On to Regionals for Lely

Longtime Lely coach Robbie Schank saw his team lose 2-0 to crosstown rival Naples in the district championship on Wednesday, January 29 at Trojan Stadium. The loss ends Schank’s Senior Night winning streak at 30 years. But his Trojans are not done for the season. They move on to host a regional quarterfinal because they are rated as one of the top teams in the state. The Trojans opened state tournament play on Tuesday, February 4, by hosting Estero. 

“Any time you get the opportunity to play on your home field in front of your home crowd is a plus,” Schank said. "Especially in the post season, our Trojan Nation gets super loud in the stands. It's pretty cool.” 

The post season hasn’t gone exactly as Schank would have planned, but he’s thankful that he has the chance to advance. 

 "I didn't have this draw picked out for us honestly,” Schank said, "but I also did not have us losing the district championship. The good news is we have lost two district championships in 2020 and 2021 and ended up winning the regional championships those years and playing in the state semifinals, losing both in overtime. If you want to be the best you have to beat the best. So here we go. Each game we must play better than our last to make our dreams come true to win our first-ever state championship.” 

Perhaps it had something to do with scheduling. Normally Senior Night and the district championship would not be held on the same night. But when Lely’s Senior Night opponent forfeited, there was not much choice but to hold Senior Night in conjunction with the rivalry game in the playoffs. 

“We came out flat and we stayed flat,” Schank said of the Naples game. We have scored in every game this season except for two games out of 24 games. Those two games were against Naples, 1-0 and 2-0.” 

Schank’s Trojans started the season hot, then cooled off as injuries and illness took their toll.  But they were on a good role until the Naples game.  

 "We had a slew of injuries and illnesses at absolutely the worst possible time,when we had to play some of the top teams in Collier County, losing four straight, which hurt us in the rankings,” Schank said. " But we bounced back and had not lost in 13 straight regular season games before losing in the district championship.” 

Schank believes he has a Player of the Year candidate in junior Stive Argueta. 

"Stive Argueta is leading the county with 21 goals and 11 assists,” Schank said. “He will be a top pick for Player of the Year. Also, senior defender Kensly Gedeon is one of the best defenders I've ever coached. He also has an offensive side to him (seven goals and three assists)."   

Schank is happy to have Ty Collins back in the lineup. Collins, a big part of Lely’s football team, was injured in the second round of the football playoffs and missed the beginning of soccer season. 

"In his first game back up at Clewiston, he scored in the first 28 seconds and scored five goals in 20 minutes,” said Schank. “Then at Fort Myers (he) scored on a bicycle kick and assisted the second goal to tie the game at 2-2. He definitely is a threat up top every time he has the ball.” 

Lely beat Estero, 2-0 on Tuesday, February 4th and will face the winner of the Barron Collier-Sarasota Booker match on February 7 at 7:00 PM.