[ot-caption title=”The Pine Crest Varsity Football team looks to avenge their Homecoming loss against Calvary Christian on Thursday, October 30th. (via Ruchika Sharma, Senior)” url=”https://pcpawprint.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/footballfinal1.jpg”]

Pine Crest’s varsity football and volleyball teams are ready for what most people call the second season. This is the time when players step up, championships are won, and the team comes together with only one thing in mind, winning. Both teams have already moved on to the next rounds of their respective playoffs, as the volleyball team enters the regional playoffs as district champions, while the football team advances to the SFC semifinals.

On Friday, October 24, Pine Crest’s varsity football team began their quest for a championship in Tavernier with a victory against the Coral Shores Hurricanes, a team that only had two losses in the regular season, with one of them coming at the hands of the Panthers.  In this hard fought playoff battle, Pine Crest prevailed 13-12, beating Coral Shores for the second time by just one point, and improving their record to 5-4. They will move on to the Southeastern Football Conference semifinals this Thursday. However, standing in their way are the  undefeated Calvary Christian Academy Eagles at 9-0, who spoiled homecoming in their victory over the Panthers, winning 25-21.

Captain and starting quarterback Zach Smith expressed his confidence going into Thursday’s game, stating, “We are playing our best football now and are ready for the challenge at hand.”

Pine Crest’s defense reigned supreme against Coral Shores, and the team is looking for another all out effort in their SFC semifinal bout. Pine Crest has been a member of the Southeastern Football Conference since its inauguration in 2012. In the three years since then , the Panthers have missed the postseason just once as they failed to qualify for the postseason with a 4-6 record last year. In 2012, the Panthers made it to the inaugural  SFC championship game held at Florida Atlantic University Stadium, however, they fell to the hands of Benjamin, 46-20.

Although the Panthers were defeated in their prior matchup against the Eagles, the team is not letting their past get into their head. Smith assessed the situation expressing the team’s mindset. “We are coming in with a chip on our shoulder, ready to compete at our best level.”

Smith also went on to talk about how avenging their homecoming loss is a motivational factor coming into the game against the Eagles. Such a statement shows that the team’s goals are set high and that they know the playoffs are fair game, despite regular season records.

All in all, the Panthers are not going to let anyone stand in their way on their quest to the championship at FAU Stadium. They hope to continue their success into the semifinal and book their ticket to FAU!

Not only was the varsity football team victorious, but the girls’ volleyball team also prevailed in the opening rounds of their postseason.

On Wednesday, October 22, the Pine Crest varsity girls’ volleyball team began their fight to win the District Tournament and advance to Regionals. Coming into the District playoffs, the Lady Panthers were seeded number one, their reward for finishing the regular season first in the district.

With an undefeated district season, the girls had a bye for the first game and went straight into the District semifinals. The Lady Panthers played Coral Springs Charter at home on Wednesday, October 22, winning in four sets, 3-1, and advancing to the District Finals.

On October 24,  in Stacy Gym, the Lady Panthers competed against the Calvary Christian Academy Eagles. The team won easily 3-0, and enters the Regional Playoffs as the champions of their district. Junior Middle Blocker, Brianna Bruny led the Panthers with eight kills and fourteen digs. The Lady Panther’s next match will be at home on October 29, against the St. Andrews Scots in the Regional Tournament.

Senior Captain, Sara Shmueli describes her team as extremely talented, “I couldn’t ask for a better group of girls to be on the team for my senior season. Not only are we extremely talented, but we also play as a team for each other. We won the District championship tonight for the first time since 2008. We’ve had ups and downs throughout the season, but we’re playing our best game right now. We have a chance to do something extremely special this season and I am confident that we will.”

Playing on their home court was a greater advantage for Pine Crest, as they were more comfortable and were supported by several enthusiastic fans.  If the varsity girls are victorious against the Scots, they will advance to the regional semifinals. If the team continues to win, they will move on to the regional finals, held in Miami. Subsequently, the Lady Panthers will compete for the state championship at  the states’ final four, in Kissimmee, Florida.

Freshman, Shari Stenglein expressed her enthusiasm and optimism towards her team. “Winning a district title as a freshman on varsity is very exciting for me, and hopefully this is the first of many major wins for the team.”

Both the Pine Crest football and volleyball teams moved deeper into their respective playoff runs with strong victories. Their love for the game is prominent throughout everything they have accomplished. Each team member’s enthusiasm and dedication surely paid off throughout the regular season, and both teams expect to continue their winning ways. Be on the lookout for the varsity football and girl’s volleyball teams as they look to bring some hardware back to Pine Crest!