Eagles Fall in State Title Game
Sat. February 11, 2012 at 9:39 p.m. | By Solange Reyner
George Jenkins players console each other after receiving the state runner-up medals after their FHSAA class 4A State Girls Soccer Championship game against Ida Baker at Corbett Stadiuma at the University of South Florida in Tampa on Saturday. (Photo by SCOTT WHEELER | THE LEDGER )
By SOLANGE REYNER
THE LEDGER
TAMPA | With 2 minutes left, George Jenkins' hopes and dreams of winning a state title came crashing down hard.
And it all happened so quickly, so suddenly.
There was an opening on the right side, a slight one.
Then, a pass from Ida Baker's Francis Farrella from the middle past Jenkins' Kacy Scarpa.
The winning play: A punch in by Baker's Monique Elliott, a goal that looked like it was saved by Jenkins goalkeeper Hannah Hays.
But then the referee signaled that it crossed the line.
And then came a big sigh of relief for Baker, a mad rush by teammates to hug Elliott on the East side of the University of South Florida's Soccer and Track Stadium and a wave of disappointment and shock for Jenkins.
The final score in the Class 4A state final: Baker 1, George Jenkins 0.
The outcome: A surprising one, considering how Jenkins dominated the game in several facets.
The Eagles (26-1) controlled ball possession throughout, had more shots on goal (4-2) and more scoring opportunities. Elliott's attempt, her first all game, was the second shot on goal for Baker, the lone team to beat Jenkins this season.
"I don't even really remember all of it," said Elliott, a junior. "I was dribbling it and shot it and saw it go in. I can't believe it."
Not many on George Jenkins' side could believe it either.
Eagles coach Marissa Kazbour was helping injured midfielder Jessie Scarpa off the field when it happened. When she looked back, she saw Baker celebrating.
"I don't even know how it was scored," Kazbour said.
Forward Tori Abnathy, pressured all game with not much space on the offensive side, thought Elliott didn't have a good look at the goal.
"I thought she was out wide. I thought we were going to go into PK's," Abnathy said.
And it seemed that this game was headed in that direction, considering the 0-0 stalemate through 78 minutes of grueling, gritty play.
Jenkins had its chances, though.
All game, the Eagles kept chipping away, inching closer to knocking one in.
But they couldn't capitalize on their opportunities, sometimes because of good goalie play by Baker's Amanda Kopale and other times because the shots were off a tad or because the wind was derailing attempts.
"In soccer you come up short when you can't score a goal," Kazbour said. "And that's what happened today."
There were two instances on Saturday where goals looked like a sure thing for Jenkins.
The first was Lauren Greene's attempt in the 51st minute, a rebound attempt after Jessie Scarpa's shot was blocked. Greene had a good look at the goal and was in good position, but her shot cleared way over the post.
Eleven minutes later, Abnathy found an opening after Bri Vidal played her a ball down the left. She broke through for a breakaway, but couldn't get a shot off in time before Kopale came out to stop her.
"They weren't really giving us a lot of space," Abnathy said. "We had tons of chances and we were controlling the game but we had trouble finishing."
In the end, Baker (26-2-4) managed to convert when it mattered most.
"We gave everything we could," Kacy Scarpa said. "It just wasn't our day."
The loss denied George Jenkins its second state soccer title. The Eagles won their only championship in 1998.
The state title victory was the first in Ida Baker High School history.
