Under the lights of a packed Charter Stadium Tuesday night, every touch drew a reaction, and every missed chance tightened the silence.
With a spot in the state final four on the line, Pembroke Pines Charter and seventh-seeded Dr. Joaquin Garcia battled through 110 minutes of scoreless soccer, forcing the postseason matchup into penalty kicks. The Jaguars emerged victorious, winning 4-3 in penalties to extend their playoff run.
Senior forward Julian Iodice delivered the decisive moment, converting the final penalty kick to send Pembroke Pines Charter to the Class 5A state semifinals. One round earlier, Iodice had sealed a shootout victory against top-seeded Archbishop McCarthy. This time, he switched his placement, slotting the ball into the bottom right corner to finish the match yet again.
The breakthrough, however, came only after sustained pressure.
The Jaguars played the final 25 minutes a man down following a red card, retreating defensively against a Dr. Joaquin Garcia team riding a Cinderella-style playoff run. Despite the numerical disadvantage, Charter remained organized, absorbed pressure, and kept the match scoreless through regulation and two overtime periods.
The match unfolded as a back-and-forth battle throughout. Senior forward Diego Medina Pagan had one of Charter’s best chances come five minutes before halftime. He broke free in space but was unable to capitalize as the opportunity slipped wide.
Before kickoff, head coach Marc Lue Young delivered a message that ended up setting the tone for the night.
“It’s a funeral,” Lue Young told his team, emphasizing the focus and seriousness of the game. “Big players step up in big moments.” That mindset carried into the shootout.
Senior goalkeeper Mateo Vazquez anchored the Jaguars with key saves, swinging momentum back toward Charter as each kick carried the weight of the season. As the shootout progressed, the Jaguars stayed composed.
When Iodice stepped forward for the final attempt, the ending felt familiar.
The senior struck cleanly, sending the ball past the diving goalkeeper and ending Dr. Joaquin Garcia’s postseason run. As the final kick hit the net, the Jaguars sprinted toward the home stands, celebrating with the crowd as the Charter Stadium erupted.
“It’s pressure, but it’s the kind you want,” Iodice says. “Those are the moments you work for.”
The win marked Pembroke Pines Charter’s third consecutive appearance in the state semifinals and the fourth final-four berth in program history.
Before taking the field, Lue Young challenged his team to consider what it would mean to finally bring a title home. After another night defined by belief and composure, the Jaguars moved one step closer to answering that question.
Next, the Jaguars will face the Jesuit Tigers, ranked No. 5 in Florida and No. 9 nationally, with a place in the state championship match on the line. Pembroke Pines Charter will travel to Auburndale on Friday, Feb. 27, at 7 p.m. to play at Spec Martin Stadium after falling 1-0 to Jesuit in last year’s state semifinal.
This time, they return with experience, the weight of that loss, and another chance to change the ending.
