FLEMING ISLAND - St. Johns Country Day School always does it. Fleming Island did it last year and Clay turned the tables two years ago.

Area high school girls soccer teams will be gearing up for their final regular season games and Spartans coach Mike Pickett is well known for his selection of the very best teams he could get on his schedule to battle test his teams and, on Tuesday, Jan. 13, one of the very best in Florida visited the St. Johns campus.

St. Johns is the defending Class 1A champion after a break in Pickett's 11 straight titles with the Spartans running the table with shutout wins in three region playoff games and two more in the Final Four with a 4-0 win over the Pine School for the title.

Niceville, the Class 6A powerhouse, now 10-1-1, will visit St. Johns for a late season clash as both teams enter the game with top seeds in their respective classes.

"Niceville may be the best team we see in the regular season," said St. Johns coach Mike Pickett. "It will be a big test, so I can't wait to watch my girls play."

In Class 1A, St. Johns sits at the top with an 11-2-3 slate and a strength of schedule of 13.1, among the highest in all of Florida. In the United States, St Johns is ranked 45th; in Florida, 18th; and tops in Class 1A ahead of Canterbury (11-5-0) and Out-of-Door Academy (9-2-1). St. Johns is also the defending Class 1A champion.

"We have played a good strength of schedule as usual with the hope that it pays off," Pickett said.

St. Johns has a loss to Bishop Kenny and Ponte Vedra (Nov. 20) with ties to Bartram Trial (Nov. 4), Lakeland Christian (Dec. 13) and Bishop Moore (Dec. 19) with Pickett having to retweak his lineup with the loss of top scorer Reygan Ropero to a knee injury early in the season. Senior Victoria Sarka has been the main scorer with 20 goals with Madisyn Baumann adding nine from the edges and senior Calli Berang with seven.

Niceville is ranked 19th nationwide, 12th in Florida and third in Class 6A with former 7A multiple champion Bartram Trail, now in 6A and the defending 6A champion, 14th in the nation and St. Thomas Aquinas, at 14-2-1, ranked 11th in the nation. Bartram Trail knocked Niceville out of last year's region final en route to another state title, a 4-3 win over St. Thomas Aquinas.

Interestingly, Ponte Vedra, at 10-0-2, is top ranked in the USA, top ranked in Florida and top ranked in 6A ahead of Bartram Trail. Those two teams battled on Wednesday, Jan. 14 at Ponte Vedra High. Ponte Vedra is the defending Class 6A champion, 2-1 over Lourdes Academy.

For Fleming Island and Clay, the path to a region berth and possible state run goes, more than likely, will get a final test from one team for both programs. Bishop Kenny, the top ranked 4A program, visited Clay on Wednesday, Jan. 14 and will return to Clay County to face Fleming Island on Friday, Jan. 16.

One hiccup for Golden Eagles coach Taylor Berry was a Monday loss to Oakleaf, 2-1, with the Lady Knights scoring two second half goals with the game winner from lead scorer Kendyl Banks.

"All season we have been playing good teams close, but not able to finish the game," said Banks, who scored the game winner with three minutes on the clock on a breakaway sprint. "This is a good springboard to our district coming up next week."

For Oakleaf coach Wilfried Agboglo, the second half was a strong effort from his team against a top team in the area.

"We know they have the scoring power to get one whenever, but I think the girls were just a step ahead on the loose balls in the second half and that got us some opportunity," said Agboglo, now 6-5-1 with his district 2-6A tournament coming after games with Middleburg and Beachside. Beachside, 9-2-2, is ranked fourth in Class 5A. "We had games where we had a shot; a 1-1 tie with Bolles, a 1-0 loss to Clay, a 3-0 loss to Creekside; and we just let the games get away from us. I think the team came together tonight."

Berry noted that she had a handful of players not playing in the last few games and the Oakleaf team had a little more energy in the end.

"We have to realize that teams will come after us and we can't take any teams lightly," Berry said. "We had probably 20-25 shots on goal, but none hit the net. Give Oakleaf credit. We have to regroup, learn from this and get right for Bishop Kenny and our district tournament."

Clay, district 3-5A with Fleming Island, ended their season with Bishop Kenny on Wednesday, Jan. 14. Clay had a 4-0 loss to St. Johns on Jan. 8 followed by a 4-0 win over Menendez as momentum to the Bishop Kenny clash. Clay junior Tatum Waugh had two goals against Menendez with senior Natalia Versage and sophomore Charlotte Glavin both adding one. Versage has quickly transitioned from her defensive position for the past two years to a solid goal scorer on the front line. Waugh is her mom and coach Stephanie Waugh's top striker with eight goals with Clay getting six goals each from Versage, Glavin and junior Mia Petrosky in the Blue Devils' balanced front line. Senior Charlotte Andrus has five goals as well.

Oakleaf, in Class 6A and at 6-5-1, is a fast-striking front led by senior Kendyl Banks (11 goals) up front with a handful of energetic underclassmen on her wings—sophomore Aryana Weintraub and freshman sister Aleah Weintraub, with four and two goals.

Be wary of Middleburg as a wild card in the district 3-5A tournament with coach Joy Rosano holding a history of Final Four cards as a player and as a coach at Fleming Island High.

Oakleaf will get a first look at whomever they face in their district 2-6A lineup led by Mandarin (11-3-0) because the Lady Knights did not schedule any district games.

Keystone Heights girls soccer had Middleburg, Williston and Episcopal to end their season with the Lady Indians (6-8-3) getting a best game of 3-2 loss to Newberry (15-1-2) on Jan. 6. Note: Middleburg defeated Keystone Heights 4-2 on Monday, Jan. 12.

National Rankings: Girls high school soccer

(as of Jan. 11, Maxpreps.com)

1. Ponte Vedra (10-0-2), 2. American Heritage (10-0-1), 3. Montverde Academy (12-1-1)
14. Bartram Trail (11-1-3)
18. Creekside (7-2-2)
19. Niceville (10-1-1)
37. Beachside (9-2-2)
45. St. Johns Country Day School (11-2-3)
49. Bishop Kenny (10-3-0)
57. Chiles (8-2-1)

Florida Rankings: Girls high school soccer
(as of Jan. 11, Maxpreps.com)

1. Ponte Vedra, 2. American Heritage, 3. Montverde Academy
8. Bartram Trail
11. Creekside
12. Niceville
17. Beachside
18. St. Johns Country Day School
20. Bishop Kenny
56. Mandarin
58. Nease
65. Fleming Island
86. Clay