BOYNTON BEACH — Ella Munoz has been a multisport star at North Broward Prep since she was in the sixth grade.
The senior defender’s star never shone brighter than Friday night as her goal with a little over a minute left in the second overtime tied the game, and her game-sealing penalty kick in the shootout lifted the visiting Eagles (19-1-3) to a come-from-behind victory over the defending state champion Somerset Canyons 2-1 (4-2 PKs) in the 3A regional championship.
“I normally play defense and don’t really get a chance to shoot,” said Munoz, a multi-time Sun Sentinel All-County first-team selection for both soccer and track and field. “I can’t believe I scored. It was crazy to have the girls celebrate with me twice. … We have unfinished business (at state).”
Munoz, whose only other trip to the state tournament came as an eighth grader when the team fell to Benjamin 4-2 in the state semifinal, will get another shot at a state championship as the No. 25-ranked Eagles face rival Cardinal Gibbons (20-0-2) at Lake Lytal Soccer Park in Auburndale on Thursday at 10 a.m.
The teams tied 1-1 on Nov. 6.
North Broward Prep has won 17 straight since a 2-1 loss to University School, including two wins over Somerset (14-3-1). The only other blemish on the Cardinal Gibbons’ record has been a 1-1 draw with Archbishop McCarthy in mid-November.
“They are an unbelievable team, unbelievably coached, and I wish them the best,” said Somerset Canyons coach Oscar Narvaez, whose only other loss was a 3-1 setback to Lourdes Academy. “It was a state championship atmosphere, and in the last minute, they stepped up. Ella Munoz is a helluva kid and a great player.”
Somerset Canyons, ranked 17th in the country by MaxPreps, had the Eagles on their heels most of the night, holding a 13-4 shot advantage.
The Cougars grabbed a 1-0 lead when senior midfielder and FAU signee Sephora Joachim found senior midfielder and Kennesaw State signee Natalie Bruno at the top of the penalty area, where she spun to her right and rifled a shot just past the outstretched arms of Eagles’ senior goalkeeper Zoie Brown.
As she did in the district championship win, Brown was called on to make several key saves. She turned away two shots by Bruno and Joachim in the first half and then made two saves in the penalty kick shootout. The Eagles converted all four of their penalty kicks in the shootout, by Lila Brown, Sienna Lopez, Kaiden O’Neill and Munoz.
Brown, who was teammates with Joachim in winning a national championship for Team Boca, said she tried to recall where Joachim favored in the shootout.
“Since the eighth grade, we wanted this to go full circle,” Brown said. “We worked so hard all season for this. I thought she would go right. I went with my gut. Winning a national title and going back to state in my senior year is about the same level.”
Trailing 1-0 with three minutes to go in the second overtime, North Broward Prep coach Tricia Amrhein pushed Munoz forward from her center back position. The decision was rewarded less than two minutes later on a 30-yard curling shot to the far post past Somerset Canyons senior goalkeeper Mia Castano.
“I told Ella to go up and play high and do what she can do,” Amrhein said. “And she put it in the back of the net. I know whenever Ella is involved in a play, something good is going to happen, and I knew once we went to PKs with Zoie that we would win it. If there was a group that I wanted it for, it was them.”
Somerset Canyons played without its leading scorer, Alexia Hansen, who was recently called in for the United States U17 National team training. Hansen was the co-Sun Sentinel 4A-1A player of the year last season and is an LSU commit.
Regional finals
Friday
3A
2. North Broward Prep def. 1. Somerset Canyons 2-1 (PKs)
1. Cardinal Gibbons def. 6. Immaculata-La Salle 3-1
2A
1. King’s Academy def. 3. Edgewood 1-0
1A
1. Berean Christian def. 2. South Florida HEAT 3-2
Tuesday at 7 p.m. unless noted
According to FHSAA.com
7A
2. Jupiter at 1. Lake Nona, 6 p.m.
2. Wellington at 1. Cypress Bay, 5 p.m.
6A
3. Cooper City at 1. St. Thomas Aquinas
5A
3. Pembroke Pines Charter at 1. Miami Lourdes Academy
4A
2. Somerset Academy at 1. American Heritage
State semifinals
In Auburndale
3A
North Broward Prep vs. Cardinal Gibbons, Thursday, 10 a.m.
2A
King’s Academy vs. Lakeland Christian, Tuesday, 10 a.m.
1A
Berean Christian vs. Canterbury, Friday, 10 a.m.
