On Friday, February 26 the boys faced off against Midland Lee and ended the exciting match victorious at 2-1. On Monday, March 1 they traveled to San Angelo to take on San Angelo Central where they they faced a draw, 2-2. On Tuesday, March 2, the Tigers hosted Abilene High and took the win in a dominating performance, 3-0.
Head Boys Soccer Coach, Scott Smith, said the team is sitting at second place in the District currently. He said his team he has seen his team win mentally and physically.
“To qualify for playoffs, a team must finish in the top 4 out of 7. Currently, we’re sitting 2nd, and depending upon the teams that play this Friday might mean we can go into the weekend having qualified for playoffs at a minimum,” Smith said. “Hopefully, our boys have seen that with self-belief, competitive character, and a ‘never-say-die’ attitude, they can challenge for honors.”
Smith said his expectations for the rest of the season are to truly display the results of the lessons they have learned.
“Display a winning mentality, display good character, execute game plans,” Smith said, “and do all of this in the face of adversity, if and when it arrives.”
The boys will be back on the pitch in Odessa when they take on Odessa High next Tuesday, March 9.
On Friday, February 26 the girls team competed against Midland Lee, on March 1, San Angelo Central and on March 3, Abilene High.
Head Girls Soccer Coach, Lauren Denning, said that the six matches in eight days was a difficult task for her team to take on.
“I think we struggled some during the stretch, but that’s to be somewhat expected,” Denning said. “I think we are building and peaking at the right time to make a good run towards this last part of District. We had a lot of players that stood out and played through tired legs and fatigue and putting in over five miles in each of those games.”
Denning said her team is getting a much deserved break as they wait for one of their last few District matches on March 9.
“We’ve got two games left over two weeks – away at Odessa on March 9th and Senior Night at home against Midland High for the last district game on March 16th,” Denning said. “The top 4 teams in District 2-6A advance to playoffs. It is based off a point system of 2 points for a win and 1 point for a tie. It will probably come down to the last District game for the girls side to determine at least 3rd and 4th place.”
Denning said that during this break her team will focus playing in the present.
“The biggest thing that we have been focusing on lately is just to be and play in the present,” Denning said. Focus on what you can control and recognizing that the only way to positively affect the future is to focus on what we can do right here and right now. Whether that is decisions and actions during a game or choices we are making away from the field. Our goal is to take one day at a time and focus on that and hopefully we can make it to the goal we have set for ourselves and be better when we get there.”