Soccer experiences cold and pain

Soccer is considered a “spring” sport for Texas University Scholastic League purposes.

Played in January, soccer parents and spectators would disagree. Frigid temperatures and icing conditions blanketed the Hill Country last week, causing school closures, delays, and rescheduling of athletic competitions. Such are the woes of living in Texas in the winter.

Both Wimberley High School Texan and Lady Texan Soccer matches were rescheduled from Tuesday, Jan. 31 to Thursday, Feb. 2, creating a “two games in two nights” scenario. Facing the cold did not make conditions better, but the teams soldiered on to compete and complete the back to back games.

The Texans were home on Thursday against Fredericksburg High School to face a rejuvenated Billies team. Coach Ramez Antoun noted the consistency of the program but suggested they are not as strong as Fredericksburg teams in the recent past.

“We had plenty of time in their end of the field,” Antoun said. “We made the passes to get into position but either mistimed our passes or failed to convert.”

The Texans gave up a penalty quickly — which has been problematic early this season. A later shot was mishandled in goal leading to a Billies’ score. With their offensive woes, the Texans were unable to mount a comeback, falling 2-0.

Friday’s game included a trip to San Antonio to face the Davenport High School Wolves.

“They lined up in the same scheme we do, and they showed up ready to play,” said Antoun. “They played like we do when we’re ready.”

Meaning: the Texans didn’t appear to be ready, and the Wolves jumped out to a lead early in the contest. By the end of the first half, the Texans found themselves down 3-0.

“We again suffered from being short on our last pass. We’d make progress into our offensive end then have a breakdown in our next pass,” Antoun said. “We created plenty of opportunities but couldn’t find our way to convert.”

The Texans again suffered offensive difficulties in the second half and were not able to place a ball in the net. Davenport scored another goal to close out the game with a final of 4-0.

The Texans played the Bandera Bulldogs at home Tuesday, Feb. 7 and are away Friday, Feb. 10 at Boerne High School. On Tuesday, Feb. 14, the Texans meet newcomer Great Heart Northern Oaks at 11600 Starcrest Drive in San Antonio at 6 p.m.

The Lady Texans traveled to Fredericksburg on Thursday to square off with the Billies on their home pitch. Despite the cold and wet conditions, the teams played a solid first half as they sought the advantage. Each team found a way to get into the other’s zone, putting up a point each, while working through a feeling out process. The first half ended tied 1-1.

Coach Eric Nichols expressed concern with his team’s ability to press their physical leverage and speed.

“We weren’t striking the ball particularly clean or well,” he explained. “We needed to settle down, get our touches in and hit those passes in stride. We talked about it at half time and made our adjustments. Those corrections helped us get on a roll in the second half.”

The Lady Texans came out defending better, keeping the third line clear and kept Fredericksburg from advancing the ball deep into the zone. The front line and midfielders found invigoration and executed well on the way to adding five goals in the half. They closed out the game 6-1, moving on to the Friday contest against Davenport.

The Wolves showed up in Wimberley with an 11-4-1 record, smarting from a 3-0 loss versus Boerne High School on Thursday night. Davenport has been up and down over the past couple of years but has always seemed to play the Lady Texans with fervor. This match would prove to be no different.

“They came in ready to play,” commented Nichols. “Unlike Fredericksburg, there was no feeling out period. Three minutes into the game, they found their fastest player streaking downfield. She was able to take a pass and go in and score, putting us in a hole.”

The Wolves set up a deep defense contrary to the way they have played in the past, thwarting the Lady Texan front line. The first half ended with the Wolves ahead 1-0.

“We went in to make changes to move the ball better,” Nichols said. “What I was most proud of was the girls getting frustrated but never letting up. They just kept going and fed on the importance of the game.”

Izzy Franchione rolled an ankle but stayed on the field. Injuries and aches plagued the Lady Texans through the night, keeping Texan athletic trainer Johnny Gonzales busy.

“When you’ve got three girls on the team hampered by ankles, deep thigh bruises and soreness, shins and body aches you might be fortunate to stay close on any given night,” Gonzales commented.

The second half opened, and the pressure from the Lady Texans was obvious. They pressed into the Davenport zone repetitively until Franchione was able to get behind the Wolves back line, drawing a foul and a penalty kick. Franchione converted, tying the score at 1-1.

The game continued back and forth until Lily Sandoval put the ball in the net with 1:30 left, putting the Lady Texans ahead 2-1.

One minute later, under a cloud of uncertain circumstances, the Wolves drew even with a goal to seal the tie.

“I’m really proud of them,” commented Nichols. “Even with injuries, they didn’t quit. They found ways to stay focused and not let the game slip away from them.”

The Lady Texans entered their contest on Tuesday, Feb. 7 at Bandera High School 2-0-1 in district and faced a 0-3 Bulldog team. A key matchup with the Boerne Greyhounds takes place at Texan Stadium Friday, Feb. 10 at 6 p.m. Next Tuesday, Feb. 14, the ladies welcome Great Heart Northern Oaks in for a Valentine’s Day game — also at 6 p.m.