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More Youth Sports

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The Marco Island Charter Middle School girls soccer team went into the first Collier County Middle School Soccer League Championships undefeated.

Led by Amanda Lopez, the Lady Eagles were the No. 1 South seed, going up against the North’s No. 2 seed, Oakridge.

While they ran up against a scrappy Oakridge team, high winds were a major factor in all games.

Two of the four top seeds were upset in the semifinals that resulted in the 1-2 seeds in the North Division playing off in the girls championship, while the 1-2 seeds in the South Division playing for the boys title.

In most games the team with the wind to its back scored more often.

Oakridge took advantage of the wind, scoring three times in the first half against the Lady Eagles; when the Eagles got the wind they scored twice. With momentum in their favor, it looked like the Eagles would tie the game.

Instead, Oakridge, who was pressured all through the second half, got a break away to seal the game. Lopez got the Eagles first goal on a penalty kick. Natasha Schenk, who scrapped the entire game, got the other score.

Tom Garousi, girls assistant coach, said, “The wind was a big factor and the (Oakridge) team showed strong skills in controlling the ball. Our girls played a great game and had a great season.”

The Lady Eagles, 3-1 in the county league, begin its spring season on Friday, hosting First Baptist Academy. The junior varsity plays at 4 and the varsity at 5 p.m.

Oakridge lost to North Naples, 4-2, in the championship game.

In the boys semifinals, the South’s No. 2 seed East Naples shocked North’s No. 1 seed Corkscrew, winning, 3-1, scoring all its goals with the wind at its back.

The other semifinal saw the South’s No. 1 seed Golden Gate and North’s No. 2 seed Immokalee not worrying about the wind, they were just trying to score. It was 0-0 at the end of regulation and two overtimes. In a shootout, Golden Gate won, 5-4, when Golden Gate goalie Jobner Destin blocked Immokalee’s last-shot try to tie the score.

In the championship game, Golden Gate used the wind to build a 2-0 lead in the first half. In the second half, East Naples had the wind and scored once. If it hadn’t been for Golden Gate’s Destin, who made three point-blank stops, East Naples might have won.

Joseph Suazo and Victor Beltran scored for Golden Gate and Antonio Antonacio got East Naples’ goal.

Joe Kemper, county schools coordinator of Student Drug Testing and Interscholastic Athletics, was pleased.

“I think it was a great season, a great success,” he said. “From all reports it was really a positive, bringing excitement to all the schools. Several referees told me that the spirit was unbelievable. They also said that the games drew more fans than high school games.”