The Wimberley High School Texan (11-8-1 overall, 5-5-1 district) and Lady Texan (17-32 overall, 8-3-1 district) soccer teams advanced through district into the UIL playoffs after one of the toughest seasons for both teams in quite a while. The ladies finished third behind Boerne and Davenport High Schools with the guys finishing in fourth, a position secured in the last week of district play.
Both teams would face Marble Falls High School in the first playoff round and, as the fortunes of coin flips in Wimberley would have it, faced them in Marble Falls in a double-header on Friday last week.
The Lady Texans started off in the warmth of the late afternoon, prepared and determined to end the Mustangs’ season. They were aware that things were going to be difficult. A tough crowd, the home field advantage and going up against a higher seeded team could have been excuses. Marble Falls came out with intensity and motivated to defend the home field. Wimberley’s girls hadn’t played for nearly two weeks and seemed to take time to ramp up. Coach Eric Nichols focused the team on relaxing, getting their passes going and getting their touches according to the plan they designed to get the ball moving.
As the first half progressed, the game began moving into the Marble Falls end with increasing regularity. Just a little past the midway point, Izzy Franchione — who had missed significant time late in the season — subbed in to help keep the team fresh and put pressure on the Mustang defense from the outside. Emily Thames made a run toward the corner with Franchione playing the ball to her outside then sliding back toward the middle. Thames made an excellent play, putting the ball back across the top of the box where Franchione outmaneuvered her defender to shoot to the back post for the opening goal of the game.
“We’d been taking it easy, working Izzy back into the lineup but we knew we’d need to lean on her a little to keep a good rotation for the girls to stay fresh and hydrated in the heat,” shared Nichols. “We put her out there thinking we might finally break deep into their zone and, sure enough, it worked out. What a great way to get her back into the rotation.”
Nichols complimented the work of the Lady Texan defense, especially the midfield, for putting pressure on the ball and making certain not to overcommit, staying in control of their feet and movement which has been a focus for the defense. Communicating effectively, the midfielders forced most everything wide and away from the center of the field near the goal.
“The few shots we gave up weren’t too threatening and allowed Claire (Valentine) to make a couple of easy saves,” said Nichols. “Credit the girls for preserving the shutout and staying on top of their game defensively.”
Not quite midway through the second half, the Mustang defense softened, and Lilli Sandoval began to get good looks at the goal. Ella Sandoval put a through ball to her sister, and Lilli booted a solid, hard kick to the back corner of the goal. The shot was deflected back by the Marble Falls goalkeeper who failed to account for Thames, which allowed her to put in the follow up goal.
Coach Nichols said he is not ready to start giving out postseason accolades, but he did offer insight into the 2-0 win for the team.
“I probably need to shout out to both of the Sandoval girls — Lilli and Ella — as they’ve stepped in big this season,” he said. “With Izzy Franchione out for a while, opposing teams were able to focus attention on Thames in an effort to shut us down. Our scoring has fallen on those three girls, but I think Ella has stepped into Izzy’s position in center-mid and has done a great job. Lilli hadn’t played soccer in a couple of years but, coming into the Marble Falls game, she was our leading scorer in district during the season.”
The Lady Texans played Uvalde, winner of 19 games this season, in the Area Round of playoffs Tuesday night. The winner of that game likely stands to play the emerging and tough Davenport High School Wolves.
The Texans played in the nightcap against the Mustangs with the same home field advantages as the ladies. The gentlemen continued to practice and scheme during spring break even though their playoff fates weren’t decided until Fredericksburg ousted Bandera from contention with a 2-0 victory on Monday, March 20.
“We worked hard all week on playing good defense and I thought we had a pretty good angle of attack on them based on what we saw,” remarked Texan Head Coach Ramez Antoun. “We were creating chances early. We just weren’t able to finish by putting them in the net.”
Antoun shared that in preparation for the match, he and assistant coach Brian Owens — as well as the team leaders and captains — were harping on going out with energy, fire and intensity.
“It’s kind of something we’ve lacked all year,” said Antoun, continuing, “and three and a half minutes in, we were down 1-0 on an unmarked corner kick. Falling behind early was exactly what we did not want. To our guys’ credit, we did respond about halfway through the first half to tie it at 1-1.”
A good Gage Weaver pass into Gage Tumlinson resulted in the equalizing goal.
Shortly after, the Mustangs scored on the first of three penalty kicks of the night in favor of Marble Falls to make the score 2-1. The game continued to be played tight through the first half with the Texans fighting to stay in the Mustang end of the field as much as possible while playing strong defensively in their own end. The affair was back and forth until the Texans lost coverage on a back post allowing a third score with two seconds remaining in the first half, making the score 3-1 at halftime.
“When we talked at halftime, we discussed the importance of the next goal,” noted Antoun. “We’re down 3-1. If we could get the next goal, it would be huge. It’d be 3-2 and we’re right back in this thing.”
The Texan players started the second battling hard with renewed intensity, but a second Mustang penalty kick scored the important first goal of the half, making the score 4-1.
“From there, I think that the energy left the squad, not to say the intensity wasn’t there,” remarked Antoun. “But I think the guys had the idea in their heads that 4-1 was going to be hard to overcome. Again, credit to the guys, you couldn’t tell on the field. They stayed in it and continued to battle through to the end.”
Down 6-1 with 12 minutes left in the contest, Coach Antoun subbed in all of his seniors to allow them time together on the field to allow them to finish their career out together. This year’s squad was composed of seven seniors with a total of 21 years of varsity experience. Three players — Aviv Buchenbacher, Bryce Phillips and Gage Tumlinson — have spent four years each on Texan varsity soccer fields. Brandon Carrillo, Diego Elizondo, Eric Solis and Jack Boyle round out the senior roster for 2023. Tumlinson never subbed out of the game.
Antoun was reflective yet emphatic about what was special about this year’s team.
“I told them after the games, I love them as people first and as players second,” he said. “I’m not going to think about goals and assists, or wins and losses or shoulda or coulda. I’m going to think about the four years of really enjoying each other’s company, cutting up and laughing on bus rides and waiting between games at tournaments, the jokes that go back and forth and in the weight room or out on the field, just just the quality of people they are.”
“After the game, they were in good spirits,” Antoun continued. “Of course, there were some tears and a few sobs, like there are every year with seniors, but looking at the team pictures from the end of the game, you won’t find a frown on the screen. At the end of the day, everyone had a lot of fun and enjoyed the bonds of friendship and being together.”
The Texans finish the season 11-9-2 overall and 5-6-1 in district with a solid young core to develop for next year. They have a good example set for them of commitment, determination, loyalty and work ethic. It is a legacy the seniors leave with them.
