Momentum booster: BTW boys soccer keeps win streak alive with victory over Gulf Breeze

The Booker T. Washington boys soccer team knew it was going to have to put everything on the line on Thursday at Gulf Breeze.

The Wildcats needed to set the tone early – which they got with a goal from Anthony Lipnicky, after he headed in a ball off a free kick from midfield less than four minutes into the game. They got the insurance goal after Evan McManus found some room with 36 minutes, 47 seconds left in the game.

Booker T. also needed to play some staunch defense against Gulf Breeze – and the Wildcats did just that, with goaltender Ethan Koivu making a big save on a penalty kick in the first half, and then Lipnicky also blocking two shots with his body at the end of the game with the Dolphins trying to rally.

One of those blocked shots came as Koivu was initially beaten by a shot, but Lipnicky slid in with speed and kicked the ball away from danger. The other shot came from close range – hitting him in a not-so-friendly area, and took a few moments to compose himself.

“That did not feel good at all,” Lipnicky said with a laugh. “But it was worth it.”

Booker T. came away with the 2-0 victory at Dolphin Stadium on Thursday for its fifth consecutive victory, spanning back to Dec. 13.

“It just made a statement for our season. We went so far last year. I don’t think people really believed in us, and here we are,” McManus said.

“Coming to Gulf Breeze, the No. 3 team, to come away with a win like this, I think it set a tone for us getting close to the playoffs. That’s the most important part,” Booker T. head coach Felipe Lawall said. “We’re getting the results. … We have everybody healthy.”

The Dolphins (12-2-1) have three games left in the regular season, including Monday at Chiles – and potentially a match against the No. 1 team in the state in Arnold on Jan. 20.

“Everything we want is still in front of us. … We want to win districts, win the region and win the state title. This game doesn’t change that. The sun will come up tomorrow. Our season is still on,” Gulf Breeze head coach Austin King said. “I just want to make sure the guys understand that you can be upset, but when your head hits the pillow tonight, it’s time to let it go.”

The Wildcats (9-1) have just a pair of games left, starting with a home game against Pensacola Catholic on Tuesday.

“We’re just going to see what the district playoffs look like and we’ll go from there,” Lawall said.

Here are three takeaways from the game.

Using the gulf Breeze to their advantage

Booker T. knew coming into the game it was going to be windy. It typically is at Dolphin Stadium. The Wildcats were playing against the wind during the first half.

Between the weather and trying to set the tone early, Lawall knew one thing: if the Wildcats could score just once, they’d be able to create more opportunities in the second frame with the wind behind them.

Lipnicky’s goal did just that, giving Booker T. half of its targets for the first frame.

“For our team, it was big that we started this game hot,” Lipnicky said. “We were just trying to get our body in front of the ball, and that’s what I did.”

On the other half, Koivu made a big stop on a penalty kick as he dove toward the goalpost, keeping Gulf Breeze off the board.

“You know in games like this, whoever gets the first goal, you’re going to put the other team on their toes,” Lawall said. “Now, the other team has to make some adjustments and figure out a new gameplan and get something out of it.”

After McManus’ goal – which saw him find the loose ball after Kyle Hunnicutt popped the ball loose near the goal line – gave the Wildcats some breathing room, that’s when the defense stepped in to keep the Dolphins shut out.

“(Ethan) came up big with that PK save when we needed him the most. Then Tony was phenomenal today,” Lawall said. “He’s a guy that was willing to sacrifice his body. He made two great diving saves. He kept the ball away from our goal.”

“I just wanted to do everything I could to keep that zero on the board,” Lipnicky said. “That was more exciting than the goal.”

Momentum boost

Thursday’s game is the first time Gulf Breeze has lost to a team from Escambia or Santa Rosa County since Feb. 8, 2020 – a remarkable 1,433 days.

The last area team to hand the Dolphins a loss? Booker T. Washington. Just a handful of players on the current Wildcats roster were on that team – including Lipnicky and Kyle Hunnicutt – but the Dolphins, since that game, have been on a tear throughout the area – and the state, for that matter.

King, before the game, even jokingly said to Hunnicutt in the pre-game meeting with coaches, captains and referees, “Man, I’m glad you’re graduating,” knowing what kind of player Hunnicutt – the 2023 and 2021 PNJ Boys Soccer Player of the Year – has been.

“For whatever reason, we’ve had Washington’s number over the last few years,” King said. “For Kyle to finally beat us his senior year – I was hoping maybe not – he deserves it.”

And at this time of year, a win against the No. 3 team in the state is crucial, with playoffs right around the corner. Booker T. was ranked 18th in the state this past week.

“(Gulf Breeze is) having a great season. For us, this win, even though it’s not a district game, it gets some eyes on us,” Lipnicky said. “This will definitely get us motivated to play more games with this intensity.”

“It’s huge, especially with the momentum going into playoffs. I hope we can keep it up,” McManus said.

‘It just wasn’t our night’

Gulf Breeze had a few opportunities scattered throughout the game to tie the game at one goal apiece, or even avoid the shutout last in the contest. Whether it be the two penalty kicks or having a chance in close, the Dolphins just couldn’t find the back of the net.

Instead of focusing on the negative, King chose to look at the positive: he’s glad a game like this came now – a game with no district or region standing implications, since Gulf Breeze is 6A vs. Booker T. in 5A – compared to the looming district tournament.

The Dolphins are first in 6A in the state, region and district, according to the latest FHSAA rankings.

It came down to not taking “advantage of the chances (they) had,” King said.

“Again, it just wasn’t our night. … If you play sports long enough, there’s just – for whatever reason – nights that aren’t your night,” King said. “At the end of the day, I’d rather us have a game like that now, where the bounces don’t go our way, in a game that really doesn’t mean anything. …

“I’d rather have the goals in the playoffs.”

Ben Grieco is a sports reporter for the Pensacola News Journal. He can be reached on X (@BenGriecoSports) and via email at BGrieco@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Booker T. Washington boys soccer defeats Gulf Breeze in shutout fashion