- January 13, 2026
Seabreeze sophomore Hunter Byers high fives coach Eli Freidus before the Five Star girls soccer Conference third-place game against Spruce Creek on Friday, Jan. 9 at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex. Photo by Michele Meyers
The Seabreeze girls soccer team honors the flag before the Five Star Conference third-place game against Spruce Creek on Friday, Jan. 9 at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex. Photo by Michele Meyers
The Spruce Creek girls soccer team honors the flag before the Five Star Conference third-place game against Seabreeze on Friday, Jan. 9 at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex. Photo by Michele Meyers
The Seabreeze girls soccer team hangs out at halftime during the Five Star Conference third-place game against Spruce Creek on Friday, Jan. 9 at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex. Photo by Michele Meyers
The Seabreeze girls soccer team runs off the field before the Five Star Conference third-place game against Spruce Creek on Friday, Jan. 9 at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze's Kaylee Goebel (right) and Spruce Creek's Oceana Brooks (23) battle for control of the ball during the Five Star girls soccer Conference third-place game on Friday, Jan. 9 at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze sophomore Ava Arnold (6) and Spruce Creek junior Addison Longstreet (right) go for the header during the Five Star girls soccer Conference third-place game on Friday, Jan. 9 at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze goalie Lucky Boren (center) comes out of the goal as Spruce Creek's Oceana Brooks (23) charges and the ball is saved by Campbell Meyer (2) in the Five Star girls soccer Conference third-place game on Friday, Jan. 9 at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze is ready for the corner kick in the Five Star girls soccer Conference third-place game against Spruce Creek on Friday, Jan. 9 at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze sophomore Addison Sanders (24) and Spruce Creek junior Oceana Brooks (23) sprint toward the ball during the Five Star girls soccer Conference third-place game on Friday, Jan. 9 at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze sophomore Madison Opalewski's (left) header ricochets off the bar as Spruce Creek goalie Payton Drexler (right) attempts the save during the Five Star girls soccer Conference third-place game on Friday, Jan. 9 at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze sophomore Madison Opalewski (20) charges the goal for the only score as Spruce Creek goalie Payton Drexler (1) prepares for the onslaught during the Five Star girls soccer Conference third-place game on Friday, Jan. 9 at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex. Photo by Michele Meyerss
Seabreeze junior Ashlyn Colley (center) kicks the ball downfield during the Five Star girls soccer Conference third-place game on Friday, Jan. 9 at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex. Photo by Michele Meyers
Spruce Creek freshman Aria Mathis (left) and Seabreeze senior Emily Barnes (right)battle for the ball in the Five Star girls soccer Conference third-place game on Friday, Jan. 9 at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze sophomore Madison Opalewski (20) fights Spruce Creek's Oceana Brooks (right) for control of the ball during the Five Star girls soccer Conference third-place game on Friday, Jan. 9 at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze's Ava Arnold takes off with the pass as Spruce Creek's Addison Longstreet pursues in the Five Star girls soccer Conference third-place game on Friday, Jan. 9 at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze assistant coach George Bellingham (right) gives sophomore Addison Sanders a pep talk during halftime in the Five Star girls soccer Conference third-place game against Spruce Creek on Friday, Jan. 9 at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze sophomore Hunter Byers (17) blocks the corner kick in the Five Star girls soccer Conference third-place game against Spruce Creek on Friday, Jan. 9 at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze sophomore Hunter Byers (17) takes the throw in during the Five Star girls soccer Conference third-place game against Spruce Creek on Friday, Jan. 9 at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze sophomore Madison Opalewski (20) saves the ball from going out during the Five Star girls soccer Conference third-place game against Spruce Creek on Friday, Jan. 9 at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex. Photo by Michele Meyers
Spruce Creek's Dani Feldman (right) and Seabreeze's Campbell Meyer chase the ball down during the Five Star girls soccer Conference third-place game on Friday, Jan. 9 at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex. Photo by Michele Meyers
Spruce Creek head coach Rudy Rodriguez talks to his players during a break in the Five Star girls soccer Conference third-place game against Seabreeze on Friday, Jan. 9 at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze sophomore Gabrielle Dioquino eyes the ball during the Five Star girls soccer Conference third-place game against Spruce Creek on Friday, Jan. 9 at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze sophomore Madison Opalewski challenges Spruce Creek for the header during the Five Star girls soccer Conference third-place game on Friday, Jan. 9 at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze sophomore Kaylee Goebel (left) blocks Spruce Creek's free kick during the Five Star girls soccer Conference third-place game on Friday, Jan. 9 at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze coaches (left to right) Chris Simsek, George Bellingham, Eli Freidus and Christine Goebel met with the players at halftime during the Five Star girls soccer Conference third-place game against Spruce Creek on Friday, Jan. 9 at the Ormond Beach Sports complex. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze assistant coach Chris Simsek reviews the game with the players at halftime during the Five Star girls soccer Conference third-place game against Spruce Creek on Friday, Jan. 9 at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze sophomore Kaylee Goebel battles Spruce Creek senior Aleah Anderson in the Five Star girls soccer Conference third-place game on Friday, Jan. 9 at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex. Photo by Michele Meyers
After a heartbreaking, double-overtime, down-to-the-last penalty kick loss to New Smyrna Beach on Jan. 7, Seabreeze defeated Spruce Creek 1-0 two days later to finish third in the Five Star Conference girls soccer tournament.
