The Apopka boys soccer team dusted off years of disappointment last week while earning a spot in the FHSAA region tournament for the first time in more than a decade.
The Blue Darters (9-6-4) got a pair of goals from Karson Vazquez and the game-winning score from Jovan Gudino during a 3-1 upset win Thursday night at Boone (8-5-1) in a Class 7A District 3 semifinal.
Apopka advances to region play for the first time since 2007, according to the FHSAA boys soccer record book. Boone, the top seed in the district, had its season cut short just one year after finishing as large-class state runner-up.
“It feels good to see the guys fired up about it,” said Apopka second-year coach Doug Matthews. “Now they know our next goal is to try to go out and win the district title, but they’re excited to be in the playoffs no matter what.”
Apopka faces Ocoee (8-3-4) in the district final on Tuesday at 5 p.m. at Lake Brantley High School. Ocoee defeated Lake Brantley in the other semifinal.
Lake Mary (17-2-1), No. 5 in the Sentinel Super Six Orlando area rankings, hosts Port Orange Spruce Creek (16-0-1) in the 7A-3 final on Tuesday. No. 2 Cypress Creek (12-1-2) faces Davenport Ridge Community (12-0-0) at Celebration High School and No. 4 Trinity Prep (12-1-1) hosts rival Lake Highland Prep (3-5-1) in other championship games.
Oviedo High School is the site of 7A-4 semifinals Wednesday. Those matchups include Super Six No. 3 Winter Park (10-1-3) vs. No. 6 Timber Creek (12-3-1) at 5:30 p.m. and No. 1 Lake Nona (9-0-4) vs. Hagerty (8-7-0) at 7:30 p.m.
Matthews, who previously spent 26 years coaching the Apopka girls soccer program, took over a boys team that won just two games two years ago. The Blue Darters improved by only one win last season and now, with five seniors on roster, get a taste of what’s eluded the program for so long.
“The seniors have gone through some rough years,” said Matthews. “They know the history and know that the Apopka boys have struggled, and sometimes that’s been tough on them. But you can see the difference from talking to them earlier in the year and, getting them to believe, to where they are now. They deserve it.”
This article originally appeared on OrlandoSentinel.com. Email J.C. Carnahan at jcarnahan@orlandosentinel.com.
Boys soccer playoffs
Class 7A, District 2
Semifinals
Port Orange Spruce Creek 1, Seminole 0 (19-18 PKs)
Lake Mary 3, DeLand 2 (OT)
Final, Tuesday
Spruce Creek at Lake Mary, 7:30
Class 7A, District 3
At Lake Brantley
Semifinals
Apopka 3, Boone 1
Ocoee 4, Lake Brantley 0
Final, Tuesday
Ocoee vs. Apopka, 5
Class 7A, District 4
At Oviedo High
Semifinals, Wednesday
Winter Park vs. Timber Creek, 5:30
Lake Nona vs. Hagerty, 7:30
Final, Friday
Winter Park/Timber Creek vs. Lake Nona/Hagerty, 7
Class 7A, District 5
At Pine Community Park
Semifinals
Clermont East Ridge 1, Dr. Phillips 0
Windermere High 2, Olympia 1
Final, Tuesday
Clermont East Ridge vs. Windermere High, 8
Class 7A, District 6
At Celebration High School
Semifinals
Cypress Creek 2, Freedom 0
Davenport Ridge Community 3, Celebration 1
Final, Tuesday
Cypress Creek vs. Davenport Ridge Community, 7:30
Class 6A, District 4
Semifinals
Edgewater 1, Lyman 0 (OT)
Lake Howell 4, Groveland South Lake 0
Final, Tuesday
Edgewater at No. 1 Lake Howell, 7
Class 6A, District 9
Semifinals
New Smyrna Beach 5, Poinciana 2
East River 1, St. Cloud 0
Final
New Smyrna Beach 3, East River 2 (5-4 PKs)
Class 6A, District 12
Semifinals
Melbourne 2, Harmony 1
Class 5A, District 5
Semifinals
Deltona Pine Ridge 4, Gateway 1
Lake Minneola 8, Deltona 1
Final, Tuesday
Deltona Pine Ridge at Lake Minneola, 7
Class 4A, District 9
Semifinals
Lake Weir 2, Tavares 0
Class 4A, District 10
Semifinals
Bishop Moore 2, Mount Dora 0
Titusville 8, Eustis 0
Final
Bishop Moore 3, Titusville 2 (OT)
Class 3A, District 6
Semifinals
Lakeland Christian 4, Lake Placid 0
Windermere Prep 4, Frostproof 2
Final, Tuesday
Windermere Prep at Lakeland Christian, 7
Class 3A, District 9
Semifinals
Trinity Prep 8, Crooms Academy 0
Lake Highland Prep 2, The First Academy 0
Final, Tuesday
Lake Highland Prep at Trinity Prep, 7
Class 2A, District 5
Semifinals
Circle Christian 3, International Community 1
Orangewood Christian 6, Geneva 0
Final, Tuesday
Circle Christian at Orangewood Christian, 7
Class 2A, District 6
Semifinal
Foundation Academy 5, Legacy Charter 1
Final, Monday
All Saints Academy at Foundation Academy, late
