- January 26, 2026
Seabreeze's Emily Chan (4) charges toward the goal as Pine Ridge goalkeeper Jazleen Sanchez saves the ball during the District 6-5A soccer semifinal on Thursday, Jan. 22 at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze assistant coach Chris Simsek left poses with the team after the District 6-5A semifinal win against Pine Ridge on Thursday, Jan. 22 at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze head soccer coach Alex Perez (left) poses with assistant coaches and players after the District 6-5A semifinal win against Pine Ridge on Thursday, Jan. 22 at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze freshman Ana Bom Conselho (right) and Pine Ridge's Karina Synder (14) battle for the ball during the District 6-5A semifinal on Thursday, Jan. 22 at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze striker Liv Chase (7) sprints toward the goal as Pine Ridge defender Liliana Deal (11) moves in for the ball during the District 6-5A semifinal on Thursday, Jan. 22 at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze striker Liv Chase (7) fights Pine Ridge defenders Liliana Deal (11) and Kaylie Pilloud (16) as goalkeeper Jazleen Sanchez (right) protects the goal during the District 6-5A semifinal on Thursday, Jan. 22 at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex. Photo by Michele Meyers
Pine Ridge goalkeeper Jazleen Sanchez (right) runs out of the goal as Seabreeze's Madison Opalewski (20) kicks a goal during the District 6-5A semifinal on Thursday, Jan. 22 at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze's Hunter Byers (17) celebrates with Madison Opalewski (20) after she scores during the District 6-5A soccer semifinal on Thursday, Jan. 22 at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze's Emily Barnes (19) moves the ball down field during the District 6-5A soccer semifinal on Thursday, Jan. 22 at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze sophomore Addison Sanders takes a corner kick during the District 6-5A soccer semifinal on Thursday, Jan. 22 at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze striker Liv Chase (7) grabs the cross during the District 6-5A semifinal on Thursday, Jan. 22 at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze's Addison Simpson (left) and Pine Ridge's Katie Pilloud (16) battle for ball control during the District 6-5A semifinal on Thursday, Jan. 22 at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze freshman Katherine Clark passes the ball during the District 6-5A semifinal on Thursday, Jan. 22 at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze's Sophia Mendoza (25) and Pine Ridge's Adrianna Bess-Queirolo (3) battle for the ball during the District 6-5A soccer semifinal on Thursday, Jan. 22 at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex. Photo by Michele Meyers
Pine Ridge goalkeeper Jazleen Sanchez saves Seabreeze's Addison Simpson's (center) goal attempt during the District 6-5A semifinal on Thursday, Jan. 22 at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex. Photo by Michele Meyers
The Seabreeze girls soccer team celebrates their District 6-5A semifinal win against Pine Ridge on Thursday, Jan. 22 at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze and Pine Ridge team captains meet before the District 6-5A soccer semifinal on Thursday, Jan. 22 at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze goalkeeper Chandler Klepper is introduced before the District 6-5A soccer semifinal against Pine Ridge on Thursday, Jan. 22 at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex. Photo by Michele Meyers
The Seabreeze boys soccer team stands at attention as the natinal anthem is played before the District 6-5A semifinal against Pine Ridge on Thursday, Jan. 22 at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze's Lane Myer (16) and Pine Ridge's Jaheim Blair (8) go for the header during the District 6-5A soccer semifinal on Thursday, Jan. 22 at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze's Luke Harrell (right) moves the ball down field under pressure by Pine Ridge's Juan Diego Santos (left) during the District 6-5A soccer semifinal on Thursday, Jan. 22 at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze goalkeeper Chandler Klepper (left) makes the save as Pine Ridge complains about the call during the District 6-5A soccer semifinal on Thursday, Jan. 22 at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze head coach Alex Perez goes over a few game details at the water break during the District 6-5A semifinal against Pine Ridge on Thursday, Jan. 22 at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze head coach Alex Perez goes over a few game details at the water break during the District 6-5A semifinal against Pine Ridge on Thursday, Jan. 22 at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze freshman Alejandro Mafara(4) passes before Pine Ridge captain Zachary Benitez (left) has a chance to challenge him during the District 6-5A soccer semifinal on Thursday, Jan. 22 at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex. Photo by Michele Meyers
It was a bttle in the corner between Seabreeze's Liam Piazza (left) and Pine Ridge's Gustavo Castillo (2) during the District 6-5A soccer semifinal on Thursday, Jan. 22 at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze's goalkeeper Chandler Klepper (left) warms up at halftime during the District 6-5A soccer semifinal on Thursday, Jan. 22 at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze’s boys and girls soccer teams brought home wins in a District 6-5A semifinal doubleheader against Pine Ridge on Thursday, Jan. 22, at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex. The girls won 8-0 with the mercy rule. Senior captain Luke Harrell's hat trick helped the boys win 5-2.
