Young Eagles fly past foes

Sophomores and freshmen make the difference for Paxon's girls soccer team

from jacksonville.com

Paxon girls soccer coach Phong Le was prepared for his team to struggle somewhat this season.

On top of losing his top offensive threat and starting keeper to graduation, Le had to replace his entire defensive line after several players transferred and another, defensive leader Morgan Rittgers, was killed in a car accident in late August.

"Coming into the season, I didn't really know what to expect," said Le, who honored Rittgers by retiring her jersey and having armbands made with her number for his players to wear during games. "I didn't really expect anything."

Certainly not an 11-3-4 record heading into this week's District 4-4A tournament, but that's exactly where the Eagles find themselves.

Despite starting mostly sophomores and freshmen, Paxon's only losses are to Episcopal, Class 3A powerhouse Bolles and district rival Stanton in a double-overtime match.

"It took maybe a half a season before everybody started to settle in to their positions," Le said. "When we beat some of the decent teams like Orange Park and Stanton [during the regular season] and played well against Bishop Kenny, I knew we had something going."

That something is freshman forward Sarah Mahar. Le pointed to her as the catalyst for the Eagles' surprising success this season.

"If you see her, she's about 5-2. She weighs about 100 pounds or less," Le said. "She's really tiny, but she has a strong foot."

Mahar said her size can be deceptive to opposing teams, but the ruse doesn't last long.

"Since I'm so small, teams think they can just push me around," she said, "but then I get the ball, and they're like, 'Oh, snap, she's actually good.'"

Le said Mahar and junior Natania Carter form a solid scoring tandem that's difficult for teams to defend - even ones with speedy defenders, like Paxon's archrival, Stanton.

Stanton was without some of those defenders in the team's previous two meetings this season. Paxon won 2-1 during the regular season before Stanton avenged the loss with a 2-1 double-overtime victory in the Gateway Conference semifinals.

The teams will meet again Wednesday in the district semifinals, with the winner moving on to the district championship - and guaranteed of a spot in the regional playoffs.

Le said he hopes Stanton's top two defenders - Lipscomb signees Taylor Ann Summers and Katie Wood, who have been plagued by injury this season - will be healthy for the district tournament.

"I'd actually rather them play than not play," Le said, "because they won't have any excuse [if Paxon wins]."

In a district with three perennially competitive teams in Paxon, Stanton and No. 1 seed Bishop Kenny, a playoff worthy team is always left behind.

Le hopes this year his team can continue its unexpected run - and leave the Blue Devils watching regionals from the bleachers.

HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS SOCCER

District tournaments

Host schools in bold

District 1-6A

Teams: Fletcher, Gainesville Buchholz, Mandarin, Orange Park, Sandalwood.

Schedule: First round, Tuesday, Mandarin vs. Sandalwood, 6 p.m.; semifinals, Wednesday, Buchholz vs. Mandarin/Sandalwood winner, 5:30 p.m., Fletcher vs. Orange Park, 7:20 p.m.; championship, Friday, 7 p.m.

District 3-5A

Teams: Bartram Trail, Englewood, First Coast, Fleming Island, Lee, Parker, White, Wolfson.

Schedule: Quarterfinals, today, White vs. Parker, 5:30 p.m., Bartram Trail vs. Wolfson, 7:20 p.m., Tuesday, First Coast vs. Lee, 5:30 p.m., Fleming Island vs. Englewood, 7:20 p.m.; semifinals, Wednesday, 5:30 and 7:20 p.m.; championship, Friday, 7 p.m.

District 4-5A

Teams: Gainesville, Gainesville Eastside, Lake City Columbia, Leesburg, Ocala Forest, Ocala Lake Weir, Ocala Vanguard.

Schedule: First round, Tuesday, Eastside vs. Leesburg, 4 p.m., Columbia vs. Lake Weir, 6 p.m., Gainesville vs. Vanguard, 8 p.m.; semifinals, Wednesday, Gainesville/Vanguard winner vs. Eastside/Leesburg winner, 5:30 p.m., Columbia/Lake Weir winner vs. Forest, 7:30 p.m.; championship, Friday, 7 p.m.

District 3-4A

Teams: Alachua Santa Fe, Clay, Live Oak Suwannee, Middleburg, Ridgeview, Starke Bradford.

Schedule: First round, Tuesday, Suwannee vs. Ridgeview, 5:30 p.m., Middleburg vs. Bradford, 7:30 p.m.; semifinals, Wednesday, Santa Fe vs. Suwannee/Ridgeview winner, 5:30 p.m., Clay vs. Middleburg/Bradford winner, 7:30 p.m.; championship, Thursday, 7 p.m

District 4-4A

Teams: Bishop Kenny, Forrest, Jackson, Paxon, Stanton.

Schedule: First round, Tuesday, Jackson vs. Forrest, 6 p.m.; semifinals, Wednesday, Paxon vs. Stanton, 5:30 p.m., Bishop Kenny vs. Jackson/Forrest winner, 7:30 p.m.; championship, Friday, 6 p.m.

District 5-4A

Teams: Creekside, Menendez, Nease, Palatka, Palm Coast Matanzas, Ponte Vedra, Port Orange Atlantic, St. Augustine.

Schedule: Quarterfinals, Tuesday at Menendez: Ponte Vedra vs. Atlantic, 5:30 p.m., Menendez vs. Nease, 7:20 p.m.; quarterfinals, Tuesday at St. Augustine: Creekside vs. Palatka, 5:30 p.m., St. Augustine vs. Matanzas, 7:20 p.m.; semifinals, Thursday at Menendez, 5:30 and 7:20 p.m.; championship, Friday at Menendez, 7 p.m.

District 3-3A

Teams: Fort White, Gainesville P.K. Yonge, Newberry, Williston.

Schedule: Semifinals, Tuesday, P.K. Yonge vs. Newberry, 5 p.m., Fort White vs. Williston, 7 p.m.; championship, Thursday, 7 p.m.

District 4-3A

Teams: Bishop Snyder, Bolles, Episcopal, Fernandina Beach, Ribault, Trinity Christian, West Nassau.

Schedule: First round, Tuesday, West Nassau vs. Bishop Snyder, 5 p.m., Fernandina Beach vs. Trinity Christian, 6:45 p.m., Episcopal vs. Ribault, 8 p.m.; semifinals, Wednesday, 5:30 and 7:30 p.m.; championship, Friday, 7 p.m.

District 5-3A

Teams: Crescent City, Interlachen, Keystone Heights, Pierson Taylor.

Schedule: Semifinals, Tuesday, Crescent City vs. Pierson Taylor, 5 p.m., Keystone Heights vs. Interlachen, 7 p.m.; championship, Friday, 7 p.m.

District 3-2A

Teams: Eagle's View, Mandarin Christian, Providence, St. Johns Country Day, University Christian.

Schedule: First round, today, Eagle's View vs. Mandarin Christian, 5:30 p.m.; semifinals, Tuesday, Providence vs. University Christian, 5:30 p.m., St. Johns Country Day vs. Eagle's View/Mandarin Christian winner, 7:20 p.m.; championship, Thursday, 7 p.m.

District 4-2A

Teams: Florida Deaf, Gainesville Oak Hall, Gainesville St. Francis, St. Joseph.

Schedule: Semis, Tuesday, St. Joseph vs. Oak Hall, 5 p.m., St. Francis vs. Florida Deaf, 7 p.m.; championship, Thursday, 7 p.m.