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High stakes soccer: State playoff berths on the line as district tournaments kick off

SportsHigh stakes soccer: State playoff berths on the line as district tournaments kick off

District tournaments get underway this week for soccer teams across the Treasure Coast and for the bulk of the area, finding a way to win hardware will be the only way to make the state playoffs.

For even the top teams locally, brutally tough regions for some leave very little margin for error if a district title isn’t achieved to automatically earn a postseason berth.

Martin County’s girls are the highest-ranked team in the FHSAA at No. 109 and enter the District 8-6A tournament at sixth in Region 2-6A.

In a tough district, the Tigers are the third seed and a run to a district final would likely lock up a playoff berth to the state playoffs.

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One team that is in good shape no matter what happens in their district tournament is Pine School, who is third in Region 2-2A.

At No. 140 in the FHSAA rankings with an 11-1-1 record, the Knights likely reach a district final to battle District 8-2A foe Jupiter Christian.

Aerian Hammond (center) of St. Lucie West Centennial,  along with Christian Kerr (left) and Henry Alexandrescu of the Pine School, race for control during the first half of their boys soccer match at St. Lucie West Centennial High School on Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2023, in Port St. Lucie. The game ended in a draw 1-1.

Vero Beach’s girls and Treasure Coast’s girls are seventh and eighth in Region 3-7A and for both teams, they very likely will square off in a District 10-7A semifinal with the winner’s odds of reaching the postseason high and the loser having to sweat out the final FHSAA rankings.

Teams that will likely need to reach a district final at minimum to have a shot at the postseason are Master’s Academy’s girls, who are No. 8 in Region 2-2A, Jensen Beach’s girls, who are No. 9 in Region 4-4A, Lincoln Park Academy’s girls who are No. 10 in Region 3-3A and South Fork who is No. 10 in Region 2-6A.

For the boys, the two teams in the best shape for the postseason are both in District 8-2A. Pine School, the defending 2A state champions, are only at No. 172 in the state rankings but are second in Region 2-2A.

Right behind the Knights are St. Edward’s, who are fourth in the region and a possible district final between the two teams would be their first meeting of the season between two of the area’s most impressive teams this year.

Jensen Beach is the highest-ranked boys team on the area at No. 110 but in a loaded Region 4-4A is seventh with the six teams above them all ranked inside the state’s top 80.

The Falcons at 6-3-1 are the top seed in the District 13-4A tournament and if they reach the district final likely will make the postseason.

Centennial is No. 126 overall but also in only seventh in Region 3-7A and to safely reach the postseason likely need to at least play for the District 10-7A championship as the No. 1 seed.

Sebastian River is ranked No. 10 in Region 2-6A and as the fourth seed in District 7-6A will need to score an upset or two to reach the postseason.

Girls soccer district tournament schedules

District 10-7A (matches held at Jupiter)

Jan. 25

(6) Fort Pierce Central vs. (3) Treasure Coast, 6 p.m.

(5) Centennial vs. (4) Palm Beach Gardens, 4 p.m.

Jan. 30

Fort Pierce Central-Treasure Coast winner vs. (2) Vero Beach, 5 p.m.

Centennial-Palm Beach Gardens winner vs. (1) Jupiter, 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 1

Championship, 6 p.m.

District 8-6A

Jan. 26

(6) Atlantic at 3 Martin County, 7 p.m.

(5) South Fork at (4) West Boca Raton, 7 p.m.

Jan. 30 (semifinals at Dwyer)

Atlantic-Martin County winner vs. (2) Dwyer, 5 p.m.

South Fork-West Boca Raton winner vs. (1) Seminole Ridge, 7 p.m.

Feb. 1

Championship at Dwyer, 7 p.m.

District 7-6A

Jan. 25

(6) East River at (3) St. Cloud, 6 p.m.

(5) Heritage at (4) Sebastian River, 6 p.m.

Jan. 27 (semifinals at Viera)

East River-St. Cloud winner vs. (2) Melbourne, 5 p.m.

Heritage-Sebastian River winner vs. (1) Viera, 7 p.m.

Jan. 30

Championship at Viera, 6 p.m.

District 13-5A

Jan. 25

(6) Eau Gallie at (3) Rockledge, 6 p.m.

(5) Okeechobee at (4) Port St. Lucie, 6 p.m.

Jan. 27 (semifinals at Merritt Island)

Eau Gallie-Rockledge winner vs. (2) Bayside, 5 p.m.

Okeechobee-Port St. Lucie winner vs. (1) Merritt Island, 7 p.m.

Feb. 1

Championship, 7 p.m.

District 13-4A

Jan. 25

(5) Dreyfoos School of Arts at (4) Jensen Beach, 7 p.m.

