WEST PALM BEACH – King’s Academy head coach Bri Mackrey has never been to the district finals – but that’s about to change.
With Monday night’s 3-0 victory over Oxbridge Academy, the Lions are going to the district championship for the first time in Mackrey’s six-year career at the helm of King’s.
The accomplishment comes on the back of an undefeated home record this season, and a three-to-one goal differential in favor of the Lions.
Much of that success can be chalked up to a midfield playing far beyond their years in both cohesion and precision.
“The midfield is a crucial part of our system,” Mackrey said. “We play through them a lot, all three players – Iris, Lola, and Mia – super technical players, possess the ball nicely for us, switch the side of attack, and were successful today.”
The Lions’ shutout win over Oxbridge started slow, though the second-seed dominated possession and created several quality chances in the first half.
All it took was one break-through – a perfect cross from Deionce Storey showed Lola Hathorne through on goal before the latter capitalized on another goal-scoring opportunity minutes later.
“Clutch,” Mackrey said. “She’s just clutch.”
“The through-ball to get through on the second goal was beautiful,” she added. “Lola’s finishing is outrageous. Technical and possession is our style.”
With Oxbridge pressing forward with numbers fighting from behind, the King’s Academy midfielders picked their opposition apart, controlling possession in a way that limited mistakes and pressured the Thunderwolves on the counter-attack, eventually leading to an unassisted goal from Mackenzie Meunieron.
Hathorne leads the team with 12 goals, while fellow midfielder Storey has tallied a team-high 10 assists during King’s 2023-2024 season.
“I think we understand each other,” Hathorne said of her fellow midfielders. “We click together. We don’t really have to talk. We know what each of us wants to do.”
King’s strength may be their midfield, but Thursday’s test will be the most difficult yet..
“Benjamin’s midfield is very strong,” Mackrey said. “Obviously, they have Lily White, who is a game-changer for anybody. If you keep her in check, I think the game becomes a little bit different, but hopefully we can keep our shape organized when rotating and keep the ball. If you keep the ball, it’s an easier game.”
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Perhaps easier said than done, as White’s separated herself from the pack as one of the premier players in the state, not just the county.
But it’s a strength-versus-strength story-line that makes the district championship all the more enticing.
“It’s going to be a tough game,” Hathorne said. “But our midfield, we’ve got to be the backbone.”