There will be anxious moments at the Region I-5A Soccer Tournament. That’s just how it goes.
There will be joy and pain. Laughter and crying. Six teams will see their season end. Two will continue.
Like the other coaches, Rider’s Carl Wiersema hopes his club is the girls team that is moving on to Georgetown for the state tournament.
But he’s taking it 80 minutes of fun at a time. This group of Lady Raiders (26-2-1) have made it their mission to not only win matches but enjoy the process. Their goal has been to do better than the 2016 club, which lost to Grapevine 1-0 in the I-5A final. But for teams with such lofty goals there is still no fast forward button to get in that position. Even as they take the field Friday, needing two wins in 24 hours to earn a regional championship, there is no looking past Lubbock Monterey, which knocked off Grapevine in this round a year ago.
“It’s an exciting time,” Wiersema said. “Every round the teams get better. And this team has proving themselves time and time again.
“They enjoy playing the game with each other. That’s the fun thing. The results are great but we’re just having a great time together.”
Adversity is usually part of the process in the playoffs although Rider hasn’t trailed, or allowed a goal yet. But it’s something his team is prepared for, Wiersema said. They played a tournament without goalkeeper Jordan McLarty; several games without Division I signee (Incarnate Word) Keeley Ayala; a few games without leading scorer Maddie Kyle; and games without defender Amaya Spearman; and they beat Birdville without both Kyle and Ayala. They don’t want to try that again but lessons were learned. And their time together wasn’t taken for granted.
“It gave us confidence in ourselves and our bench and allowed us to realize that we’re not dependent on any one player,” Wiersema said.
“We can’t get overwhelmed,” Ayala added. “We have the talent. We can come out and win any game we want to. We have to have our heads in the game and execute the game plan. As long as we work hard, don’t give up and do it for each other, we can win the game.
“Having everyone there (at Memorial Stadium) cheering for us is an overwhelming feeling. I feel like it helps us a lot and pushes us to do extra.”
RIDER SCORING (92 goals): Maddi Kyle 24, Keeley Ayala 21, Khalia Jackson 7, Emily Jackson 7, Mindy Shoffit 6, Emma Baley 6, Haley Bragg 6, Ashlyn Heger 6, Bailey Enriquez 3, Jasmyn Montgomery 3, Michaela Zapata 3, Amaya Spearman 2, Sarah Maclagan 1, Marissa Lifland 1, Megan Enriquez 1, Priscilla Carrillo 1, PKs 1.
SCOUTING MONTEREY: Lubbock Monterey (17-9-1) was a surprise regional finalist a year ago, knocking off Grapevine, 4-2, before falling to Aledo. The Plainsmen had a coaching change and are led in scoring by a freshman (Abrysha Walker, 21 goals) but are right back in the regional under Aaron Babcock. “A tall, big, physical team,” Wiersema said. “They knock the ball around pretty well. It’s a matter of which team capitalizes on their chances. It’s nothing different than pre-district, district and playoffs; almost every team has two or three players who are dangerous and you have to account for.”
THE OTHER HALF: Grapevine (25-1-1) goes in a favorite against Lubbock Coronado (22-6-1) in the tournament opener at 10 a.m. Monterey had defeated Coronado 3-2 once and tied Coronado 3-3 in the other meeting. Coronado junior Heaven Rossette has 34 goals. Grapevine senior Sophia Smith has 30 goals this season and five of her teammates have 10 or more.
TICKETS: $15 for adult all-tournament pass; $10 for student all-tournament; $10 for adult single session; $5 for student single session. There are two sessions Friday and one Saturday.
Raiders hoping to avoid another shootout
By Zach Duncan/Times Record News
While the Rider boys soccer team has survived two shootouts to appear in Memorial Stadium this weekend, junior captain Trance Saenz wants no part of a third.
“If we could finish our chances, it could help a lot,” Saenz said. “Penalties are always scary and nervous to take, although we’ve executed them really well.”
Rider faces 2017 regional finalist El Paso Del Valle at 5 p.m. Friday at Memorial Stadium, and while certainly anything is possible, the odds of a third straight scoreless 100 minutes seem remote.
That’s because the Conquistadores average 4.5 goals per game and allow nearly three a match. Like Rider, Del Valle (23-6-1) finished third in its district and has won each of its three postseason games by a goal.
While Del Valle has played low-scoring games in the playoffs, Rider coach Dustin Holly expects there to be plenty of opportunities to break a two-game goal drought.
“They play three in the back. I think some of the wrinkles we have may find us something,” Holly said. “We just have to hold tall on the defensive end. I think all four of these teams have about an even amount of chance to win it.”
ABOUT DEL VALLE: Iram Baylon leads the Conquistadores with 42 goals and 12 assists. Three different times in district, he scored four goals in one game. Alan Ceneceiros is next with 20 goals and Oswaldo Lara has 18. … The Conquistadores beat EL Paso Austin 2-1, Lubbock Monterey 1-0 and El Paso Eastlake 2-1 in the playoffs. They also tied Wichita Falls High School 1-1 in an early-season tournament. That’s the same score as the two times Rider played WFHS in 2018. … Del Valle knocked out FW South Hills 2-0 in last year’s regional semifinals before falling to WFHS, 1-0. The Conquistadores have two state titles just like Rider with them coming in 2005 and 2008.
ABOUT ALEDO-BOWIE: The first semifinal at 3 p.m. features a pair of district champions. Aledo (22-0-4) won District 6-5A and had a one-goal margin of victory in all three playoff matches. After beating Braswell 2-1, the Bearcats took down FW Arlington Heights 1-0 and edged Denton Ryan in overtime, 2-1. … El Paso Bowie was the 1-5A champion, knocking off Amarillo Caprock to reach the regional semifinals. … This is Aledo’s first regional tournament trip since 2005. Brandon Wrinkle has scored the Bearcats’ game-winning goal in the past two matches and Max Owens is another top player to watch.
BOYS
Region I-5A Semifinals
El Paso Bowie (17-4-1) vs. Aledo (24-2), 3 p.m. Friday
Rider (13-4-8) vs. El Paso Del Valle (23-6-1), 5 p.m. Friday
Regional Final
Semifinals winners, 12:30 p.m. Saturday
Lady Raiders headed to regional tourney
GIRLS
Region I-5A Semifinals
Lubbock Coronado (22-6-1) vs. Grapevine (25-1-1), 10 a.m. Friday
Rider (26-2-1) vs. Lubbock Monterey (17-9-1), Noon Friday
Regional Final
Semifinal winners, 10 a.m. Saturday