By Ken Jackson
Sports Writer

Last year’s Orange Belt Conference soccer champions have the look of repeat winners.

Celebration’s boys and Harmony’s girls have steamrolled through their county schedules thus far, and both are also undefeated in 4A District 6 play.

The Storm moved — or better put, shivered — to 6-0-1 with a 2-1 come-from-behind victory over Osceola on Tuesday.

Jehov Pardo de Figueroa blasted the winning goal with 10 minutes left in the game, launching a shot from the right wing that found the far top corner.

CHS Coach Julio Machuca said his team needed a strong test after mowing down Poinciana (11-3) and Harmony (8-0) last week.

“It was a test of grit we needed,” he said. “We’re sick and beat up and down two starters, but our guys regrouped from a slow start and found a way to win. The great thing was there was no panic when we gave up an early goal, and even at halftime the attitude was that the winning goal would come.”

Josh Martinez gave Osceola (6-2-1) a 1-0 lead in the eighth minute of the game; he got free of the Storm defense and beat goalie John Birchall one-on-one.

Celebration’s center midfielder Santiago Echeverri equalized it five minutes before halftime when he found the ball amongst a scrum in front of the net and blasted it home.

Osceola had two prime chances to re-take the lead early in the second half, when Jonathan Fraire and Oreon Trejano blasted shots on net; Birchall dove to tip each away from the net.

The Storm are also 2-0-1 in 4A-6, with a game against Eustis on Thursday. Celebration is now 4-0 in the OBC. Osceola is 2-1-1 in the OBC.

“We can’t give those Celebration guys space and on that last goal we didn’t mark well enough,” OHS Coach Tom Bell said. “But the kids really played hard and when they play that hard you can’t pin it on them.”

The Kowboys had won six in a row before losing to Ridge last week and Celebration Tuesday, but it is currently second in District 5A-5 play at 5-1.

Gateway (3-3-1) could test Celebration in the OBC. The Panthers scored 26 goals in their first five games before two losses.

“This week we’ve been a little unfocused,” GHS Coach Oswald Attin said. “One positive I can take from this is that we are able to compete against bigger teams and have showed we can go far this year.”

The Panthers, who play their final district game Friday at Port St. Lucie Centennial, won’t play in the OBC until Jan. 3.

On the girls side, Harmony is unblemished in the conference and district.

An 11-0 win Monday over Oak Ridge, the Longhorns’ first game in 18 days, was a warmup for a 3-0 win over Celebration that pushed them to 3-0 in the OBC, 5-0 in 4A-6 and 6-1 overall. All six wins were shutouts.

Sisters Sage (2) and Payton Leffew accounted for the goals. Anna Blanchard, Emily Johnson and Kendall Pollock had assists.

“The entire team worked well together and moved the ball around the field,” Harmony Coach Stephanie Jones said. “We can always count on Celebration to play hard against us.”

Celebration (5-1-2) was unbeaten going into Tuesday, and had outscored opponents 24-1 in first six games.

Osceola is 9-4 after a 5-2 win over Gateway Wednesday. OHS is currently tied for first with Winter Haven in the 5A District 5 standings.

Junior Leah Mullins, who led the county with 57 goals last year, is at it again with 30 thus far this year.