Champions
By: Lyn Dowling
By anyone’s measure, striker Jackie Stengel had a tremendous Under-15 State Cup tournament for Space Coast United, with a bucket load of goals, some magnificently taken.
In the end, having hoisted the Florida Youth Soccer Association’s top team prize in Auburndale May 23, all Stengel could talk about was the quality of play rendered by her teammates at the back.
“We couldn’t have done it without our defenders. Cierra (Fisher), Eva (Banton), Mariah (Lewis) and Heather (Buck) played their hearts out and Karlyn (Prisco, the goalkeeper) was amazing.”
Indeed. United did score 14 goals in four matches, going back to the challenge and quarterfinal rounds in Palm Bay two weeks ago. But it also allowed only four goals during that time, including one in its 2-1 overtime victory over tough Brandon in Sunday’s final.
That match was even at nil through the half, when Coach Lynne Mills told her girls that although the defense was magnificent, the squad wasn’t “playing with the intensity they could have.” So the girls, who come from communities around Brevard County, turned it up, and in the 60th minute, Stengel scored.
That fired up both sides, and in the 78th minute, the Brevardians suffered a setback when Brandon finally pulled the goal back. United soon found itself in a familiar position – it had gone to overtime and penalty kicks in the semifinal match against HC United – but Stengel and one of those tough defenders, Banton came to the rescue in the 83rd minute. She sent a perfect through ball to Stengel, who put it away neatly.
The defense held on and SCU’s U-15 girls were State Cup winners.
“For once, none of my goals were cheap goals, but took some actual work,” Stengel said with a laugh. “But none of it would have been possible without those defenders.”
It was, and is, an emotional time for Mills, who has coached many of these girls for years and taken them to five State Cup final fours, never winning until this year. In a sense, the girls have grown up together.
“Oh my gosh, the emotion, the excitement . . . . just to see the looks on their faces was rewarding enough,” she said.
Mills spread the praise around liberally and made special note of a relative newcomer to the team, the quick and courageous Janay Campbell.
“Janay has no clue of the power or ability she has, or what the future could be for her . . . . She is relentless, fearless,” she said.
The girls already are back on the training pitches, as they will head to Baton Rouge June 17 through 23 to compete for the United States Youth Soccer Region III championship tournament.
“We just can’t wait,” Stengel said, laughing again. “You know, State Cup was fun and this is going to be fun.”
The Space Coast United Under-15 State Cup winning team are: Eva Banton, Erin Berube, Heather Buck, Taylor Cahoon, Janay Campbell, Hannah Debose, Taylor Eller, Cierra Fisher, Haley Gethin, Jordan Humbert, Mariah Lewis, Molly Meade, Kaelynne Mills, Karlyn Prisco, Jayla Reeves, Jackie Stengel and Olivia Thompson.
Sisters, sisters: Two State Cups for Stengel sisters this year?
Could the Stengel family of Viera have two State Cup medals hanging on their walls? They will if Katie Stengel’s Space Coast United’s Under-19 girls emulate Jackie Stengel’s younger sister-squad.
The U-19s, who are ranked first in the state, region and country, won their bracket in competition May 23 and will advance to their own championship weekend Saturday and Sunday, May 29 and 30, in Auburndale.
United ripped the much-heralded Dallas Texans Florida 4-0 and then fought HC United Red to a 1-1 result for their bracket championship. The top-seeded Vierans will face Jacksonville in Saturday’s semifinal, and then either Renegades or UC United again Sunday, should they win.
The semifinal match was nothing short of a tour de force for the Brevardians, who opened scoring in the second minute, Heather Botelho having sent a perfect ball to Nicole DiPerna, who crossed to Katie Stengel for the finish. In the 18th minute, Stengel danced over the ball and through the Dallas defenders (they actually are from Pensacola) to set up Michaela Hahn.
The third goal was a rocket shot by North Brevardian Hahn, who let rip from about 20 yards, giving the Dallas keeper no chance to save. The cake was iced in the second half by Stengel.
In Sunday’s match, Hahn scored Space Coast’s sole goal on a penalty kick.
“We did okay and were better in the second half, when we started knocking the ball around better. I think that Saturday’s game was a little lower (in quality of opposition) than we expected. Sunday’s was more challenging,” said the elder Stengel also a United States Under-18 Women’s National Team player. “Did you see what Jackie’s team did? They won the State Cup. How awesome is that?”
Added dad Scott Stengel, also familiar as a referee, “I tell you, I really thought this was going to be a dream season for me when the girls played together at Viera High School. thought they would win (Florida High School Athletic Association) 5A (state championship) and I thought they had Melbourne beat. State Cup would be icing on the cake.”
The frosting should be applied soon.
Want something publicized on Play Brevard? E-mail ldowling@cfl.rr.com.
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