Pace set for another big year

Pace High School (in the Florida Panhandle) is gearing up for another season. With the revamped districts, the Patriots find themselves in with powerhouse Gulf Breeze.

Gulf Breeze coach Bruce Savage also coaches the NFSC Revolution Under-15 club team.  He is excellent.  He played for the US National team and on at least two Olympic teams.  The Gulf Breeze team will consist mostly of Bayside's U17 team and will be powerful again this year. They could be the top-ranked team in their class.

Pace should be loaded as well.  Three of its All-State players return: sophomore forward Kevin Lewis, junior keeper Jeff Benton, and senior forward Josh Kelly.

Lewis and Kelly scored nearly 100 goals between them last year.  If Pace can replace their graduated All State sweeper, the team could be even better than last year's team.

Of course, the competition will be stronger, and Pace won't be able to surprise anyone the way it did last year. The schedule is tougher also.  Pace will be playing in the Puma tournament during Christmas break.

-- Thanks to Larry Kaden for the report