Fleming Island High soccer coach Frank Pontore and his Golden Eagles team that finished with a record of 24-1-2 are still celebrating the second state title the school has won since 2012. The Golden Eagles won the Class 4A state title 4-0 over Doral on Feb. 18 in Deland.
Senior midfielder Mark Suhrer said the team’s attitude made the difference this season.
“Our team wanted it more,” Suhrer said. “We played with more heart. Last year’s team was more talented, but this year’s team had more of a will to win.”
Pontore said this year’s team rebounded from losing late in last year’s postseason run.
“Last year in playoffs, we thought we had the team,” Pontore said. “We were solid everywhere. As the season went on, the chemistry was not right. When we started this year, we talked about chemistry, working hard, and playing for guy next to you. They took it to heart. When you see that, you know you have something special.”
Pontore was quick to give Reed Davis credit, but he also pointed out that Davis had help to make his season unique.
“I’ve never had a guy score 50 goals,” Pontore said. “He outworks everyone. He scored a ton of goals in the playoffs. He wears down the defense eventually. He and Marcus Murphy playing together was a sight to be seen. Marcus had 23 assists and 20 goals himself. Marcus is a center mid on the outside, so his hard work opens up plays for Reed more.”
Davis also won the Mr. Florida award given to the best soccer player in the state. Pontore said he has had 4A players of the year award winners and even All- Americans, but has never coached a Mr. Florida.
Pontore said Suhrer was another reason Davis was a prolific scorer.
“He (Reed Davis) does not have the year he had without Marcus and Mark Suhrer,” Pontore said. “Mark’s a special kid. He’s a ‘yes sir and no sir’ kid. He just goes out and works. He has been on the varsity for three straight years. We put him on outside mid, which is very demanding because he has to attack. He scored goals and makes assists then comes back to play defense. He’s a strong young man and very quick. At our team banquet, we give out one award called the Golden Eagle award which is given to a kid who sacrifices all for team and does not miss practice. It went to Mark.”
There were different pivotal points in the season, such as senior midfielder Alex Cruz breaking his collarbone in November.
“When he (Cruz) went down, it was a tremendous blow,” Pontore said. “He was going to be our workhorse. He’s the whole package. After he went down, people were saying, ‘We’re in trouble.’ Then Connor Davis, a sophomore who is Reed’s brother, was thrown in the varsity team starting lineup and is expected to win. He (Connor) did a very good job. When we finally got Alex back, the swagger that he carries elevated everyone’s game.”
Goalie Omar Zermeno also contributed to the season, overcoming earlier inconsistency to finish strong.
“He had one of those crazy seasons,” Pontore said. “We only carry one goalie. Up till Christmas, he was lights out then he went through a funk due to difficult academic work and little sleep. In the playoffs the light went on, and he went back to being a brick wall in goal. He went from being an outstanding goalie to being hesitant to being a wall in one season. In the state title game, he was unbelievable. I have not seen a game better than the one he played in the state title game.”
Pontore also wanted to give his defense credit for their performance on the season and in the title game because the unit had four new defenders from the previous season.
“Ryan Perry and Noah Hamlett, our marking backs, did a great job,” Pontore said. “Zach Hazen never gets any credit, but he was one of our defense specialists.”
The turning point of the season was when the Golden Eagles played three tough games in one week against The Bolles School, Ponte Vedra, and Tallahassee Leon. The Leon home game on Jan. 13 resulted in Fleming Island’s only loss.
“Losing the game against Leon put more fire in their belly,” Pontore said. “Leon was very excited about winning that game. The best thing that happened to us was that loss. I’m a firm believer that in the middle of season a loss can be good. They are still young men, and sometimes if things come too easy, then they get cocky. It (the loss) was a wake-up call. We challenged them after that loss. and we were able to turn it around.”
Few playoff teams were as prepared for the postseason as Fleming Island. Pontore said his team won three overtime games (Fletcher, Creekside, and Melbourne) and won one game (Leon) with three minutes left in regulation.
“My doctor was glad for my heart that the season was over,” Pontore said, laughing. “My wife wanted me to bring a defibrillator to the games.”
Pontore said winning the state title has allowed the community, students, and faculty to realize how difficult it is to go deep into the playoffs every year.
“We had so much success over the past 14 years that people assume that this is what we do,” Pontore said. “Now people say, ‘I can’t believe you have been doing this over the years.’”
Suhrer said people are still congratulating him on being part of a state championship team.
“Some people have handed me newspapers ‘cause my picture was on it,” Suhrer said. “Some people I haven’t seen in forever have come up to me and congratulated me. It still feels unbelievable. Winning a state title my senior year is a dream.”
The Golden Eagles excel in the classroom as well as on the field.
“We also pride ourselves in being disciplined in academics,” Pontore said. “They’re smart athletes. We don’t carry a team GPA under anything less than a 3.8. With good students, they pick up the concepts much quicker. They play so many games in club and school that they have to adjust to different positions and different terminology quickly.”
FIHS had a good balance between juniors (nine) and seniors (seven) on the roster. Talk of a repeat state title is already on the minds of the players.
“Back-to-back is what they want,” Pontore said. “We talked about it on the bus on the way home. We have never done that (consecutive titles).”
Suhrer agreed with his coach.
“They have a good chance to win state next year,” Suhrer said.
Written by by: Brent Beaird
Photography by: Frank Pontore
