Boys Soccer: New Orleans Jesuit in, Berkeley Prep absent from Classic field

Posted Dec 10, 2009 by Nick Murray

Updated Dec 10, 2009 at 06:52 PM

Jesuit has released the complete pool play schedule for the High School Soccer Classic tournament, with ESPN Rise Winter rankings preseason No.6 New Orleans Jesuit headlining the 24-team field.

A notable absence, though, is Berkeley Prep. The Buccaneers helped found the tournament, now in its 16th season, and won the Premier Division of the tournament a season ago. According to an e-mail from Jesuit coach Bob Bauman sent out, the Buccaneers absence was due to a miscommunication, and Buccaneers coach Tim Cooper reiterated the sentiment.

“I guess I just didn’t follow up to say ‘hey, listen, we’re in,’ because I just assumed (Bob) knew that,” Cooper said. “So I’ll take the blame for it, I know my guys are not too happy about it, but I’m not giving up complete hope.”

The Buccaneers could find their way into the tournament were one of the other 24 teams to withdraw before it begins on Dec. 19, and Cooper has also reached out to New Orleans Jesuit about the possibility of a game between the two sides while it is in Tampa.

“If something happens where somebody drops out, that would put us in,” Cooper said. “I think that’s a long-shot getting in if somebody drops out at this point, 10 days before, unless something major happens at the last second, then we’re not in it.”

Here is the complete schedule for pool play, with the championship bracket schedule still a work in progress. All matches will be held at the Ed Radice Sports Complex in Northwest Tampa.

Pool 1

Saturday, Dec. 19, 2 p.m.: Land O’ Lakes vs. Monteverde
Monday, Dec. 21, 9 a.m.: Monteverde vs. Sarasota
Monday, Dec. 21, 2 p.m.: Sarasota vs. Land O’ Lakes

Pool 2

Saturday, Dec. 19, 2 p.m.: Gaither vs. Orlando Bishop Moore
Monday, Dec. 21, 9 a.m.: Gaither vs. Tampa Prep
Monday, Dec. 21, 2 p.m.: Tampa Prep vs. Orlando Bishop Moore

Pool 3

Saturday, Dec. 19, 4 p.m.: Stanton Prep vs. Orlando Dr. Phillips
Monday, Dec. 21, 11 a.m.: Stanton Prep vs. Mitchell
Monday Dec. 21, 4 p.m.: Mitchell vs. Orlando Dr. Phillips

Pool 4

Saturday, Dec. 19, 4 p.m.: Melbourne vs. Seminole
Monday, Dec. 21, 11 a.m.: Tampa Catholic vs. Melbourne
Monday, Dec. 21, 4 p.m.: Seminole vs. Tampa Catholic

Pool 5

Saturday, Dec. 19, 6 p.m.: Countryside vs. Orangewood Christian
Monday, Dec. 21, 1 p.m.: Orangewood Christian vs. Gulf Breeze
Monday, Dec. 21, 6 p.m.: Countryside vs. Gulf Breeze

Pool 6

Saturday, Dec. 19, 6 p.m.: Palm Harbor vs. Lake Mary
Monday, Dec. 21, 1 p.m.: Palm Harbor vs. Clearwater Central Catholic
Monday, Dec. 21, 6 p.m.: Clearwater Central Catholic vs. Lake Mary

Pool 7

Saturday, Dec. 19, 8 p.m.: Jacksonville Bolles vs. Niceville
Monday, Dec. 21, 3 p.m.: Jacksonville Bolles vs. Sickles
Monday, Dec. 21, 8 p.m.: Sickles vs. Niceville

Pool 8

Saturday, Dec. 19, 8 p.m.: Jesuit vs. New Orleans Jesuit, 8 p.m.
Monday, Dec. 21, 3 p.m.: Fort Myers Bishop Verot vs. New Orleans Jesuit, 3 p.m.
Monday, Dec. 21, 8 p.m.: Jesuit vs. Fort Myers Bishop Verot, 8 p.m.