HIGH-SCHOOL

High School Boys Soccer Regional Quarterfinals

Staff Writer
Florida Times-Union

All games at 7 p.m. today.

Region 1-5A

Flagler Palm Coast (12-3) at Mandarin (20-3-3):Leading scorer Kacper Grzeszczak (19 goals), junior keeper Mark Darling (15 goals allowed in 26 games) and senior center back John Mella led the Mustangs to a fourth consecutive district title. Mandarin should have an experience edge over an FPC team making its first playoff appearance since 2009.

Region 1-4A

Ridgeview (11-4-3) at Spring Hill Springstead (18-2): Sophomore Ricky Prestridge (26 goals) and Lipscomb signee Anthony Cedano, who plays center midfielder for the Panthers, helped propel Ridgeview to its first playoff appearance since 2009 with a victory over Orange Park in the district semifinals. Springstead was ousted in this round last season.

Lecanto (14-5-2) at Fleming Island (20-1):Seniors Brandon Behr (18 goals), Ben Bayles (15 goals) and Jonathan Alvarez (12 goals) lead a balanced offense for the Golden Eagles, who are aiming for another deep playoff run. Defensively, Flagler College commit Tanner Hall, Caleb Austin and Jake Irwin have led Fleming Island to 14 shutouts.

Region 1-3A

Stanton (17-6-3) at Nease (19-5-2):Sophomores Ben Gross, Nikesh Nallapillai, Bradley Langenberg and Brandon Royal have led the Blue Devils to a sixth consecutive playoff appearance. They face a tough matchup against a perennial contender in Nease, led by defender Jake Jubin, midfielder Tyler Meyer and forward Anthony Lazzara (21 goals).

Ponte Vedra (14-7-1) at Live Oak Suwannee (12-7-2):Forward Dean Nixon, midfielder Michael DellaPorta and defender Wiktor Biernacki helped push the Sharks back to the regional playoffs, but Ponte Vedra faces a difficult first-round road trip against a streaking Suwannee team that upset top-seeded Bishop Kenny in the district tournament.

Region 1-2A

Bolles (15-8-3) at Fernandina Beach (14-3-3):Seniors Conner Nelson and Ian Paul, juniors Nathan Fisher and Shane Goodman and sophomore Tom Taylor combined for 12 goals in the district tournament for the Pirates. They earned home field for the first round but won't have an easy task against a perennially strong Bolles team, led by Tommy Kelley (13 goals) and Drew Gibson (9 goals, 7 assists).

West Nassau at Episcopal (19-1-1):West Nassau, which is making the program's first playoff appearance, looks to be well overmatched by an Episcopal squad ranked 26th in the nation in the latest ESPN Powerade Fab 50 winter rankings. The senior-laden Eagles are led by Keegan Ball (26 goals), UNF commitment Kyle Nasta (0.43 GAA), Emory commitment Sebastian Hardington, John Ingham, Riley Dodd and Sam Homra.

Region 1-1A

Winter Park Circle Christian (14-6-1) at St. Joseph (11-4-1): Senior midfielder Will Jones leads a surging Flashes team making a second consecutive regional quarterfinal appearance. St. Joseph will be eager to push past the first round this year and will have a solid chance against a Circle Christian team that has reached the program's first regional berth.

Francine King/The Times-Union