- April 19, 2024
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Sandcrab Isabella Castillo and a Pine Ridge player get rough on the sidelines as Billie Best-Abramowitz (14) stares incredulously during the Five Star Conference tournament at Taylor High School in Pierson. Photo by Michele Meyer
The Seabreeze Sandcrabs girls soccer team take a moment for a team photo during halftime at the Five Star Conference game against Pine Ridge. Photo by Michele Meyers
Sandcrab Katey Collins jukes out Pine Ridge in a Five Star Conference tournament game against the Panthers. Photo by Michele Meyers
High kick by Seabreeze's Katey Collins for a Sandcrab goal against the Pine Ridge Panthers. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze's Morgan Long waits to do the throw-in during their game against the Pine Ridge Panthers. Photo by Michele Meyers
Sandcrab Emily Myers heads to score another goal against the Pine Ridge Panthers. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze Sandcrabs girls soccer coach Eli Freidus reviews the first half with the team. Photo by Michele Meyers
The Sandcrabs head back out on field after halftime. Photo by Michele Meyers
Carly McNerney battles a Pine Ridge opponent for control of the ball. Photo by Michele Meyers
Sandcrab Morgan Long fights to control the ball against Pine Ridge. Photo by Michele Meyers
Big sister Billie Best-Abramowitz (14) congratulates sister Banner Best-Abramowitz after she scores the last goal of the game. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze goalie Avery Dellinger gets knocked over in the box by Pine Ridge player Chelsey Hunt (1) as Emma Caputo (4) watches. Photo by Michele Meyers
Sandcrab Kylie Watson takes a fall at the sidelines after battling Pine Ridge for the ball. Photo by Michele Meyers
Taylor Hughes (7) with Seabreeze's fourth goal of the game against Pine Ridge. Photo by Michele Meyers
Morgan Long (6) and Emma Caputo congratulate Taylor Hughes after she scores a goal for the Sandcrabs. Photo by Michele Meyers
Billie Best-Abramowitz (14) heads the ball into the goal as her sister Banner Best-Abramowitz (16) watches. Photo by Michele Meyers
Carly McNerney and Billie Best-Abramowitz talk during the game against the Pine Ridge Panthers. Photo by Michele Meyers
The Seabreeze Sandcrabs girls soccer team kicked off the Five Star Conference tournament against the Pine Ridge Panthers Jan. 8 at a relatively slow pace but walked away with a 7-1 win.
Seabreeze followed that win with a 4-0 victory over Flagler Palm Coast -- their second win over the Bulldogs this season -- on Jan. 11. The Sandcrabs (10-4) will meet Spruce Creek for the conference championship on Thursday, Jan. 13
Coming off of a tough win against the physical Lecanto Panthers the previous night, the Sandcrabs started the game against Pine Ridge at a sluggish pace.
Just before the first water break, head coach Eli Freidus told his starters they had five minutes to score before he put in his bench. Time elapsed and the coach made good on his promise, replacing almost his entire starting lineup after the break. Caroline McNerney came in and scored the first goal of the game just before halftime.
“The lack of energy, that’s what bothers me,” Freidus said. “That’s not what championship teams do. Championship teams find a way to improve on what they’re doing. They figure it out on the field.”
After the bench had shifted the momentum of the game, the starters were back on the field after halftime. The team's leading scorer, junior Emily Myers, scored back-to-back goals bringing the score to 3-0 early in the second half.
“The whole bench was put in after the water break,” assistant coach Christine Goebel said. “That kind of sparked things.”
Once they were revitalized, the Sandcrabs refused to let up. Taylor Hughes, Katey Collins and sisters, Billie and Banner Best-Abramowitz rode the momentum with a goal each while Morgan Long added three assists to give her eight for the season. Chelsey Hunt kicked the lone goal for the Panthers late in the second half.
Seabreeze is ranked fourth in the state in Class 4A by the Florida High School Athletic Association.
Flagler Palm Coast advanced to the semifinal with a penalty-shot victory over tournament host Taylor.
FPC’s head coach Pete Hald brought 31 years of experience and a well-coached team to the pitch.
“Their team is big,” Goebel said. “Bigger doesn’t always mean anything, but they are skilled and strong.”
Seabreeze got the game rolling with a goal by Annabel Thistle in the first five minutes. The Bulldogs did not have an answer to the attack as Kylie Watson scored just before the half to make 2-0. Brianna Chesley scored two goals in the second half to finish off the victory.
Seabreeze will be meeting Spruce Creek for the second time this season. The Sandcrabs beat the Hawks 5-2 on Dec. 16.
“If we can keep our touches clean and our passes clean, we are tough to beat,” Freidus said.
