Donna Klein Jewish Academy wins soccer championship

Middle school team shuts out St. Marks

Published December 16th, 2007

The Donna Klein Jewish Academy Eagles middle school boys soccer team completed a championship season on Dec. 11 by avenging its only loss of the year, defeating the St. Marks Lions of Ft. Lauderdale 1-0.

Striker Jared Katz scored the only goal needed with about 8 minutes left in the contest. Star goalie Daniel Katz kept the Eagles in the game holding off numerous offensive charges by the relentless Lion attack. The 1 - 0 lead was the only time all year the Lions faced a deficit, and the Eagles, turned up the intensity another notch to close the game out.

Behind an impenetrable defense, the team shut out the defending champion Lions team, and upended the balance of power in the league, previously dominated by the Lions.

Seventh-grader Greg Joseph led the defensive effort, with outstanding all-around efforts put in by midfielders Corey Pedowitz, Alan Horowitz, Aaron Blogg, Gil Vizner, Ariel Gosselin, defensive specialists Gabe Alboukrek, Aaron Thornton, Itamar Ben-Avi, as well as strikers Shane Saldsman, Matthew Abecassis and Max Morgenstern.

The team finished with an overall record of 10 wins and only 1 loss under the guidance of coach Robin Spencer.
This is the fourth sports championship victory for DKJA in only the fifth year of competition in the Independent Athletic League.