- Santa Fe boys soccer team reached its first final four with a 1-0 win over Pensacola Catholic on February 13, 2024.
- Freshman Owen Boone scored the winning goal in the 77th minute assisted by his brother Wayne Boone.
- Santa Fe will face Somerset Academy - Canyons in the state semifinals on February 19 at Lake Myrtle Sports Park.
Chalk up another first for the Santa Fe boys soccer program.
The Raiders advanced to their first elite eight appearance in school history with a win against South Walton (Santa Rosa Beach) in the regional semifinals on Tuesday.
On Friday night in Alachua, No. 3 seed Santa Fe punched its ticket to its first final four with a 1-0 win at home against No. 5 seed Pensacola Catholic in the FHSAA Class 3A-Region 1 Final.
“First and foremost, I am proud of the boys, the staff, and all of the Raider family,” said Santa Fe coach Morgan Dall’Acqua via text. “To get 500 folks at a high school soccer game is almost unheard of. We had guys who played on the first team 33 years ago, sitting next to kids who dream about playing here when they are old enough. This night is about them; this was one for the whole soccer community out here.”
The game was scoreless and appeared to be headed to overtime until freshman Owen Boone scored in the 77th minute on an assist by his older brother and senior Wayne Boone.
“Owen came up huge for us this evening. We got him in just a great spot there to get to it,” Dall’Acqua told Mainstreet correspondent Matthew Kilgore after the game. “We had a lot of opportunities, we had our looks, we weren’t able to capitalize, and in typical Santa Fe fashion this season, some late game heroics, and we were able to come away with a big victory this evening.”
Santa Fe edged Suwannee (Live Oak), 2-1, in the regional quarterfinals, survived sudden death and won on penalty kicks against South Walton, and completed the trifecta with a late goal in the region final.
Freshman goalkeeper Hunter LaLonde added four saves for the Raiders (14-4-3), who will play Somerset Academy – Canyons (Boynton Beach) in next week’s state semifinals.
Santa Fe will play at either 4 or 7 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 19, at Lake Myrtle Sports Park – Soccer Stadium Field in Auburndale.
FHSAA Boys Soccer results
Regional Finals – Friday, Feb. 13
Class 2A-Region 1
2 Episcopal (Jacksonville) 3, 4 Williston 0
Class 3A-Region 1
3 Santa Fe (Alachua) 1,5 Pensacola Catholic 0