PHU Boys Eye Final Four

-The PHU Boys soccer team knocked Wiregrass Ranch out of the playoffs and advance to the Regional Final, just one game away from the final four state tournament.

After a rough regular season for the Hurricanes, finishing the season with a 7-6-2 record after only losing twice all season long in the 2014-2015 campaign, they have gone on to defeat every opponent faced in the playoffs thus far.

Having a very mixed squad of all ages this season compared to a senior-heavy team last season caused for early chemistry struggles for the Hurricanes. They have peaked at the right time, however, and look to surpass the same pedestal they fell to last year: the Regional Final.

Breezing past Riverview in a final score of 4-1 with goals from Hampton Lombard (2018), Jonathan Hansen (2016), Ricky Callum (2016), and Dan Wintermeier (2019), the goals showcased how balanced this Hurricanes team truly is.

On Tuesday night, the ‘Canes played Wiregrass Ranch and beat them once again, this time shutting them out in a 2-0 victory. Jonathan Hansen provided the first goal with Alec Harris giving the team extra insurance.

The defensive four once again portrayed why they’ve been the backbone of this Hurricane team all season long. Freshman Dan Wintermeier’s aerial ability mixed with Garrit Dubois’ tactical awareness makes the center of the pitch virtually impenetrable for visiting teams. Furthermore, Jonathan Hansen and Dennis Falcon providing both athleticism and aggression on the flanks is enough to give both players and coaches migraines.

This even squad with various experience knows what it takes to beat the favorites as their previous results against district favorites Wiregrass ended with a 1-1 tie in the regular season and a 2-1 OT win in the district championship. These prior successes also mean the ‘Canes need to focus even more and not be overconfident against a very talented Winter Park team who happens to be ranked 23 in the nation according to maxpreps.com.

With just one game remaining until the state final four round and the ‘Canes losing last year in the regional final, the game seeks to be one for the ages.

The PHU Boys soccer team will face Winter Park for the first time this season in a home game tonight with kickoff at 7 pm. Winter Park will be bringing two fan buses to the Hurricanes home fields, so ticket prices have been adjusted to $4 for PHU students to encourage fans to come and outshine the Winter Park support.