It isn’t easy to still be standing once five rounds of the high school soccer playoffs are complete.

The Wichita Falls High School boys team was the last Region I-5A squad alive a year ago, but even coach Patrick McCauley will admit his Coyotes were both good and lucky. Old High only won twice in regulation during its march to state, slipping by the slimmest of margins.

While Graham wasn’t UIL eligible this season, the area’s eight other soccer teams kick off the postseason starting Thursday afternoon. Their paths up until this point are varied. One team hasn’t lost since its season-opening tournament. Another never won an actual soccer game this season.  

But none of that matters now, just surviving each 80-minute contest and advancing. Here’s a look at a few looming questions that will be answered over the next three weeks.

Who has the best chance at appearing in a home regional?

That has to be the Rider girls soccer team, which enters the postseason on a 21-game winning streak after Monday’s 4-3 warmup victory over Abilene Wylie.

The Lady Raiders (23-2-1) have a pair of dangerous forwards who can score at any time in Maddi Kyle (22 goals) and Keeley Ayala (16). They have scoring depth, don’t give up many scoring opportunities and have benefitted from McKinney North transfer Jordan McLarty in goal.

“One of the things that helped us at the beginning of the year was we had a lot of different injuries in some tough tournaments, and it made a lot of people have to play a lot of different positions,” Rider coach Carl Wiersema said. “We were still able to get results using a lot of different lineups.”

Rider is ranked No. 2 in the TGCA soccer standings behind only defending state champion Highland Park. Wiersema scouted a few possible opponents during the past couple weeks and knows Region I-5A – with No. 3 El Paso, No. 6 Grapevine and No. 8 Eaton – will be tough.

“I’d have to say Grapevine is the favorite,” he said. “Birdville (Rider’s possible second-round foe) is a formidable opponent and I’d have to say both Colleyvile Heritage and Eaton are playing really well right now.”

Can the Coyotes make another history-making run?

The Wichita Falls High School boys enter as defending regional champions, which puts a target on the Coyotes’ backs.

And this is certainly a different team from last year’s group that navigated the region so dangerously. Alex Ramirez has delivered with 11 goals, but no one else has scored more than four.

Having said that, WFHS (9-8-5) only allowed multiple goals in a game twice since district started and knows keeper Israel Gonzalez can make crucial saves in crunch time.

“We’ve struggled offensively and we’re not scoring goals like we did last year,” McCauley said. “At this time of year, we need to have someone step up and we have guys who can do that.”

The Coyotes aren’t one of the favorites to win their region, but they weren’t last year either.

Will PKs play a major role in area advancement?

The depth of quality soccer at the 5A level makes for exciting games from the beginning. With defenses tightening up and scoring chances at a premium, penalty kicks are often needed.

In fact, half of the area’s eight playoff teams were involved in a shootout in the 2017 playoffs. They went a combined 4-1 with the WFHS girls the only ones ousted by that cruel method.

While it can happen to anyone, the Rider boys – which tied seven of its 12 district games – seem as likely a candidate as anyone for PKs. The Raiders (10-4-8) have only lost once in their past 18 games and should feel right at home if a game is close late.

“We’ve been in games where we came back and forced a tie,” Rider coach Dustin Holly said. “We’ve been tied the whole way and we’ve given up some late goals to tie.

“I think we’re battle-tested and I like the way we’ve been playing. Our part of the (eight-team) bracket is strong, but I think anyone can advance out of it.”

Can Lady Coyotes change recent history?

Not too long ago, it was Birdville that had the Rider girls soccer team’s number in the playoffs. The Lady Raiders lost three straight postseason games to the Lady Hawks before ending that slide in 2016.

Grapevine has ended the Wichita Falls High School girls’ season the past two years. After a decisive 4-0 victory in the 2016 regional quarterfinals, the Lady Mustangs needed a seven-round shootout to slip by a year ago, 2-1.

 

Old High coach Rob Woodard said all his team’s attention this week has been put toward facing Saginaw Boswell in bi-district. But WFHS-Grapevine III looms in the area round if both advance.

A good chunk of the Lady Coyotes’ starters are seniors who’ve already been in five playoff games over the past two years. No matter who they play, expect players like Alyssa Hollis (22 goals), Alyssa Mullins (11), Alyssa Salinas (10) and the Hansen sisters to not be intimidated by anyone.

“Having that playoff experience always helps, but you can get playoff jitters no matter how much experience you have,” Woodard said. “The team that settles down the quickest mentally is the team that won’t be on its heels most of the game.”

 

Will there be any 4A teams standing after the first round?

In the three seasons since the UIL established Class 4A soccer, the area girls district has gone 0-12 in the playoffs with the district champion losing all three times.

As 3-4A’s second seed, the Hirschi girls face a Brownwood squad that beat the Lady Huskies 5-0 to start the season. It’s worth noting that was before the arrival of Michinsi Montoya, who scored 13 times in district.  

Both Burkburnett teams have long odds as the fourth seed. The Lady Bulldogs, whose only win is a forfeit, drew defending state champion Stephenville. The Burkburnett boys upset a district champion last year, but Robert Daiker’s squad enters Friday’s match against Stephenville on a seven-game losing streak in which the Bulldogs were outscored 37-2.

The Hirschi boys have the best chance at advancement. The Huskies haven’t faced Abilene Wylie in 2018, but they own one-goal victories over the two teams the Bulldogs split the 4-4A title with (Stephenville, Mineral Wells). Plus they have the area’s leading scorer in Jose Chavarria, who had a hand in 25 of Hirschi’s 35 goals.

GOAL LEADERS

BOYS

Player.................................................... Goals

Jose Chavarria, Hirschi ................................ 16

Alex Ramirez, WFHS ................................... 11

Blake Beasley, Rider ...................................... 9

Anthony Gauthier, Burkburnett ........................ 7

Shaughnessy Emanuel, Hirschi ...................... 7

Colsen Welch, Rider ...................................... 6

Hagen Sanchez, Rider ................................... 5

Santana Castro, Rider .................................... 5

Mikkel Soelmark, Hirschi ................................ 4

Luis Camacho, WFHS .................................... 4

Adrian Botello, WFHS .................................... 4

Trace Saenz, Rider ........................................ 4

Oscar Rico-Dominguez, Hirschi ...................... 4

 

GIRLS

Player ................................................... Goals

Alyssa Hollis, WFHS .................................... 22

Maddi Kyle, Rider ........................................ 22

Keeley Ayala, Rider ..................................... 16

Michinsi Montoya, Hirschi ............................. 13

Alyssa Mullins, WFHS .................................. 11

Jasmine Aguilar, Hirschi ............................... 11

Alyssa Salinas, WFHS ................................. 10

Cindy Garcia-Martinez, Hirschi ..................... 10

Khalia Jackson, Rider .................................... 7

Emily Jackson, Rider ...................................... 7

Mindy Shoffit, Rider ........................................ 6

Haley Bragg, Rider ......................................... 6

Emma Baley, Rider ........................................ 6