- December 26, 2024
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Schmidt Joseph and Joseph "Fuji" Powell. Photo by Brian McMillan
Aiden Cook and Nick Bereznicki. Photo by Brian McMillan
Nick Ferrer celebrates a goal. Photo by Brian McMillan
Aiden Sauco. Photo by Brian McMillan
Aiden Sauco and Evan Papadakos. Photo by Brian McMillan
FPC coach Ramtin Amiri. Photo by Brian McMillan
Schmidt Joseph and Trevor Stone. Photo by Brian McMillan
Anthony Reyes and Andrew Alvarez. Photo by Brian McMillan
Diego Bernardi and Grayson Ronk. Photo by Brian McMillan
Matanzas goalkeeper Ben Kopach. Photo by Brian McMillan
Alberto Pavon. Photo by Brian McMillan
Tanner Paulo. Photo by Brian McMillan
Nick Ferrer. Photo by Brian McMillan
Erick Delgadillo and Aiden Cook. Photo by Brian McMillan
Erick Delgadillo. Photo by Brian McMillan
Aiden Cook and Jack Muberly. Photo by Brian McMillan
Grayson Ronk. Photo by Brian McMillan
Matanzas coach Beto Aguilar. Photo by Brian McMillan
A final flurry of scoring chances came up empty for both teams as the clock wound down, and the Matanzas-Flagler Palm Coast crosstown matchup ended in a 2-2 tie on Dec. 13, at The Ship.
Pirates co-captain Nick Ferrer showed off his ball control wizardry throughout the game, suddenly shifting to full speed while seemingly keeping one cleat on the ball at all times. He scored both Matanzas goals.
“You know he’s not going to lose the ball if it comes to him,” Pirates head coach Beto Aguilar said.
Matanzas co-captains Aiden Sauco and Joseph “Fuji” Powell also helped keep possession for the Pirates; at one point, Aguilar said he counted about eight passes in one possession for his team.
The scoring started when Bulldogs senior Myles Clymer darted in front of Pirates goalkeeper Ben Kopach and redirected the ball to the net. FPC head coach Ramtin Amiri praised the effort, calling it a “poacher’s goal,” as it seemed to catch Matanzas by surprise.
The second Bulldogs goal was by freshman Mikhail Zysek, who has been a revelation for Amiri. Zysek started the season on junior varsity as a defender and filled in one game for star Schmidt Joseph as a forward on varsity. Zysek made the most of it, scoring what Amiri called a “thumping header” that day against Crescent City.
“You could hear him head the ball from the stands,” Amiri recalled. “I said, ‘Oh, we have a real player.’”
Zysek had scored four goals in his previous four years of soccer, and he now has four varsity goals this season alone.
His goal on Dec. 13 against Matanzas came on a crossing pass from Joseph. The two could have a lot of goals in their one season together, Amiri said.
FPC captain Trevor Stone battled in the midfield, keeping Matanzas honest. “He’s physical, he’s massive, he’s a unit,” Amiri said.
FPC is now 7-2-2 on the season; Matanzas is 5-2-1.
