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Mitchell Ends District Rival's Season

Mitchell 2, Countryside 1 (OT)

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By Eric Horchy | The Suncoast News

Published: January 30, 2008

TRINITY - TRINITY - Two familiar foes met once again Tuesday night and needed overtime to determine who would earn the right to advance into the Class 6A, Region 2 finals.

After spotting Countryside High (12-7-1) a quick 1-0 lead less than two minutes in, host Mitchell High eventually pulled out the tightly contested match in the first overtime period, winning 2-1.

It was the third time the District 6A-7 rivals met – previously splitting the first two.

Scoring both the game-tying and game-winning goals for the Lady Mustangs (21-3-2) was sophomore standout Marisa Russo. The young forward now owns a team-leading 26 scores for the season.

"She's deadly," Mitchell head coach Karl Kukec said of Russo. "She just always gets a good foot on the ball to score."

Russo and the Mustangs needed only 1:44 of the 10 minute, sudden death overtime to send the home faithful – some clad with a torso-full of body paint – into celebration.

Receiving a pass inside the Cougar goal box, Russo stopped and spun to her left. Keeping her defender at bay, she unleashed a sharp, right-footed, 12-yard kick that sailed past the arms of Countryside goalkeeper Cristina Brabson and into the back right corner of the net.

"I knew they had the character to comeback," Kukec said. " It's just a shame that one of us had to go out in the semifinals."

"We knew it would be close," Countryside head coach Rob Saltz said somberly after the loss. "We beat them 1-0. They beat us 1-0. Now it was 1-1 in overtime. You can't get any closer than that."

"It's just disappointing, the girls played hard. They're a great group."

On the evening, Mitchell outshot Countryside 13-5.

Aside from the game's first 10 minutes, the Mustangs held a general control over tempo and enjoyed much more time on the attack than their opponent.

The Cougars came out firing immediately, though. Sophomore forward Thea Linkfield lit up the scoreboard first when she slipped through the middle of the Mitchell defense while receiving a great pass from Tanya Bawkins and beat Mustang keeper Laura Seletos.

Linkfield and the Countryside frontline continued to pressure early after taking the lead in less than two minutes, but they eventually ceded momentum to the Mustangs, who never let go.

Russo tied the game at 1-1 roughly 14 minutes after the Countryside goal on an unassisted, 30-yard bender from the right side of the goal box.

"The girls have played a great season," Kukec said. "They played tremendously in all the games starting in districts and in regionals, and I'm looking forward to moving onto the finals."

Mitchell will now travel to play Melbourne High (22-2-1), who thumped Orlando-Edgewater 5-0 Tuesday night. The game will be played Friday night at 7.

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