2A region soccer: Tampa Prep 1, Bradenton St. Stephen's 0

BRADENTON — The game had just ended, and Tampa Prep coach Cindy Schofield made her way over to Bradenton St. Stephen's coach Eric Howell.

"You're the hardest team we've played," Schofield said.

Once the pain of Tuesday's 1-0 loss in a Class 2A, Region 3 semifinal subsides, Howell hopes his girls remember those words.

"That's what you want to hear," Howell said.

What St. Stephen's (18-4) wanted to see, however, was a victory. Instead, the team's season came to a halt with just more than two minutes remaining, when Jackie Rosenthal headed Bishop Weaver's corner kick and bounced it past Falcons goalkeeper Shannon Morrish. The Terrapins (18-5-2) clinched a berth in Friday's region final.

Schofield credited her center defender, Isabel Dalence, for preventing St. Stephen's from executing its plan. But Schofield had some kind words for the Falcons as well.

"They have some really good players, and we just needed to make sure we kept them in check and be aware of where they were on the field at all times," she said "But they're a dangerous team."

The Herald