The New Smyrna game was tied 1-1 through two overtime periods.
“I felt like we dominated both 10 minute overtime halves and we ended up in [penalty kicks],” Seabreeze assistant coach Christine Goebel said. “We made our first three, as did they. Then we both missed our fourth, we missed our fifth and they made their fifth. So, we literally ended on the last PK possible. It was a heartbreaker.”
Seabreeze head coach Eli Freidus said he knew going into the Spruce Creek game that it was going to be difficult for his players after the tough loss. They played 100 minutes against New Smyrna Beach in an extremely physical game, he said.
Madison Opalewski scored the only goal of the game against Spruce Creek off of an assist from Katie Clark to help the Sandcrabs secure third place in the Five Star tournament. Seabreeze had won the tournament four years in a row (2022 to 2025).
“It’s physically and emotionally draining for the girls,” Freidus said. “Spruce Creek plays physical and everybody really, really wants to beat us. I don’t think the girls and I knew they were going to be tough. For us to squeak it out, I feel like it showed a lot of heart to keep playing, because our girls are really banged up. They need some time off.”
Seabreeze won 8-0 in the Five Star quarterfinals against Taylor on Jan. 6.
We’re really young, so it’s good experience for these girls. Bright future ahead, for sure, because a lot of them have played club together since four or five years old. I know a lot of them from when they were little kids and that chemistry goes a long way. They’re talented too. So you mix talent with chemistry and good things happen.
— CHRISTINE GOEBEL, Seabreeze assistant soccer coach
“We’re really young, so it’s good experience for these girls,” Goebel said. “Bright future ahead, for sure, because a lot of them have played club together since 4 or 5 years old. I know a lot of them from when they were little kids and that chemistry goes a long way. They’re talented too. So you mix talent with chemistry and good things happen.”
Seabreeze (8-5-1) has been riddled with injuries. Freidus said they have lost three starters and a player who would have been a major contributor. Sophomore Gyanna Nirschl tore her ACL 15 minutes into a preseason game against Creekside, freshman Avonelle Thomas tore her ACL in the Dec. 15 game against Nease, and striker Liv Chase suffered a sprained knee during the same game.
Seven games into the season, goalie Kaia McFarland hit a goal post with her head during club training and had to get 19 stitches. She was recently released from concussion protocol. Chase is hoping to return for districts. She leads the Sandcrabs with 23 goals. Nobody else on the team has more than five.
“That was a big point of emphasis after the game [against New Smyrna Beach],” Freidus said. “We feel like we’re getting better and we’re doing it without three starters and another player that would have contributed. I’m personally thrilled with how hard the girls have played. Didn’t look pretty, but they worked hard.”
Wrapping up the tournament, Freidus told his players that good teams gut out a win one way or another. He said it was time to prepare for the regular-season finale at Tocoi Creek on Jan. 13.
Freshman Ana Bom Conselho scored the only goal against New Smyrna Beach. Brieylle Long had two goals against Taylor. Bom Conselho, Clark, Ava Arnold, Gabrielle Dioquino, Opalewski and Long also scored against the Wildcats.
