The Santa Fe Raiders’ historic postseason run ended Thursday evening with a 3-0 loss to Somerset Academy-Canyons Cougars in the FHSAA Class 3A state semifinals at Lake Myrtle Soccer Complex in Auburndale. 

Somerset (Boynton Beach) scored three second-half goals to advance to the state championship match after a scoreless first. The Cougars outshot Santa Fe, 25-10, while Raider’s freshman goalkeeper Hunter LaLonde recorded 13 saves in a match that remained competitive deep into the second half. 

“Standing here right now is something to feel good about. We have a group of very excellent young men from top to bottom,” Santa Fe coach Morgan Dall’Acqua said to his team following the match. “I don’t like the outcome, but you guys fought to the finish and I’m very proud of you.” 

Somerset (16-2-2) opened the match aggressively, taking the first shot in the opening minute before LaLonde made the save. Santa Fe responded seven minutes later with a strike that forced a diving stop by the Cougars’ goalkeeper. In the 10th minute, freshman Owen Boone slipped a pass into the box for senior Dharma Rico, but the keeper rushed out and shut down the chance. 

The Cougars countered three minutes later with a hard shot that LaLonde blocked away, and moments later, Somerset nearly broke through when a long-distance attempt grazed the crossbar.  

Santa Fe (14-5-3) generated another opportunity in the 30th minute after earning a free kick, but could not place a shot in the net. A cross into the box in the 35th minute found junior Josh Cottle, whose header sailed wide. The Raiders closed the half with a corner kick but were unable to convert, sending the teams into halftime tied 0-0. 

Somerset found the breakthrough early in the second half. In the 47th minute, a saved ball was crossed back into the box and headed into the left side of the net to give the Cougars a 1-0 lead. 

The Cougars continued to apply pressure in the 50th minute with a shot that sailed high over the crossbar. Santa Fe faced added adversity in the 54th and 55th minutes when two Raiders were issued yellow cards for equipment violations, forcing them to briefly play short-handed. The defense held during the stretch. 

The Raiders created their best scoring sequence just before the second water break. Senior Landon Thompson dribbled along the goal line and fired from a sharp angle, but the Somerset goalkeeper tipped the shot out with his fingertips. Moments later, a ball bounced through the box before Boone’s shot rolled out of bounds. 

At the 60-minute water break, Somerset maintained a 1-0 advantage. 

“Our boys never really got comfortable early on,” Dall’Acqua said. “They kept us out of sorts and pressured our back line. We missed on the little things — the first touch and the pass. In the second half, they capitalized, and that’s what good teams do.” 

Somerset’s pressure finally paid off again in the 66th minute when the Cougars worked the ball around the box and finished a shot into the back right corner of the net to make it 2-0. 

Santa Fe attempted to answer in the 70th minute when junior Mason Kramer found Rico streaking into the box, but a sliding defender deflected Rico’s shot. 

Two minutes later, Santa Fe earned a long free kick on the right side. Senior Wayne Boone sent a hard shot toward the net, but the Cougars’ goalkeeper made the save. 

Somerset sealed the outcome in the 75th minute after drawing a penalty kick. LaLonde guessed correctly, but the ball slipped under his hand and into the net for the third goal. 

Despite the loss, Santa Fe was supported by a large traveling crowd, with nearly 200 fans making the two-and-a-half-hour trip from Alachua. 

“I’ve got the greatest job of any high school coach,” Dall’Acqua said. “Our community shows up for these boys. There was nobody over there crying – there was a whole group of fans lifting these student-athletes up.” 

Santa Fe reached the final four after defeating Pensacola Catholic 1-0 in the regional final and entered the match as the No. 3 seed. The appearance marked the deepest playoff run in program history. 

“It’s just a stepping-stone season,” Dall’Acqua said. “We didn’t come here just to make a state semifinal. We’re building a program that should be self-sustaining. This was a heck of a run, but it’s only the first step. We intend to be back here next year and walk out a little happier than we are right now.”