By Rodney Page

TAMPA … When the whistle finally sounded, mercifully ending Osceola's Class 2A state final game against Gulf Breeze, Warriors' goalkeeper Jackie Civello lay laid flat on her back in front of the goal.

She had a long night.

Civello faced 28 shots, saving 12, but it wasn't nearly enough as the Dolphins breezed to a 5-0 win Saturday night at Pepin-Rood Stadium.

Gulf Breeze (33-0-1) earned its first ever girls soccer state championship. Osceola (23-4-2) was attempting to win the school's first state championship in any sport.

""I told myself I was going to get to every shot, do whatever it takes,'' Civello said. ""But I think we had a little let down in this game. We couldn't get the ball out of our half. We played our hearts out, but they were just quicker.''

Gulf Breeze entered the game outscoring its opponents 199-11, and it didn't take long to see why. The Dolphins continually pressured Osceola, keeping defenders like Heather Rady, Kim Conaway, Jessica Ousley and Erin Neikirk busy all evening.

Gulf Breeze outshot the Warriors 28-2. Osceola had only two real scoring chances, one in the 15th minute on a Michelle Mione free kick from about nearly 30 yards, and another with three minutes left on a corner kick that just missed the left post.

""In the first half, we were a little disorganized,'' Ousley said. ""In the second half, we marked them a little better. By then, it was too late.''

Gulf Breeze led 2-0 at halftime, and it could've have been worse. The Dolphins outshot Osceola 15-1 in the first 40 minutes, but Civello was there for the save on most of those shots.

The first goal came in the third minute, when Ann Adams took a shot that Civello deflected. However, the carom went to Dolphins' midfielder Michelle Gorman, who shot dribbled a the ball from point-blank range past a sprawling Civello.

Civello was peppered the rest of the half. In the fifth minute, Shannon Wing blasted a shot that Civello lunged to save. Then came diving saves in the 19th and 28th minutes, and two more good saves in the 31st and 33rd minutes.

With three minutes left in the half, Adams took a shot that Civello couldn't save. Adams settled a loose ball about five 5 yards in front of the net and blew a shot into the right side of the goal.

""At halftime, I thought we were still in the game,'' Civello said. ""But it was so hard to get the ball out of our half.''

Gulf Breeze tacked on three more goals in the second half, the first coming in the 45th minute when Gorman lofted a shot from near just past the 18-yard box and over Civello's head. The fourth goal came with 11 minutes left, and the final score came with eight minutes left.

By then, Osceola coach Ernie Whalen was busy clearing his bench and allowing young players to get some action.

""We were a little confused in the beginning,'' Whalen said. ""After they got that first goal, we played well. But they're a good team, no doubt.''