Boys Soccer: PHU controls tempo, beats Countryside

The Palm Harbor University game plan may have had an atypical appearance, but Friday night's Class 6A, District 7 championship game ended in familiar playoff-time fashion for last year's 5A champs.

The Hurricanes (17-5-3) jumped on north county rival Countryside within the game's eighth minute and then sat back to dictate tempo en route to a 2-0 victory.

"We played a little bit differently than we did on Wednesday and in the past," said PHU coach Alex Delgado. "We had three in the back and a stopper to clog the middle up."

"I told the guys it's not going to be pretty on our part tonight and that we're just going to have to grind it out this time for 80 minutes."

PHU's first and deciding goal came off the forehead of P.J. McDonald after a nicely placed throw in from his brother, Patrick.

The physical, pulled-back strategy following that quick goal may have caught Countryside (15-9-1) off guard, Delgado said.

"I think we just kind of shell-shocked them right there in the beginning. I don't think they were ready for us to sit back like that."

Forward Ben Sweat largely put the game out of reach in the 59th minute by slamming home a left-footed one-timer inside the Countryside goal box. Cougars goalkeeper Hunter Maricle slapped out the initial shot from sophomore Charlie Hales, but an opportune Sweat was there for his 16th goal of the season.

Although the Hurricanes are still dinged up - as they have been practically all season - Delgado said he feels good about his team's overall health heading into regionals Thursday night. Midfielder Jeremy Paul, visibly cringing on the field, is still playing through right-shoulder issues and defender Vincent Esposito will be back in the lineup next week.

Prior to and after Sweat's clincher, Countryside was not without scoring opportunities in the game's final 40 minutes. Mike Lion's clean look in the 43rd minute was swallowed up by PHU keeper Josh Paul, Cory Sauerwine had a solid angle on a header but missed wide and senior Jagger Martinez sent a handful of indirect free kicks within the box to no avail.

Countryside outshot the Hurricanes 8-5.

"Josh had a great game tonight," Delgado said of his senior keeper. "He's been waiting three years for this opportunity. I told him this was his time and that he's going to be asked to step up and make some big stops."

The win marked PHU's second straight district title and ninth consecutive championship game appearance. They will now play host to District 6A-8 runner-up Bloomingdale on Thursday night at 7. The Bulls fell 3-2 to Plant, where Countryside will travel on Thursday.

BOX SCORE:

Countryside- 0 - 0 --- 0
Palm Harbor- 1 - 1 --- 2