Coral Gables’ Fotso, Gulliver Prep’s Davidson are Dade Boys’ Soccer Coaches of the Year

David Wilson
·2 min read

The two most thrilling postseason runs by boys’ soccer teams from Miami-Dade County could hardly have started in more different places.

Gulliver Prep was one of the favorites to win the Class 4A championship and did, closing the season with five straight wins to claim an eighth state title. Coral Gables was one of the last teams into the Class 7A playoffs and wound up getting all the way to the Region 4-7A title game.

Their coaches are now the Miami Herald’s Miami-Dade County Boys’ Soccer Coaches of the Year.

In Pinecrest, Gulliver coach Scott Davidson crafted the Raiders’ deep roster into a champion by getting them to overcome a loss in the District 16-4A tournament and win a second state title in four years.

“They’re an incredibly unselfish group and were just as happy regardless of who scored, they were just as happy and just as supportive no matter who was on the field,” Davidson said.

Gulliver boys’ soccer coach Scott Davidson is the Miami Herald’s Class 4A-2A Coach of the Year for boys’ soccer after leading the Raiders to their eighth state championship all-time, which is the most for a Miami-Dade County program.
Gulliver boys’ soccer coach Scott Davidson is the Miami Herald’s Class 4A-2A Coach of the Year for boys’ soccer after leading the Raiders to their eighth state championship all-time, which is the most for a Miami-Dade County program.

Cavaliers coach Michel Fotso’s group also overcame a loss in the District 15-7A tournament to regroup and upset Cypress Bay in the first round of the Region 4-7A playoffs. Coral Gables then routed Palmetto in the next round to reach the region championship for the first time since 1981.

The Cavaliers did it with only two seniors on the roster, too.

“I always knew, starting the season, that I had a good young group, that we could an OK season or we could have a good season,” Fotso said.

Both teams expect to be among the best in Dade County next year, Gulliver because it always is and Coral Gables because of the young talent it should have returning next season.

Coral Gables boys’ soccer coach Michel Fotso is the Miami Herald’s Class 7A-5A Coach of the Year after leading the Cavaliers to their first regional finals appearance since 1981.
Coral Gables boys’ soccer coach Michel Fotso is the Miami Herald’s Class 7A-5A Coach of the Year after leading the Cavaliers to their first regional finals appearance since 1981.

The Raiders’ eight state titles are the most ever for a school from Miami-Dade and tied for the most by anyone from South Florida. The Cavaliers will try to win their first since 1980 — and second ever — after hitting heights they hadn’t since the same era.

“We all love Gulliver and most of our kids have been at Gulliver since a very, very young age,” Davidson said. “We’ve got a lot of kids who have been there since kindergarten. We’ve got players who’ve been there since first, second, third, fourth grade, so they’re Gulliver through and through, and that helps us to love the program so much.”

Said Fotso: “If the same group comes back, we will be a force to reckon with.”