Sarasota Christian's soccer team made history on Thursday, tying Lakewood Ranch Preparatory Academy 2-2 in regular time and clinching a 2-1 victory in a penalty shootout to win the inaugural WCAC Championship. The thrilling match, marked a decade-long wait for the Blazers, who claimed their first championship trophy in over ten years.
The game saw an exciting back-and-forth, with Cristian Sadelson and
Owen Donato scoring for the Blazers in regular time. With an equalizing goal from Lakewood Ranch Prep in the final two minutes of play, the match ended deadlocked at 2-2, the Blazers fourth tie of the year and the second between the teams, sending both teams into the shootout.
In the decisive penalty round, it would take kicks or each team to decide a winner.Â
Isaiah Ledford was solid in the goal for the first round of penalty kicks, saving the three, allowing one, and letting the post reject one. For the Blazers, Cristian Sadelson,
Adrian Sadelson,
Robin Jasek, and
Eli Ford were all rejected by the Eagles goalkeeper. Ledford would come up to the penalty mark with the game on the line and drill a ball past the keeper and into the right corner of the net to push the game into sudden death penalty kicks. The first sudden death kicker for LRPA would push the ball high and the cross bar rejected his chance to score.
Owen Donato would be denied by the Eagles keeper on his attempt. Ledford would come out for the seventh shot and make his fourth penalty save.
Wyatt Campbell would come up next for the Blazers and also be rejected by the Prep keeper. Isaiah made the eighth save look easy to set up
Jack Ford with a chance to end it all. Jack drove the ball past the keeper and into the right corner of the goal and the Blazers erupted.
The win gives Sarasota Christian our first team WCAC championship and caps a successful turnaround season for the Blazers boys soccer program. At 7-6-3, the Blazers have earned a three seed in the upcoming FHSAA Tournament and will play against two seeded Saint Stephen's Episcopal School Thursday night at 7pm.
