Northeast Florida boys soccer district tournaments: Mandarin, Yulee, St. Johns CD win

High-scoring senior Antonio Mancinotti hopped to his feet after a foul and drilled a 56th-minute penalty kick for the deciding goal, powering Mandarin past Bartram Trail 1-0 in Thursday night's Florida High School Athletic Association District 1-7A boys soccer championship at The Corral.

The Mustangs (18-0-1), ranked third in the United States by the United Soccer Coaches, have beaten every opponent they've faced this year, avenging their only draw from the Holiday Cup in December against the Bears (12-3-1).

Mandarin midfielder Adis Mesic accelerated through three Bears before passing to Mancinotti on the left wing, creating the attack that led to the penalty.

Goalkeeper Brayden Knox preserved the shutout despite early pressure from Dimani Mathlin and Luke Williams for the Bears, the only team to avoid defeat against Mandarin in a 1-1 December draw. Bartram Trail also qualified for regionals through the FHSAA's ranking formula, traveling to Lake Mary.

"Our goal was three [championships]. We wanted Gateway, district and state," said Mandarin coach Jason Cooley, whose team kicks off regionals Wednesday at home against Timber Creek. "And they're focused in on it."

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DISTRICT 3-6A

Oakleaf needed nothing less than a district championship to extend their season — and they got it.

With goals from Khiende May-Parker in regulation and center forward Drew Ammon in overtime, the Knights upset Ponte Vedra 2-1, sealing an automatic berth to the Class 6A playoffs and a trip to Gainesville.

Oakleaf (10-3-1), which entered the playoffs at No. 11 in the regional rankings, had earlier stayed alive in the semifinals with a 2-1 upset of county rival Fleming Island after Evan Bauman's late game-winner. They enter the regionals on a seven-game winning streak.

Ponte Vedra (11-3-3) received an at-large bid to face Niceville, while Fleming Island also qualified to meet Gulf Breeze.

DISTRICT 2-5A

Ridgeview survived overtime for a district title, ending the playoff run of Tallahassee Lincoln 3-2.

The Panthers (8-4-4) advance to next week's Class 5A playoffs on a three-game winning streak, playing at home against Choctawhatchee.

DISTRICT 3-5A

St. Augustine turned up the scoring when it mattered, winning more games in the district tournament than in the entire regular season and beating county rival Menendez 5-3 for the district championship.

The Yellow Jackets (5-10-4) will move on to next week's Class 5A regionals and a trip to No. 1 seed Panama City Beach Arnold, while Menendez heads to Pensacola Washington.

DISTRICT 2-4A

Gainesville Eastside topped Suwannee 2-0 to claim its fourth consecutive district title and third under head coach Greg Sawyer.

Only 45 seconds in, Eastside junior Jayven Cromwell struck the ball at the top of the 18-yard box and slipped it perfectly under the crossbar and over the outstretched hands of Suwannee’s junior keeper, Alex Mabey.

Sophomore Jonas Traktuev added a quick free kick that caught everyone by surprise midway through the half.

Ainslie Lee/Gainesville Sun

DISTRICT 3-4A

Yulee struck twice after halftime and buzzed to the district title on goals from Chad Jaynes and Kevin Reyes, winning 2-1 against Stanton (6-14).

Matthew McNicholas set up both goals for the Hornets (15-2-1), who play at home against Pensacola West Florida.

DISTRICT 4-4A

Beachside wrapped up the first boys soccer district title in school history, outlasting Bishop Kenny 5-4 on penalty kicks after regulation and overtime finished 1-1.

The Barracudas (7-4-6) qualify for the playoffs in their first year to meet South Walton, while Bishop Kenny (12-3-3) plays at home against Panama City Bay in regionals.

DISTRICT 3-3A

Christian Clarke and William Osgathorpe scored as Providence twice came from behind to roll into February's regionals in winning mode. The Stallions (9-2-3) topped Bolles 5-4 in a penalty shootout, after rallying to tie the score 2-2 in the final five minutes of regulation.

Bolles (8-8-2), which will travel to Williston for regionals, had twice seized the lead on goals by Yoel Piperno and Luke Santamaria off assists by Will Morales.

Providence junior goalkeeper Ridge Cullen made nine saves and converted one of the Stallions' kicks in the seven-round shootout, securing a first-round home playoff against Ocala Trinity Catholic.

DISTRICT 3-2A

Fourth-seeded St. Johns Country Day survived a marathon penalty shootout Thursday night to overcome Christ's Church (10-7), winning the tiebreaker 7-6 after regulation and overtime ended 2-2.

The Spartans (6-5-4), state finalists two years ago, return to the Class 2A playoffs on Wednesday against Port St. Joe, while Christ's Church travels to St. Joseph in an all-local pairing.

First-round regional pairings

Standard kickoff times 7 p.m. Wednesday but subject to change

Region 1-7A

(8) Timber Creek at (1) Mandarin

(5) Clermont East Ridge at (4) Creekside

(2) Bartram Trail at (7) Lake Mary

(6) Winter Park at (3) West Orange

Region 1-6A

(8) Cantonment Tate at (1) Tallahassee Chiles

(5) Ponte Vedra at (4) Niceville

(7) Oakleaf at (2) Gainesville

(6) Fleming Island at (3) Gulf Breeze

Region 1-5A

(8) St. Augustine at (1) Panama City Beach Arnold

(5) Menendez at (4) Pensacola Washington

(2) Fort Walton Beach at (7) Leesburg

(3) Choctawhatchee at (6) Ridgeview

Region 1-4A

(8) Gainesville Eastside at (1) Wakulla

(5) West Florida at (4) Yulee

(3) South Walton at (6) Beachside

(7) Panama City Bay at (2) Bishop Kenny

Region 1-3A

(8) Pensacola Catholic at (1) Tallahassee Maclay

(5) Bolles at (4) Williston

(7) Ocala Trinity Catholic at (2) Providence

(6) Wolfson at (3) Florida High

Region 1-2A

(8) Mount Dora Christian at (1) Tallahassee St. John Paul II

(4) Harvest Community at (5) Bell

(7) Christ's Church at (2) St. Joseph

(6) Port St. Joe at (3) St. Johns Country Day

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: High school boys soccer 2022-2023: Jacksonville district tournament