from Miami Herald

photos from the game

You had the feeling Saturday afternoon that if the Jacksonville Bolles girls' soccer team had gotten near the Class 3A girls' state title trophy that Jannel Johnson would have ripped it out of their hands.

That's how determined Johnson is.

That's how headstrong Johnson plays.

And that's how inspiring she is to everyone at American Heritage.

Johnson dominated play in both the state semifinal and final in Tampa, where Heritage won it all with a 2-1 victory over Bolles.

The Patriots (25-2-2) scored four goals in the two games and Johnson was a part of three of them, including the game-tying and winning goals in the semifinal victory over St. Andrew's on Friday and the game winner Saturday.

A PERFECT CROSS

There was Johnson, a freshman, driving by and weaving through three defenders, and firing a perfect cross to Kleopatra Ruddock, who slammed in the game winner in the 72nd minute Saturday.

''She gives me faith,'' Ruddock said. `` She is so young with all that pressure. She just makes us all want to play harder.''

It's hard to imagine anyone playing harder than Johnson, whose speed, strength and skill helped carry Heritage all year.

Her secret?

''My brother and my parents,'' she said.

Give brother Jamile a big assist on the game winner. Jamile slammed in the game winner for Heritage's boys' soccer team in the state title game last year.

''Before the game, he told me how proud he was of me,'' Jannel said. ``That made me just want to work harder. And I really wanted to win it for the seniors.''

Heritage didn't put this one away until the 72nd minute, but that's the way the Patriots play.

''We have been doing that all year,'' said coach Phil Zayas. ``We have a lot of players who can score at the end of the game, and Jannel has been doing it all year.

``There's no doubt if the game is on the line you can give the ball to Jannel.''

A BEAUTIFUL GOAL

Heritage scored early on a beautiful goal by sophomore Amunique Scott, who fired in a shot from about 20 yards out in the 23rd minute. Bolles knotted it 1-1 with a free kick from the top of the box by Caroline Triglia in the 61st minute. Zayas wasn't worried.

Johnson scored late in the semifinal and then set up the game winner by Haliegh Stremanos, who beat St. Andrew's with 48 seconds left Friday.

''We always believe we will win,'' Johnson said.

Why not? The Patriots beat Bolles 3-0 earlier this season, and went unbeaten when they were at full strength.

When the starters were there, it was almost impossible to score on Heritage, which gave up only five goals in the 25 victories, including the two goals scored in Tampa. Zayas was also confident because Heritage took such a tough path to get to the title game.

'I looked at their scores of some of [Bolles'] games and they had an easier time getting here,'' he said. ``I told the kids before the game that we really had to earn our opportunity to be here. We worked hard and we earned it. They earned it today.''