Streaking Eagles Cage Wolves

How hot are the Springstead Eagles?
Even without two starters Monday night at Booster Stadium, Tyler Callaghan in Orlando and Terry Wald in Montana, the Eagles did something it could not do in three attempts at 2007's Ridgewood High's Winter Classic Soccer Tournament - namely win a match.
This time a year later in the same venue, Springstead Head Coach Sal Calabrese's crew continued in excel on both ends of the pitch against their first-round opponent, 6-2-1 Lithia-Newsome.
On the defensive end, sophomore goalkeeper Joey Lasala stoned three point blank shots in the first 2 1/2 minutes of the match.
Lasala ended up with 10 saves on the night and came within seven minutes of notching his third consecutive shutout.
On the offensive end, Nathan Leathers, Josh Peirce, Aaron Walasek and Stephan Philippeaux tallied goals while Philippeaux, Tyler Gerard and Matt Campbell added assists in securing Springstead's seventh consecutive win, 4-1.
The Eagles (10-3-2 overall), who stretched their unbeaten streak to three weeks and eight matches, face Pompano Beach-Ely in one of two tourney semifinals at 5 p.m. Tuesday at Ridgewood High School.
In Monday's other first-round action, Clearwater High edged Seffner-Armwood, 2-1, Tampa-Alonso rallied from an early 1-0 hole with eight unanswered goals to crush St. Petersburg Catholic, 8-1, before Ely solved host Ridgewood, ?-?.

Wolves: Lasala was the difference

According to second-year Wolves Head Coach Neal Rickmers, Newsome fell victim to a hot goalkeeper in Lasala. The loss snapped the Wolves' four-match win skein. Newsome's defense had also not given up four goals in any match.
Due to the holidays, the Hillsborough County team also arrived in West Pasco County with only 11 of its 24 rostered players in uniform.
"The difference?" stated Rickmers. "We ran into a hot goalie. He's (Lasala) is the best goalie we've faced all year. We took several good shots early and he stopped 'em and their first two shots went in. That's a big swing.
"It didn't help we were missing half our team," shrugged Rickmers, whose lone bright spot was Anthony Gonzalez's fourth goal of the season following a Tyler Carlson feed to break up Lasala's shutout bid with seven minutes remaining in the match.
Biggest positive?
"We never gave up," insisted Rickmers. "After they scored their first couple goals, we stuck to our plan. They're (Springstead) tough. They're a quality team. We're used to playing on 55-yard wide pitches. Tonight playing on a field this wide was kind a worst case scenario. We're used to playing tight fields."
From the other end of the sideline, Coach Calabrese pointed out the team's first two goals within the game's initial eight minutes were huge.
"The two early goals were big," said Calabrese. "The third one was the nail in the coffin. "On the fourth, you could see their (Newsome) heads go down. But we kept telling the kids to continue to play hard, we didn't want to end up like the Bucs did yesterday, thinking we had the game won."
What about losing the shutout?
"Sure, I would have liked a clean sheet (shutout)," expressed Calabrese. "But I thought we played well, especially early. We had a few guys that already played matches in the morning (with their club teams). The kids deserve all the credit they've worked so hard to get this far."

Scoring summary

After Lasala stoned the Wolves' first three shot attempts, Philippeaux countered by crossing the ball to Leathers, who scored his second goal of the season at 3:25, 1-0 Eagles.
Five minutes later, Campbell notched his third assist on the season on Peirce's fourth goal, 2-0 Eagles.
Oddly enough, the team's first two goals were left-footed efforts.
"The difference this year is all the hard work we've put in," explained the 17-year-old Peirce. "The team is doing a lot better (than last year). I thought Joey (Lasala) played good; he had several saves."
At 32:00, Gerard's cross found a streaking Walasek along the far post for an easy tap in, 3-0.
"I'm been waiting a long time for that first goal," commented the 16-year-old Walasek. "I received a really good cross. Right now, we're playing real well because we're passing well and communicating real well."
Six minutes into the second half, Philippeaux upped the ante behind his eighth goal of the season from six yards, 4-0.
"For me the difference this year is confidence," added the 17-year-old Philippeaux. "I know I need to step it up because I'm a senior. Right now, our defense is playing real well, too. There aren't too many people faster than anybody we've got in the back. Tonight was the best match I've ever seen Joey play. We'll go as far as he takes us."

Springstead 4, Newsome 1
SPG 3 1 - 4
NEW 0 1 - 1
Goals - NEW: Gonzalez; SPG: Leathers, Peirce, Walasek, Philippeaux.
Assists - NEW: Carlson; SPG: Campbell, Gerard, Philippeaux.
Shots on goal - NEW: 14; SPG: 8.
Saves - NEW: Hollingsworth 2; SPG: Lasala 10.
Yellow Cards - NEW: Carbone (dissent).
Blue Cards - none.
Red Cards - none.
Records: Newsome (6-3-1), Springstead (10-3-2).