Of his teams that have won four straight Sixth Region titles, Fern Creek High School boys soccer coach John Pedro didn’t peg the 2015 squad to be the one to break new ground for the program.
“Last year’s team by far was the best-skilled team we’ve had,” Pedro said. “To be honest, this probably isn’t one of the most skilled teams. But they fight harder. They have a different attitude about it.”
That attitude has carried the Tigers all season and now has them two victories away from the program’s first state championship. Fern Creek (20-4-1) will play in its first state semifinal Wednesday, facing Covington Catholic (22-2-2) at 6 p.m. at Paul Dunbar High School in Lexington, Ky.
Unranked in the MaherRankings.com Top 25, Fern Creek is the definite underdog among the semifinalists. No. 1 Bowling Green (19-2-3) is the defending state champion and will face No. 3 Henry Clay (22-2-1) in Wednesday’s 8 p.m. semifinal. Covington Catholic is ranked No. 5.
But Pedro said his team won’t be intimidated.
“The think we keep saying is, ‘Why not us?’” Pedro said. “That’s the mojo we’ve been using. … This is a great experience for our kids and the school itself. It deserves a bright spot like this in athletics.”
Pedro’s 2012-14 squads all lost in the semistate round of the postseason, but the 2015 Tigers knocked off North Hardin 2-1 in the Semistate Three game on Oct. 26 and Henderson County 1-0 in Saturday’s quarterfinals to reach the semifinals.
Defense has carried Fern Creek in the final weeks of the season. In their past 11 games, the Tigers have allowed just four goals and posted seven shutouts.
“Defensively we’re tough,” Pedro said. “Regardless of what might go against us during a game, they don’t really stop. Some of these kids have been through such hardships that they don’t know the word ‘lose.’ If they see a glimmer of hope, they’re going to after it.”
The Fern Creek roster includes players from 11 countries – United States, Nepal, Burma, Congo, Gambia, Cuba, Honduras, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ivory Coast, Fiji and Sierra Leone.
Pedro said two his regular starters – Abdoullie Sumareau (from Gambia) and Jorge Castellanos Reyes (from Cuba) – speak relatively no English.
“Soccer is the universal language,” Pedro said. “A lot of what we do is showing them and visualization. We do a lot of film work with them and try to find stuff on YouTube. … Sometimes it’s organized chaos.”
Fern Creek averages 4.6 goals per game and is led by seniors Kornell Hilliard (52 goals, 13 assists) and Jacob Teasley (20 goals, 42 assists) and sophomore Jelcin Zuniga (17 goals).
Pedro said Hilliard and Teasley are the hardest workers on the squad.
“When there’s no soccer going on, they go out and play soccer,” he said. “They’re a great pair together, and they’re best friends. At times, those two have taken over games for us.”
Fern Creek will face a Covington Catholic team that beat Trinity 2-1 in Saturday’s quarterfinals. Senior forward Jacob Litzler leads the team with 23 goals and is tied for the team lead with 14 assists.
“I just hope we play better than we did (Saturday) against Henderson County,” Pedro said. “If we play to our potential, I think we can stay in the game.”
Jason Frakes can be reached at (502) 582-4046 and jfrakes@courier-journal.com.
BOYS SOCCER STATE TOURNAMENT
* Where: Paul Dunbar High School, Lexington.
* Wednesday’s semifinals: Fern Creek (20-4-1) vs. Covington Catholic (22-2-2), 6 p.m.; Henry Clay (22-2-1) vs. Bowling Green (19-2-3), 8 p.m.
* Saturday’s final: 5 p.m.
* Tickets: $10, children 10 and under free.