Fit To Be Untied...Hudson Snaps 18-Year Hex

BROOKSVILLE - None of the members of the current Hudson High Lady Cobras girls' soccer team was born when the West Pasco club last defeated Springstead High.
It's been even longer since the school has ever hoisted a district soccer championship.
That all changed late Friday night.
It took 18 years, 23 losses, and two ties for top-seeded Hudson to have yet another chance in solving nemesis and No. 2 seed Springstead entering the Class 4A, District 8 final at Nature Coast Technical's Shark Tank Stadium.
If last winter's second-half Cobra meltdown wasn't motivation enough -- Hudson led 2-0 before rolling over in overtime 3-2 -- maybe the two team's pair of scoreless draws this winter just added even more fuel to the rivalry fire.
On a misty Friday night, however, the two teams battled yet again to a scoreless draw during regulation.
Then through two additional 10-minute overtimes, neither team could solve matters.
Then through National Federation of State High School guidelines, the teams prepped for the risky penalty kicks.
Each squad would alternate sending five players up against the other team's goalkeeper for a penalty kick attempt.
In the third and deciding overtime session, Hudson connected on three PKs while Springstead countered with one to permit the Lady Cobras to cart home its first-ever district championship, 1-0.
What did second-year Hudson Head Coach Christine Rizzieri tell her troops prior to PKs?
"What I told them was don't change your mind and hit it low and hard into the corners," recalled Rizzieri. "We practiced them over and over preparing for this level. It paid off."
Was the wait long enough?
"The kids were not gonna be denied tonight," Rizzieri gleamed. "Our district's two best teams were here. We've created such a great rivalry. You gotta credit both teams for playing so hard, so long. Fortunately, tonight we came out on top."
On Thursday night, defending Class 4A State Champion Orlando-Bishop Moore captured the 4A-7 title by edging Eustis in double overtime, 3-2.
The Cobras will now host 4A-7 runner-up Eustis on Thursday while Springstead will travel to Bishop Moore for the Class 4A, Region II quarterfinal round.

Deciding matters

Though the teams combined for 16 shots on goal, neither team could decide who the best was for 260 minutes -- featuring three scoreless games in regulation and two overtimes.
That changed in PKs.
In the third OT, Springstead won the flip and decided to go on defense first.
And why not?
Senior goalkeeper Jennifer DeFrancesco had just concluded recording her school-record 17th shutout.
In fact, after denying Hudson's seven shots behind three saves through 100 minutes, DeFrancesco tied 1995-96 county record of 17 shutouts in one season by Hernando High's Eliza Loveday.
The strategy appeared to immediately pay off as Hudson sent its first shooter, sophomore Alicia Schuering, who was quickly stoned by DeFrancesco.
On alternating tries, it was now Springstead's first chance behind sophomore Cristina Passafaro (11 goals). But as the gathered masses standing along the sidelines hushed to a whisper, Passafaro's shot right down the middle was blocked by Hudson goalie, sophomore Jessica Imbimbo.
Hudson junior Michelle Lang gave the Cobras some momentum with a shot that deflected off the arms of DeFrancesco, but found the back of the net, 1-0 Cobras.
SHS countered by sending up freshman defender Kaitlyn Duke (zero goals this winter), who missed wide left.
Next, Hudson High sent junior defender Katy Assaf, who like Duke, pulled her PK attempt, wide left.
Springstead freshman Alyson Brady (5 goals) followed by crushing a liner into the lower right corner to tie matters, 1-1.
It now boiled down to the final two members for each squad.
Hudson senior Melissa Wysong buried her PK attempt into the same spot Brady converted, 2-1 Cobras.
SHS freshman Ashley Walker, who produced the critical assist on Thursday night in the second overtime that led to the winning goal, entered the match with 12 goals.
This time, however, Walker's shot down the middle was swatted down by Imbimbo.
Up stepped the team's leading scorer, junior Lindsay Zullo.
Zullo was looking to apply the dagger.
Zullo, who had already tallied six goals this week during the district tourney, fired a missile into the lower left corner of the net to oust Springstead, 3-1.
As Zullo's shot landed into the back of the net, her teammates and friends immediately mobbed her in celebration.
Only if Zullo had missed would the Lady Eagles been given one final shot to tie. It never came.

Reaction

It took 18-plus years, but Hudson had finally solved Sprinsgtead in an emotionally draining match.
"This (win) feels fantastic," expressed the 16-year-old Lang. "We've never done this before. It's relieving that it's finally over."
How difficult was it?
"It was so hard because Springstead is such a good team," replied Lang. "When it finally got down to PKs, it's mind over matter. We all really wanted this. We deserved this 100 percent."
Does it get any better?
"Words can not describe this," smiled Lang. "There are no words to compare. This is what everyone dreamed for."
Zullo echoed Lang's sentiments.
"I'm not sure words can describe this," insisted the 16-year-old Zullo. "It was amazing. It came right down to the wire, like it always has against them. We were real determined to win, especially after what happened last year."
How monumental was the triumph?
"It (win) was huge, it's the school's first-ever district title," added Zullo. "We played good, but we can all play better."
What was mindset approaching the final PK attempt?
"I just put my head down," recalled Zullo. "And I struck it well."
Springstead's third-year Head Coach Polo Furlong was disappointed that the Lady Eagles could not produce their county-record fifth district crown but was not disappointed with his team's efforts.
"We battled all night," he commented. "Again, it boiled down to a one-goal match. But when you can't win in between the lines, it comes down to penalty kicks. I told our girls, there's no reason to cry or hang your head. We gave it out absolute best effort."
What about DeFrancesco's new record?
"It's terrific for her," he answered. "The team has played tremendous around her."

Hudson 1, Springstead 0 (3-1 PKs)
Hudson 0 0 0 0 3- 0
Springstead 0 0 0 0 1- 0
Goals - none.
Assists - none.
Shots on goal - SPG: 9; HUD: 7.
Saves - HUD: Imbimbo 3. SPG: DeFrancesco 6.
Yellow Cards - SPG: Brady, McKinney (unsporting behavior).
Blue Cards - none.
Red Cards - none.
Records: Springstead (17-3-4 overall), Hudson (20-3-2 overall).