District boys soccer crown at stake tonight in St. Joe

On Wednesday night, the Seahawks’ boys varsity soccer team, seeded #2 in the district, tangled with district rival, the #3 seed, Knights of Rocky Bayou High School in a District 1-1A semi-final match. 

Franklin County shut out the Knights 2-0 and now are poised to play Port St. Joe, a 6-0 winner over Freeport in the other district semi-final, for the district championship tonight. 

The championship game has been moved from Niceville to Port St. Joe, to be played at 7 p.m. Port St. Joe will be the home team and Franklin County the guest. Three Emerald Coast officials from Okaloosa County will be at the game. 

Wearing their “whites,” the Seahawks advanced to the district championship game, with an impressive defensive showing.  The Seahawks looked to score first, by distributing the ball wide to their outside midfielders, Zack Howze and Alex Causey.  This opened up the Knights’ defensive backfield and the offensive prowess of Elton Olvera, with four shots on goal; and Graham Kirvin and Zack Howze, each with one shot on goal, were on display for the large crowd gathered at the Twin Oaks Sports Complex in Niceville.

Olvera scored early in the first half, off an assist from Kirvin.  With the Seahawks leading 1-0 at the water break, things seemed to be going well.  The Knights were aggressive and would not roll over, so the Seahawk defense had their hands full right before the half.  Defensemen Tanner Klink, Javeion Winfield, Julio Ramirez and Billy Harris negated most of their scoring opportunities in the Seahawks defensive third, with the six shots that got through squelched by Seahawk net minder, Daniel Carrino.  In fact, the Seahawks played team defense very well.  The only cause for alarm was an officiating crew which would not let either team play soccer and instead began issuing free kicks and yellow cards, like they were handing out candy.  In the first half alone, the Knights were given six free kicks off what were deemed “unsportsmanlike” conduct penalties, and both Klink and Olvera were cited with a yellow card.

The second half was similar as the Seahawks increased pressure on offense and clamped down on the Knights with their defense.  Kirvin led all Seahawks in the second half with three shots on goal, while Olvera with two, and Howze, Ramirez and James Newell each added one shots on goal.  The bizarre officiating continued late into the game with four fouls called on the Seahawks and five on the Knights.  Seahawk James Harris and an unnamed Knight each earned a yellow card. 

As the officiating grew more ridiculous, Seahawks coach Jono Williams apparently complained one too many times, and he too, was yellow carded.  Regardless, the Seahawks continued to play possession soccer and with only a few minutes left in the game, a throw-in from Howze flew over the top of a Knight defender, to the feet of a sprinting Olvera, who let fly with a cross.  The ball found the feet of Kirvin inside the six-yard box and was promptly shot.  Initially it was blocked by the desperate leg of a Knight defender but Kirvin recollected the loose ball and shot again, this time finding nothing but net and giving the Seahawks a 2-0 victory. 

Junior Daniel Carrino was awarded Player of the Match, making seven saves, including a brilliant diving save off a Knight free kick. This was his fourth shutout this season.

Joe Shields serves as assistant to coach Jono Williams of the Seahawk boys soccer team.