Hornets advance to first FHSAA state semifinal
By Official Florida FC
Rich Barnard and the Yulee boys soccer program have been building toward Wednesday night’s crescendo for years. Those efforts paid off in downtown Jacksonville when the Hornets stung Bishop Kenny with a late goal to win its first FHSAA regional title in school history.
Chad Jaynes’ 77th minute goal found the top corner to lift Yulee to a 2-1 victory.
The Hornets (18-2-1) travel to Miami Gulliver Prep (14-4-2) in Saturday’s Class 4A state semifinal. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Tropical Park.
“We’ve been preparing for three or four years to get to this point,” Barnard said. “This is a very small, tight soccer community up there in Nassau County. I’ve had these boys at club and high school. Four years ago that was our plan. We wanted to do better each and every year. We got knocked out in districts (in 2020. The next year, we lost in the first round of the playoffs.) The next year, we win districts, get knocked out in the first round of the playoffs. Every year, we wanted just one more game.”
Senior forward Sebastian Joinville opened the scoring with a first half penalty kick.
Yulee led 1-0 at halftime.
Bishop Kenny came out flying in the second half. The Crusaders (14-4-3) were playing with the wind and continued to pump long balls down the wings and dangerous balls into the penalty area.
In the 54th minute, Yulee handled the ball. Bishop Kenny coolly took advantage.
Joseph Jimenez rolled his penalty kick into the right corner to equalize.
From there, Yulee looked more likely to find the go-ahead goal. The best effort came with eight minutes to go when Yulee midfielder Hunter Kratochvil unleased a 25 yard shot that was headed toward the side-netting.
Kratochvil thought he scored. Yulee’s fans thought he scored. Bishop Kenny goalkeeper Gavin Salomone had other ideas. Salomone’s fingertip save pushed Kratochvil’s effort onto the post.
Bishop Kenny cleared from there.
Yulee piled on the pressure.
Barnard’s decision to substitute all his forwards after the second half water break allowed the Hornets to maintain possession in midfield and on the edge of the Bishop Kenny penalty area. When the forwards returned with 10 minutes to go, they provided a different tactical option for the visitors.
Yulee’s Matthew McNicholas dragged a 74th minute effort a yard wide of the goal.
The Hornets are unbeaten in their last 15 minutes. Barnard said the team’s belief, even when trailing, has buoyed the program all season long.
Jaynes’ goal didn’t come from much, which made it all the more stunning.
“We just wore them down,” Barnard said. “One of our other studs that’s typically a forward, we played him in a midfield role this year. He’s done that plenty of times over the last four years where he’s scored big goals like that.”
None were bigger than his right-footed effort on Wednesday night that found the top corner.