Jan. 27 (semifinals at Somerset Academy-Canyons)

(3) North Broward Prep vs. (2) Somerset Academy-Canyons, 5 p.m.

Dreyfoos School of the Arts-Jensen Beach winner vs. (1) American Heritage, 7 p.m.

Jan. 31

Championship, 7 p.m.

District 11-3A

Jan. 25

(6) Somerset College Prep at (3) Cardinal Newman, 6 p.m.

(5) Lincoln Park Academy at (4) Oxbridge Academy, 7 p.m.

Jan. 27

Somerset College Prep-Cardinal Newman winner vs. (2) King’s Academy, 6 p.m.

Lincoln Park Academy-Oxbridge Academy winner vs. (1) Benjamin, 5 p.m.

Jan. 31

Championship at highest seed, 7 p.m.

District 8-2A

Jan. 25

(5) St. Edward’s at (4) John Carroll Catholic, 4 p.m.

Jan. 27

(3) Masters Academy at (2) Pine School, 4 p.m.

St. Edward’s-John Carroll Catholic winner at (1) Jupiter Christian, 4 p.m.

Jan. 31

Championship at highest seed, 4 p.m.

Boys district tournament schedules

District 10-7A

Jan. 26 (all games to be played at South County Stadium)

(6) Fort Pierce Central at (3) Vero Beach, 6 p.m.

(5) Palm Beach Gardens at (4) Treasure Coast, 4 p.m.

Jan. 30

Fort Pierce Central-Vero Beach winner vs. (2) Jupiter, 5 p.m.

Palm Beach Gardens-Treasure Coast winner vs. (1) Centennial, 7 p.m.

Feb. 2

Championship, 6 p.m.

District 8-6A

Jan. 25

(6) Martin County at (3) Seminole Ridge, 7 p.m.

(5) Atlantic at (4) South Fork, 7 p.m.

Jan. 27 (semifinals at Dwyer)

Martin County-Seminole Ridge winner vs. (2) West Boca Raton, 5 p.m.

Atlantic-South Fork winner vs. (1) Dwyer, 7 p.m.

Jan. 31

Championship at Dwyer, 7 p.m.

District 7-6A

Jan. 25

(6) East River at (3) Melbourne, 6 p.m.

(5) St. Cloud at (4) Sebastian River, 6 p.m.

Jan. 27 (semifinals at Melbourne)

East River-Melbourne winner vs. (2) Heritage, 5 p.m.

St. Cloud-Sebastian River winner vs. (1) Viera, 7 p.m.

Jan. 30

Championship at Melbourne, 7 p.m.

District 13-5A

Jan. 26

(7) Fort Pierce Westwood at (2) Bayside, 6 p.m.

(6) Port St. Lucie at (3) Okeechobee, 6 p.m.

(5) Eau Gallie at (4) Rockledge, 6 p.m.

Jan. 30 (semifinals at Merritt Island)

Fort Pierce Westwood-Bayside winner vs. Port St. Lucie-Okeechobee winner, 5 p.m.

Eau Gallie-Rockledge winner vs. (1) Merritt Island, 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 1

Championship, 7 p.m.

District 13-4A

Jan. 25

(7) Dreyfoos School of the Arts at (2) Somerset Academy-Canyons, 6 p.m.

(6) Glades Central at (3) American Heritage, 6 p.m.

(5) Clewiston at (4) North Broward Prep, 6 p.m.

Jan. 26 (semifinals at Somerset Academy-Canyons)

Dreyfoos School of the Arts-Somerset Academy-Canyons winner vs. Glades Central-American Heritage winner, 5 p.m.

Clewiston-North Broward Prep winner vs. (1) Jensen Beach, 7 p.m.

Jan. 31

Championship at Somerset Academy-Canyons, 5 p.m.

District 11-3A

Jan. 25

(6) Somerset College Prep at (3) Oxbridge Academy, 5 p.m.

(5) King’s Academy at (4) Lincoln Park Academy, 3:30 p.m.

Jan. 27

Somerset College Prep-Oxbridge Academy winner vs. (2) Cardinal Newman, 6 p.m.

King’s Academy-Lincoln Park Academy winner vs. (1) Benjamin, 7 p.m.

Feb. 1

Championship, 7 p.m.

District 8-2A

Jan. 26

(7) Merritt Island Christian at (2) St. Edward’s, 6 p.m.

(6) John Carroll Catholic at (3) Master’s Academy, 3:30 p.m.

(5) Pineapple Cove Classical Academy at (4) Jupiter Christian, 3 p.m.

Jan. 28

Merritt Island Christian-St. Edward’s winner vs. John Carroll Catholic-Master’s Academy winner, 1:30 p.m.

Pineapple Cove Classical Academy-Jupiter Christian winner vs. (1) Pine School, 4 p.m.

Feb. 1

Championship at highest seed, 4 p.m.

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