Two teams make state finals
By Kyle LoJacono
Staff Writer
When the Wesley Chapel Soccer Club started five years ago it had only two teams. Today it has 20 with players from across central and east Pasco County.
Of those 20 teams, two have earned a place in the Florida Youth Soccer Association (FYSA) championship for the first time. The final is known as the President’s Cup and will be played April 20 and 21 in Auburndale.
“We started with two recreational teams and now we can compete with the more established clubs in the area,” said Bryn Lloyd, director for coaching of Wesley Chapel Soccer. “We had been more successful in the younger age groups, but now those kids are growing up and we are competitive at all levels.”
The teams that reached the finals are the U12 and U16 boys squads.
“It’s been a privilege to coach the team this last year,” said U12 boys coach Danny Collins. “If they keep performing together they can definitely win the cup.”
Collins started coaching the U12 team last May, which has players from Wesley Chapel and Land O’ Lakes.
“It’s been a great ride this season,” Collins said. “They obviously had great ability, but they’ve been able to reach a new level with their hard work.”
The other Wesley Chapel Flames team to reach the President’s Cup is the U16 boys squad, which has players from Wiregrass Ranch, Pasco, Land O’ Lakes and Sunlake high schools.
“It’s what I’ve been wanting to do since I joined the team,” said U16 midfielder Christian Monahan of making the finals. “I joined the club when it started five years ago and I’ve dreamed of making it to the state finals.”
Monahan is a freshman at Wesley Chapel High and has been playing soccer for 11 years. He scored all three of the team’s goals in the regional tournament March 20 and 21 in Auburndale.
“We’ve been very excited about the way our program has grown,” said U16 coach Patrick Zambito. “I’m very proud of them. There have been three components that have led to their success. Their composure, their self-discipline and their camaraderie.”
Zambito has been coaching the team for two seasons. He first started coaching 32 years ago at age 14.
“That was at the Town ‘N County Soccer League,” Zambito said. “I love coaching even more than playing. Coaching these kids has been a blast and we have more goals to accomplish.”
FYSA is divided into four regions across Florida and into divisions based on ability. The Flames and all teams from the Nature Coast south to Cape Coral are in Region C, which includes nearly 50 teams.
Top teams in each region compete in a regional tournament, with the winners from each age group advancing to the state finals. The U12 squad beat Temple Terrace in penalty kicks to advance to the finals.
“The culmination of everything has been big for me, but winning the regional tournament is the highlight” Collins said. “It’s a big step for the guys. They were down 1-0 and had to fight back to tie it in regulation. They just wouldn’t lose and I’m proud of their spirit.”
The U16 team saw a familiar opponent in its final game. Last year the team lost to Lehigh in the Division 2 Region C finals. Both teams moved up to Division 1, the highest level, and met again in the regional title game. This time Wesley Chapel got the win 1-0.
“It was really sweet justice to be able to come back and play the same team that beat us last year,” Zambito said. “We set a goal to make it back to the regional tournament this year and to get even. It’s poetic justice to be able to come back and beat Lehigh.”
Monahan agrees with his coach.
“The championship game was actually terminated because of weather,” Monahan said. “I scored with about 17 minutes left and it was delayed with 10 minutes on the clock. Later the officials told us that the game was over and that we’d won. It was a load off my shoulders to know we were going to the finals.”
The teams now have to wait until the state final four.
“We’ve been working out and training hard to be in great shape,” Monahan said. “Some of the other players on the team go to Wesley Chapel High with me and we are always talking about going to the finals. It’s all we talk about and we’re all antsy to get on the field.”
For more information on the league, visit www.wesleychapelsoccer.com.
