Junior midfielder Tamlyn Parkes scored a goal in each half to lift Ponte Vedra to a 2-0 victory over defending champion Archbishop McCarthy in the Class 5A girls state championship at Spec Martin Stadium in DeLand on Friday night.
Ponte Vedra (14-3-5) won its third state title all-time and first since 2012. In doing so, the Sharks limited Archbishop McCarthy (18-5-1) to just six shots on goal in the contest.
The game was a rematch of last year’s title game, which the Mavericks won 2-0. Ponte Vedra had been shut out in its previous three state championship games.
“Ponte Vedra is a really good team, they capitalized on their chances and deserved to win,” said Archbishop McCarthy coach Mike Sica. “Unfortunately, we were never able to get into any type of rhythm in possession. We will celebrate the great achievements of the season and then get back to work and get ready for next year.”
Senior Ella Shapiro found Parkes roaming free in the box where she received the cross, took one deft touch and slid a shot past Mavericks sophomore goalkeeper Paloma Pena from 10 yards out for a 1-0 lead in the 21st minute. Parkes, who finished with 11 goals and seven assists, missed last season with a knee injury.
The Sharks’ duo struck against just five minutes into the second half when Shapiro found Parkes again on a cross from the right side of the box. Parkes received the ball with her left foot and split two Mavericks defenders towards Pena. The ball slithered through Pena’s legs for a 2-0 lead.
The Mavericks, which graduated 10 seniors, including five starters from last year’s team, also had four starters go down with injuries during the season this year. It marked the third straight time the Mavericks reached the title game. They also fell in 2019.
Archbishop McCarthy had their best chance come from a 15-yard blast from junior forward Sophia Goetz in the 57th minute that Ponte Vedra freshman goalkeeper Audrey Johnson smothered.
“I am so proud of our team and how far we have come,” said Mavericks senior midfielder/forward Lili Katz. “This year has been a roller coaster of ups and downs and I am proud of us for pushing through. It hasn’t been easy, but we did it. Unfortunately, we didn’t get the result we wanted but not everything goes our way and I know these girls will be back next year.”
Added senior midfielder Adriana Duque: “This team is made up of grit and fighters, no matter the outcome of a game, not one person can take away our fight and commitment to be the best team we possibly can be, our story ended today, and coming from a senior perspective, I know this team has more fight left in them. Well played to Ponte Vedra, well deserved!”
Sica said while the team came up short of winning back-to-back state titles, he was “absolutely proud” of every single player on the team.
“They truly worked as a team throughout this crazy season,” Sica said. “We had so many different players step up in big games. We have had such tremendous success over the past four years, it’s sometimes difficult to keep things in perspective and not get in the mindset that a state championship is the only measure of success.
“This senior class has won four regional championships and made it to the state finals three years in a row,” Sica added. “I told them the other day after their last practice that ‘not only did they make a lot of memories they’ll never forget, they made history together.”
