Despite losing to Melbourne Central Catholic 3-2 in the district final Friday, the boys’ soccer team has advanced to the regional playoffs to play Orlando Bishop Moore High School on Friday.

The Wildcats fell short in a district final against MCC for the second consecutive year. 

“Losing to them again is annoying, but then yet, as another lesson we’ve learned to not be as low as MCC in discipline,” junior defender Jake Klenotich said. “We need to just play our game the way we play it.”

Like West Shore, MCC also has a large population of club soccer players.

“It was the worst feeling because everyone knows everyone and we will never hear the end of it,” junior goalkeeper Cooper Stein said. “We’ve lost to them in the district finals two years in a row. This is a team I’m tired of losing to. They always hold it over our heads.”

Senior Ian Leighton scored both Wildcat goals, one on a penalty kick. For second goal, he managed to get around the keeper and pass it into the goal. In the second half West Shore held a 2-1 lead, however MCC scored two more goals fairly quickly.

“We fell short on defending and matching the physicality of MCC, and it affected us by making us have to travel instead of getting to play at home,” Stein said.

Junior defender Matthew Rabel pinned the loss on defensive lapses.

“They were able to score two goals on us because we weren’t really marking our players very well and staying with our man,” Rabel said. “When that happened, it made us play a lot different and we started to play how they play which is why we did a lot worse towards the end of the game.”

The boys’ team is still looking for areas to improve in for the upcoming game against Bishop Moore High School.

“We are considering playing a high press and we are looking to possess the middle of the field and find outlets through the wings,” Stein said. 

Their next game will be tonight in Orlando at Bishop Moore High School for the regional quarterfinals.

By Tyanna Tizol