American Heritage withstands North Fort Myers rally, wins 13th girls soccer state title

For the second straight year, the American Heritage girls’ soccer team needed to work overtime and then some to earn its 13th state championship.

The Patriots (16-3-1) had to go to the eighth round of a penalty kicks shootout where junior goalkeeper Jillian Miliffe made her third save to lift the school to its second straight Class 5A state title with a 3-2 (5-4 PKs) over North Fort Myers on Friday afternoon at Spec Martin Stadium in DeLand.

After senior midfielder Camila Domine knocked her penalty kick into the upper right-hand corner past Red Knights goalkeeper Brooke Hankinson to put the Patriots up 5-4 in the penalty kick session, Miliffe dove to her left to save the ensuing attempt by North Fort Myers’ Kinsley Seidl, setting off a wild postgame celebration.

“We practice PKs every day at practice,” said Miliffe, who also recorded two saves in last year’s PK shootout in the state championship. “In practice, we have a major competition, and everyone is really strong. We knew we could do it. Honestly, this one seemed a little more intense (compared to last year) because this one went to sudden death.”

Junior Samantha Villaverde, sophomore Emma Torres, junior Natalia Dorn, and junior Janae Johnson also converted their kicks as the defending state champion Patriots held off upstart North Fort Myers (18-4) who was making its first appearance in the state championship.

“We obviously like to win in regulation,” Patriots coach Cindy Marcial said by phone. She has coached the team to seven of those titles.

“We like to keep it exciting for the fans,” she said, laughing. “We went up 2-0 and I don’t think we ever let down. We gave away two stupid fouls and that’s how they scored. In overtime, we had a couple of chances. We have practiced PKs for the past two months, so I knew if it went to PKs, we should be okay. Jillian is amazing. She’s the MVP today.”

American Heritage is now third in the state for most championships won, behind St. Thomas Aquinas (15) and Orange Park St. Johns Country Day (14).

American Heritage, winners of seven straight, got on the scoreboard in the 35th minute on a goal by Allison Aleman. The sophomore midfielder received a cross from junior Annabella Scarlett and headed it past Hankinson for a 1-0 lead.

The Patriots, ranked no. 1 in Class 3A and no. 3 nationally, padded their lead to 2-0 in the 43rdminute as the Red Knights defense was unable to clear a ball in front of their goal and senior defender Amanda Caines pounced on the loose ball and deposited it just inside the right post for her second goal of the season.

North Fort Myers, which entered the game with 14 shutouts in 21 games and on a four-game win streak, didn’t give up easily as they pushed up a third forward and it paid off as they were able to tie the game with goals in the 54th and 76th minutes, coming off free kicks.