The Seabreeze girls (9-6-1) will face No. 1 seed New Smyrna Beach (12-4-2) on the road in the final at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 27. The Seabreeze boys (6-8-5) will travel to top seed New Smyrna Beach (15-2-2) for a 7:30 p.m. game on Monday, Jan. 26.
Seabreeze girls coach Eli Freidus said the Sandcrabs did not underestimate Pine Ridge.
“I worry less about the opponent than I do about us,” he said. “I just want us to go play a good game. We were pretty confident we’d come with the win. It just worked out well.”
Striker Liv Chase was back on the field after missing five games with a knee injury. She scored two goals and had an assist against the Panthers, giving her 25 goals and seven assists for the season. The defense was bolstered with the return of goalkeeper Kaia McFarland.
[Luke Harrell] carried the team on his shoulders. He was hurt today and I took him out. He said, ‘Coach, don't take me out.’ I put him back in and he scored two more goals. He’s one of those guys that, it doesn't matter how he feels, he just plays for the team.
— ALEX PEREZ, Seabreeze boys soccer coach
“This game was perfect for Liv to get back up to speed, and to get a goalie back is a big relief,” Freidus said. “We haven’t gotten the results that we’ve wanted out of the season with missing those players, but we’ve gotten valuable playing time for a lot of young players. I feel like that makes us more battle tested.”
Chase, a senior, said she wants to make her last season count.
“It’s nerve-racking returning to play in districts,” she said. “I wanted to make sure we still came out with all our power, because we don’t want to overlook any team, especially a pretty solid team. I just wanted to make sure we played as hard as we could just to prepare for [the district final].”
Harrell said toward the end of the season, the seniors have been pushed to play harder because, if they lose, they will not be playing again.
“I was confident in our team because even though we struggled mid-season, our last couple games, we really powered through,” he said. “I felt like we were playing way more aggressive and overall, with more heart. I felt we were very ready for this game. But the main goal is the next game. We really need to power through to beat NSB.”
Seabreeze boys head coach Alex Perez said his team came out flat against Pine Ridge. He said they have the talent and the players, they just need to put the pieces together.
“Sometimes it’s confidence, but sometimes it’s not their night and they need a wake-up call,” he said. “I work with them sometimes psychologically to find a way that they can say, ‘Oh, OK, that’s what we’ve got to do.’ Tonight was one of those nights.”
He also has five players who are playing at 50% due to injuries, including Harrell who has an injured right leg. Harrell finished the game with three left-footed goals from outside the box.
“I think in the area, he’s got to be the player of the year,” Perez said of Harrell. “He carried the team on his shoulders. He was hurt today and I took him out. He said, ‘Coach, don't take me out.’ I put him back in and he scored two more goals. He’s one of those guys that, it doesn't matter how he feels, he just plays for the team.”
Perez said the district final is like the final round in a boxing match. Freidus said the Sandcrabs’ hard work in progress yields results in the games.
“You judge what you do on the practice field, not on the game field,” Freidus said. “If you trust what you’re doing on the practice field, you work hard, focus and practice every day, and you do that on a regular basis, then the results on the field are going to come for you. It doesn’t happen just by showing up at the game. Hours of practice make that happen.”
