The Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School men’s varsity soccer team clinched the 7A-13 district championship on Monday, Jan. 29 when they triumphed over their rivals, the Monarch High School Knights, 2-0. They had concluded their regular season with a record of 7-5-3.
Throughout the first half, the Eagles and Knights were tied in a close match. Goalkeeper Valentino Mira (0) saved two goals from Knights midfield Luca Lopes (19). The half ended 0-0.
The second half began with both teams seemingly tired, but the Eagles bounced back after a few calls made by the refs against the Eagles. After a lengthy back and forth game, the game ended 0-0 and led to overtime.
“We worked on staying defensively sound,” captain Ian Selveraj said. “We cleaned up in the back and made sure not to concede.”
The Eagles won the coin toss in overtime and chose their side of the field. Within the first five minutes of overtime, striker Aquiles Yibirn (9) scored a goal with an assist from Steve Gordon, and the Eagles took the lead for the first time in the game.
“It felt great, [it was a] very surreal experience… Maybe one of my best high school moments ever,” Yibirn said.
The Knights attempted to counter Yibirn’s goal, but were unsuccessful. In the last minute of overtime, Yibirn scored again, and the game ended 2-0.
This was the second district title the men’s Eagles won with Coach Christian Chacon as their head coach. Chacon won his first district title with the team in 2021.
“It feels great, we worked so hard,” Chacon said.
This game is also considered special to Selveraj, as this was his second and last district title.
“The first one I won my freshman year definitely didn’t feel as good as this one, but when you wait a long time for something and you finally get it, it feels way better,” Selveraj said.
Selveraj is graduating in June and will attend Gettysburg College in the fall.
The Eagles will face the Miami Palmetto Senior High Panthers Tuesday, Feb. 2 at 7:00 p.m. The Eagles will continue to work hard and practice for the regional quarterfinals.
