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Four South Florida teams playing in this week's FHSAA boys' state soccer championships have one common denominator: They've all been there before.

Two of the three schools from Broward County — St. Thomas Aquinas and American Heritage- Plantation — have combined for seven championships, including four in the past four years.

Cypress Bay is still searching for its first title. The Lightning reached the final four in 2004 and lost 2-0 to Miami Sunset.

American Heritage-Delray is making its fifth consecutive trip to the final four and last won a title in 2006.

"I certainly would like to win it," Cypress Bay coach Mauricio Lopez said. "The pressure is on us because once you get this far there is a little bit of luck and perseverance to go all the way."

Another similarity between the four teams is that the coaches credit team play over a marquee player for their success.

"You would like to have one guy that you can go to, but this year we have had 16, 17 or 18 kids that have gotten into the scoring column for us," St. Thomas Aquinas coach Jobie Hughes said. "A team effort will win more games than an individual effort."

Heritage-Plantation coach Pat Villagran, who took over eight games ago after Johnny Ramos resigned, said he hopes his senior leadership will carry his team to its fourth title in the past five years.

"All year long we have played with eight great seniors who have won state championships, and they are great role models for the younger players," Villagran said. "They have a tremendous work ethic and a good chemistry."

The seniors have also groomed the younger players, Villagran said. When starting senior goalkeeper Chris Guisto went down with a broken left hand in the regular season, sophomore Javier Alvarez performed well in his place.

Cypress Bay's Lopez said his team has had a lot of different players who stepped up such as Josh Semerene, who filled in for goalkeeper Jesse Fullerton. Fullerton was out for two postseason games after receiving a red card.

"We've had a mixture of everybody playing well," Lopez said. "It has been a surprise really. The common denominator is that it is team effort."

—Sun-Sentinel Report