Photos by Scott H. Shook | This Marco Island Academy soccer team won the Paradise Coast Athletic Conference championship. (Kneeling) Wendy Saynes-Ruiz, Sommar Kashey, Ava Cartwright, Taylor Drott, Kirra Polley, Hailey Cartwright, Nicole Rodriguez, Nicole Bryant. (Standing) Assistant Coach Becca Poland, Head Coach Matt Poland, Estefan Ceron-Garcia, Jenna Golic, Jillian Cartwright, Morgan Maile, Michelle Rodriguez, Virginia Lowe, Assistant Coach Omar Rodriguez, and Assistant Coach Jerry Miller.
Senior Hailey Cartwright gets the better of Donahue Catholic’s Nashley Thelisma in MIA’s 2-0 win.
The 2020-2021 MIA Rays girls’ soccer team faced more than COVID challenges as they set about repeating as Paradise Coast Athletic Conference champions this season. They carried the burden of living up to last year’s 18-3 squad that advanced to the regional tournament.
On Wednesday, January 27, the Rays got down to business and shutout Donohue Catholic 2-0 to repeat as PCAC champs. First year head coach Matt Poland likes his team’s chances heading into district play.
“Starting next week is district,” Poland said. “We have to win those games to move on to regionals. Then from regionals it’s states. The district is down a little bit this year. There are possibilities, if we come out firing, to move on. Sometimes things have to fall in your favor. We’ve been playing well as a team lately.”
The Rays (9-5) played a solid, if unspectacular, game against Donahue (4-6-2). While Poland wasn’t elated with his team’s performance, he was pleased.
“It wasn’t our best performance,” Poland said, ”but 2-0 in a championship game is still a great result. Any time you can win a trophy, it’s a good thing for a team. And it shows the success of the year. Good feelings about that. I’m excited for districts coming up this week.”
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- Senior Morgan Maile goes shoulder-to-shoulder with Donahue Catholic’s Vivian Luzarraga in MIA’s 2-0 win.
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- Freshman Ava Cartwright connects for the first goal of the conference championship game against Donahue Catholic.
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- Marco Island Academy’s freshman Emilee Morris battles Donahue Catholic’s Cassie Mathews.
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- MIA sophomore Taylor Drott is in the thick of the action against Donahue Catholic. The Rays won 2-0 to win the Paradise Coast Athletic Conference championship.
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- Rays head coach Matt Poland discusses strategy with his team.
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- MIA freshman Ava Cartwright on the attack.
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