Lely Falls to Top Ranked Barron in Sweet 16

Playing in arguably the toughest district in the state, Lely’s boys soccer team advanced to the Sweet 16, dispatching Estero, 2-0, at home in the quarterfinals on Tuesday, before bowing, 4-1, to the state’s number one team, Barron Collier, in the state semifinals on Friday, February 7, at Barron. Lely coach Robbie Schank was understandably disappointed, not so much for himself, but for his players who played their final game as Trojans. 

"We're always disappointed,” Schank said after the Barron loss. "You want to go on when you get this far in the playoffs.”  

Schank points to two key moments early in the Barron game that could have set the tenor of the game. 

"We came out like we expected in the first couple minutes,” Schank said. "We had a perfect header up in the upper 90 (the very top left or right corner of the goal). And then the defender comes out and clears it. Then we hit the crossbar two minutes later. That could have put us up 2-0. They put them in against us and they put them in quick. They had some perfectly placed shots that went in. That's soccer. Sometimes it goes your way, sometimes it doesn't. Hats off to Barron. They outplayed us today. When a good team like that outplays you, you can't get the win.” 

Lely, the state’s No. 13 Class 4A team, put together a solid effort against Estero in their regional quarterfinal win. 

“We played like we were supposed to that game,” Schank said. “You prepare and you just hope that what you're putting down sticks. We showed up against Estero. Tonight, we just got outplayed. That’s soccer for you." 

Against Estero, senior Kensly Gedeon and sophomore Angel Otero notched Lely’s goals. Freshman Landon Harmon assisted on Otero’s goal, prompting Schank to exclaim, “A sophomore assisted by a freshman!” Senior Hassan Ali scored Lely’s lone goal against Barron Collier. 

Schank has coached Lely for 31 years after playing for them. He was philosophical - and sentimental - about the season ending loss. 

"It was a great season,” he said. "I love my kids. It's just tough. I've got 14 seniors that have been part of my life for four years, most of them. What hurts more than the loss tonight is losing these kids that I've had such a bond with. The sad part is that every last game (of the season) hurts because it's your last game. It's the last game these kids will ever play together. I never thought we’d get this far. I graduated 12 players last year when we won the district championship. I lost 16 altogether. Some went to MLS Next, some went to Spain to play in academies. To get this far with 16 players missing is pretty remarkable. I'll be back next year, and life goes on. But it hurts. They always hurt."