Durant, Plant City and Strawberry Crest entered Tuesday night’s regional quarterfinals with high hopes and high energy, but the wins didn’t come.
The Cougars went to Plant to play the 7A-District 7 champs and were shut out, 3-0, as the Panthers’ offense exploded in the first half for all of the team’s scoring.
Plant City visited 6A-District 9 champ St. Cloud and those Bulldogs handed the Raiders a 2-1 loss. Abigail Ortiz scored the Raiders’ only goal of the game in the second half.
Crest, the only area district champion, hosted 6A-District 12 runner-up Melbourne and, despite generating much first-half pressure and goalkeeper Emily Hobbs making several difficult saves, took a 1-0 loss to the Bulldogs. Melbourne’s goal came a little less than midway through the first half when Isabella Ottomanelli managed to slip a shot past Hobbs.