coach Donald George said. “Apopka came out, they played very hard, and they were very hard to break down.”

The lone goal of the game came for the Blue Darters (16-6-1) with 19 minutes remaining in the first half.

Despite the loss, the Panthers advance to the regional quarterfinals of the FHSAA Class 5A Playoffs on February 6 — though they now face a daunting task.

Dr. Phillips (17-2-1) will go on the road to take on the nationally-ranked Oviedo Lions (18-0) — winners of consecutive state titles in Class 5A in 2015-16 and 2016-17. 

“We’re gonna rest this weekend, have a strong week of practice, and we’re gonna prepare for Oviedo,” said George.