- April 16, 2024
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Flagler Palm Coast was hoping they could return the favor to the Pirates and come from behind to win on their field, which they pulled off earlier in the season. Instead, Matanzas used a late score to win 2-1 Saturday, Jan. 2, at Matanzas.
After the holiday break, both teams showed signs of rust midway through the first half of the game, not completing early chances. But, with a little under 14 minutes remaining in the half, senior and team captain Dakotah Casale snuck a ball behind FPC’s inexperienced goal keeper, who started in place of the injured Steven Ferguson.
After going back and forth down field, FPC’s Buchanan Mercius finally got a touch on the ball, got away from a defender and netted the Bulldogs’ only goal to tie the game with 21 minutes remaining.
With the momentum now swung in FPC’s favor, and time winding down, Matanzas punted the ball to the other side of the field, which was retrieved by Daniel Ramirez, who hit the post, but senior Fletcher Subers recovered the ball in the goal keeper’s box and finished the shot for the go-ahead score with less than five minutes to play.
"I wasn't expecting it to happen, but I saw the opportunity and was as nervous as I've ever been," Subers said. "It is no better way I could've ended in my senior year, playing FPC."
“I was more frustrated the last time,” said coach Reg Monsanto on the two close losses to Matanzas this season. “This time, I was willing to settle for a tie, but the last time we outplayed them. Losing so much leadership last year, I still think we’re trying to find it.”
On getting the crosstown sweep, coach Rich Weber said, “Coming out the break, I expected us to be flat. The first half wasn’t good enough, so I made a bunch of position changes for the second half, and we were much more offensive-oriented.
I saw a little fire out of us that was needed. We’re a little too nice sometimes and complacent.”
Both Matanzas and FPC will next play Monday, Jan. 2. The Pirates have Pedro Menendez at home, and the Bulldogs will travel to Jacksonville to play Bishop Kenny.
