Soccer starts season undefeated
The Wimberley Texan soccer team has started the season off undefeated, but challenges wait ahead this week.
Wimberley started off with a 1-0 win over Lampasas following up with a 5-1 win over Lake Belton. Lampasas then traveled to Wimberley, and the Texans were once again triumphant 1-0. After a 1-1 tie last week versus Seguin, Wimberley beat Great Hearts Northern Oaks 5-0.
The team is young with only one senior and eight freshmen or sophomores playing significant minutes. Head Coach Ramez Antoun said that the team is centered on a defense first philosophy that has shown well early in the season.
“We have only allowed two goals in our first five games, so the defense and goalkeeper have been rock solid,” Head Coach Ramez Antoun said. “Our keeper Lucas Craig is a captain as well as Connor Collier, who is a solid central defender. Also, Nick Dunn, who is a freshman, has really stepped into the roll of central defender and has owned it. ”
Antoun also pointed to a crew of four players, Owen Watson, Aviv Buchenbacher, Tristan Auden and Gage Tumlinson, alternating in at three mid-field positions.
“The true engine of our team has been our ability to maintain possession and move the ball,” Antoun said. “We have four players that rotate in and out in the central mid-field, and they are the engine offensively and they shield the defense… When we are playing at our best, they are holding a nice triangular space offensively and defensively are limiting the other team’s ability to get to our back four.”
The young squad is still learning to play together, and there are plenty of reasons to be optimistic even beyond the unbeaten record.
“Of the 13 goals we’ve scored, they have come from seven different players,” Antoun said. “It is a credit to their unselfish play. Our team is willing to share the ball for the betterment of a team as opposed to being selfish for personal gain. That is a credit to the boys doing what is best for the team… I have been very proud of them for that.”
This week will be a true test for the Texans with a game versus Pleasanton before hosting the Texan Cup tournament at home.
“We are off to a fast start, but we shouldn’t be comfortable with where we are at,” Antoun said. “This week will be a good measuring stick to see where we are as the level of competition rises a bit.”
The game versus Pleasanton was held after the Wimberley View’s time of press on Tuesday. The Texan Cup will start with a game on Thursday at 9 a.m. versus Eastside Memorial followed by at 7 p.m. game against Giddings. On Friday, Wimberley will play Elgin at 7 p.m. Depending on the outcome of those games, there is potential for a game on Saturday.