By Ken Jackson
Sports Writer

Harmony’s girls soccer team proved Tuesday that playoff experience sometimes can’t hold a shin guard to the most determined teams.

The Lady Longhorns traveled the length of Florida’s Turnpike, then went a little farther north, and shocked Gainesville Eastside, 2-1, in a Class 4A Region 2 quarterfinal.

Shadya Maldonado had a goal and an assist, and a stingy defense led Harmony (13-3-2), in its first-ever regional game, to the win over the Rams (22-2), who were appearing in the playoffs for the fourth time in the past five seasons.

The Longhorns move on to face Eustis, a 8-0 winner over Belleview on Thursday, in Tuesday’s regional semifinal. It’s the same Panthers squad that mercy-ruled Harmony, 8-0, in the 4A District 6 championship game, in their last outing.

HHS Coach Stephanie Jones said that the resolve to get redemption for that outing added to her team’s motivation on Thursday, and they responded by setting the game’s tone from the opening whistle.

“They were a determined, dominant team,” she said. “They took the field with quiet determination and didn’t take any time to settle in.”

Harmony took a 1-0 lead midway through the first half when Maldonado redirected Caitlin Beam’s crossing pass into the net. Eastside tied it before halftime, but the Longhorns would go back into the lead with 20 minutes left in the game.

Maldonado was the passer this time, and Peyton Leffew guided her crossing pass on goal and into the net.
From there, the defense entered lock-down mode, and the Rams were shut out. Goalie Kaylee Horn had six saves and made the one-goal lead stand, with help from a back line of Anna Blanchard, Alyssa Miceli, Kendall Pollack and Chelsea Connor.

Jones, who picked up her first regional coaching win after two prior tries at St. Cloud, said the Longhorns didn’t play or look like a team making its playoff debut.

“It’s been a long road for us. This is what they wanted and they were prepared, mentally and physically,” she said. “They wanted that second chance at Eustis. I’m not sure if (Eastside) knew what came at them.”

Osceola, also in its first-ever regional playoff game, lost to Lakeland George Jenkins, 8-0, in a 5A Region 2 quarterfinal.