Wellington Edges Central in District Title Shootout;
Teams Might Meet Again
 
By Bob Markey II
www.PalmsWestPress.com
 
Jan, 27, 2008 - The state 6-A boys' soccer championship might have gone through Wellington on Saturday. Wellington High School defeated village rival Palm Beach Central 2-1 in a shoot-out to capture the District 9-6A championship and a host role in the regional tournament, but both coaches agreed these teams might meet again before the dust settles.
 
Andres Londono ripped a shot into the left corner of the goal in an overtime penalty kick shootout, just past the arms of diving Central goal keeper Jake Hirst, winning the title for the Wolverines, who were at a one-goal disadvantage until after the half.
 
Neither team could score in two 10-minute sudden-death periods, and each team scored three times in five tries during the first shootout.
 
With the win, Wellington (18-4-2) was set to host Spanish River (11-9-1), south county district runner-up, on Thursday night (Jan. 31) at Corepoint Stadium in a regional quarterfinal. Central (20-3) visited south county champion Boca Raton (23-3).

Central appeared to have the momentum and challenged WHS for much of the game. Mariano Gelso scored first, in the 39th minute, and Central held a 1-0 lead until midway through the second half, when Wellington's Alvoro Romo headed in a long throw-in by Marcus Dilallo.
 
"We were trying to defend their long throws and that's pretty much what they've got and how they scored," said Central coach Ron Matella.
 
In the first shoot-out period (five shots on a defended goal for each team), Central's Houston Lillo missed, Sean Wotring scored, Juan Correa missed, Gelso scored and Grant Gellerman scored.
 
For Wellington, Romo and Max Zoete scored. But then Ricardo Zamora and Marcus Dilallo missed. Andrew Dilallo scored to even it up again.

Next, during the single shots on goal overtime period, Jeff Hoover's shot to the left was blocked by WHS goal keeper Corey Bandremer.
 
Londono then made his shot and the Wolverines celebrated wildly.

"It's a hard way for it to end," said Matella, attributing the loss to "a couple of mistakes, and we didn't capitalize on our opportunities."
 
"The kids played well," he said.
 
And the good news for the Broncos was their continued life in the state tourney. "You play on," Matella said.
 
WHS coach Michael Aronson said his team played just good enough to win or be edged.
 
"It's always nice to win [like this]," Aronson said. "We were holding on for a while - for dear life at times."
 
Both coaches did not count out a rematch, with even higher stakes, as the Wellington and Central girls teams did on Tuesday night (WHS defeated Central 2-0 to advance to the regional final).
 
"I would not be surprised to see them again the week after next," Aronson said.