Spartans ousted in state regional

Florida - November can be a cruel month for are high school soccer teams. It certainly was for the Seward Spartan soccer team. Champions of Division V of the OCL, Champions of Section 9 Class C. Nineteen straight games without a loss (there were two ties.) The twentieth, and ultimately the last game of the year, was the opening State Regional game against Section 1’s Keio Academy. Keio, the defending state champions, had to struggle early, but their superior skills and experience eventually wore down the gallant band of Spartans as Florida suffered its first loss of the season, 4-0. The Spartans finish the season at 17-1-2. For almost one half the Spartan defense, sparked by keeper Wayne Hallock, kept Keio at bay. However, with two minutes left in the first half, Hallock misjudged a long crossing pass, allowing a Keio player to head in the first score of the game. Apparently that goal perked up the defending champs and put a damper on the Spartans’ charge. Despite an all-out effort by the Spartans to start the second half, it was Keio that chalked up two more tallies early in the second half. The 4-0 final was probably a fairly accurate barometer of the skill level of the two teams. The Florida crew and coach Bill Steele can look back on a super season. This was a team that lost much of its firepower from last year, a year in which they were eliminated in the state Class D semi-finals. Moving up a notch to Class C was not much of a hindrance at all. A similar loss will occur next year as eight seniors will be departing through graduation. Scoring threats like Bryan Folkl and Rich Nozkowski will be missed. On defense twin towers of strength, Brenden Myers and Mickey Collins, will be gone. Other departing seniors are Steve Sinisi, Lee Buelta, Kevin Walter and Kyle O’Sullivan. Fortunately, many of those names will still be popping up in basketball and baseball. They’ll bring that same high energy to the court and the diamond as they did to the soccer field. Play on.