Soccer: Repeat Champs

The Jesuit High School soccer team defeated Seminole 3-0 on Saturday in the championship game of the Tampa Bay Invitational, capping an exceptional run to the title in which the Tigers defeated three straight previously unbeaten opponents.

Hosted by Jesuit and in its second year, the TBI is one of the state's premier tournaments, and for the second consecutive year the Tigers claimed the championship.

Lucas Gobea '20, Trevor Stanley '19, and Carter Campbell '19 scored first-half goals for Jesuit (10-1) in the title game. The Tigers had to rally earlier in the tournament, coming from behind late on two goals by Gobea to defeat previously unbeaten Steinbrenner 2-1 in the opening round. Jesuit then defeated Naples (which also had been undefeated) 3-1 in the semifinal after trailing 1-0 at intermission, on goals by Andrew Motzer '19, Jeffrey Masser '19, and Zach Board '20.

This year the tournament expanded from 8 teams to 16 and was divided into two eight-team divisions, the Saint Ignatius Division, which Jesuit won, and the Saint Francis Xavier Division, which was won by Mitchell.   

Stanley was named the Most Valuable Player, Gobea earned the Golden Boot, goalkeeper Thomas Knipe '19 earned the Golden Glove, and Board also was named All-Tournament. Click here to view all of the All-Tournament selections.

Gobea also was recognized during a special ceremony prior to the championship game for his selection to the Allstate All-American team. Gobea is one of 75 junior boys from across the country chosen to the team, and he will have a chance to be selected to play in the Allstate All-America Cup this summer.

For the second consecutive year, the San Ignacio team from San Juan, Puerto Rico, participated in the tournament. Click here for a Tampa Bay Times feature story about how the San Ignacio team has been coping in the aftermath of the devastation from Hurricane Maria in September 2017.

Click below for a photo slideshow from the 3-0 championship-game win over Seminole.