Auburndale Shuts Tenoroc Down

LEDGER CORRESPONDENT

AUBURNDALE | It's very hard to score a goal in soccer if you don't shoot the ball.

 

That proved to be the case as Tenoroc failed to get a shot on goal as Auburndale defeated the Titans 1-0 in the Class 3A, District 13 semi-finals at the Lake Myrtle soccer complex Tuesday night.

 

With the victory, the top-seeded Bloodhounds will play second-seeded Sebring, who scored with less than a minute left to turn back the challenge of Lake Wales 4-3 in the other semifinal to set up the title match at 7 p.m. on Friday.

 

In the first semifinal match, there was some controversy on the winning goal.

 

According to Highlanders coach Andres Rojas, it took the Blue Streaks a minute and a half to score when there was only thirty seconds of game action on the clock.

 

"The referee told me that there was thirty seconds left before the ball was even put down after the penalty and in the time it took the player (Riley Watson) to actually kick the ball it took longer than thirty seconds," Rojas said. "But the bottom line is we did not make a stop on defense when we had to and that is the most frustrating thing."

 

Watson kicked the ball to Marcelo Gori as he scored the game-winner.

 

Clayton Thornhill and Jonah Johnson scored the goals for the Highlanders, and Sebring actually put the ball in their own net which accounted for the visitors second goal.

 

Midfielder Kevin Pierre scored the only goal for Auburndale with two minutes left in the first half as after a scramble in front of the net, he knocked it into a open goal.

 

"We have to do a better job of finishing the shots," Bloodhounds coach Guy Jennings said.

 

Gilmer finished with ten saves in the match and the home team also had two goals negated by offside calls.