Prep soccer: Palatka's hard work pays in 3-2 victory over Crescent City

Subhead

Finally, the Palatka High School girls soccer team got Crescent City Friday night.

Brianna Santana scored twice, including the game-winner near the end of regulation time, to lift the Panthers to a 3-2 victory at Bennett-Cooper Field at Veterans Memorial Stadium, ending a six-match winless streak against the Raiders.

“They were pretty pumped afterward,” said Palatka coach Chad Shryock, whose team is 11-8-2 and are 5-0-2 in the last seven matches. “They’ve worked so hard. We condition all year round. Soon as last season was over, we gave the girls a couple of weeks off and we went right into the conditioning. They deserve what has happened. I sent them a message afterward telling them, ‘I know I expect a lot out of you. You’ve sacrificed a lot for us and moments like (Friday night) make it all worthwhile.’”

The Panthers trailed the Raiders (6-8), 1-0, at halftime, but Lanie Hutchinson delivered a goal to tie it in the 56th minute. Then Santana scored in the 64th minute and then near the end of regulation, giving her 17 goals for the season, and making it 3-1.

Jenny Galvan, the Raiders’ talented offensive weapon, delivered her second free kick goal of the game to cut the PHS lead to 3-2, her 33rd goal of the season, but the Raiders ran out of time. It was the Panthers’ first win over the Raiders since a 3-1 game on Nov. 18, 2016.

Josie Bohanan had an assist for the Panthers, while goalie Christina Bayse made 13 saves for the win. The Panthers travel to Menendez High on Monday for a 5:30 p.m. match with Bartram Trail.

Jordan Williams stopped seven shots for the Raiders in net.

Boys soccer

n Host Dunnellon took advantage of a late-arriving Interlachen team due to an accident on I-75 and scored four times in the first half en route to a 5-3 victory, its second win this season over the Rams.

In the loss, Austin Lloyd scored all three goals and took back the county lead in goals from Palatka’s Gabe Herrington, giving Lloyd 15 for the season, three off the program record set in the 2012-13 season by Dijon Green.

Roman Rivera had the assist on the first goal, while a 35-yard free kick got Lloyd his second score and a penalty kick finished out the hat trick.

Nathan Bass had seven saves for the 3-6 Rams.

Premium Content is available to subscribers only. Please login here to access content or go here to purchase a subscription.