Area Sports
Leopards drop game to Burkburnett
By JIM OTTS
Register Correspondent
The Burkburnett Bulldogs made the most of their opportunities and came from behind to defeat the Gainesville Leopards 2-1 Friday, putting the Spotted Cats in soccer playoff jeopardy.
The Leopards carried the battle to the visitors most of the opening stanza, using ball control and timely runs to set up plenty of scoring chances.
Defender Victor Monroy volleyed a long shot off a Jake Neal throw-in that was barely over the crossbar.
Midfielder Juan Hernandez beat his man along the right touchline and centered a cross in front of the net that Neal headed wide by inches.
Another Neal toss went to the back post where Angel Carranza headed it just over the top and Carranza returned the favor, centering a ball that Neal bounced off a defender while the Bulldog keeper was on the ground.
The Leopards missed two chances on that play because the ricochet went to Monroy and his blast from 35 yards away was high.
Another Carranza cross was headed for the middle where both Neal and Noel Puente awaited, but it bounced off the top of the crossbar.
Neal finally got a touch on a long pass and snuck it under Burkburnett's Clinton Johnson to give the Reds a 1-0 edge in the 25th minute.
That lead lasted just 58 seconds.
A Burkburnett pass to the left fell in front of Cory Roberson and his one-touch redirect went past Justin Espinosa and just inside the back side upright.
The Bulldogs broke the 1-1 halftime tie early in the second with a free kick from midfield by Jesse Abair that Dylan Wood chested to the ground and then poked past Espinosa.
“We have shot ourselves in the foot all year by letting up from time-to-time and watching the sloppy goals go in,” Coach Pedro Encarnacion said. “We watched one on the north end and then we watched one on the south.
“Now we are going to have to really take care of our business to make the playoffs,” the coach added.
Wichita Falls, Wichita Falls Rider and Burkburnett have a firm hold on the first three playoff spots after Friday. That leaves the Leopards, Decatur Eagles and Wichita Falls Hirschi Huskies in a neck-and-neck run for the final spot.
The Leopards and Eagles split, with each team winning 2-1 at home.
Gainesville defeated Hirschi 1-0 in Wichita Falls in the first round and the Huskies come to Leeper Stadium for the regular season finale next Friday.
The Leopards also have a game remaining with the Wichita Falls Coyotes, a team that thumped the locals 6-0 earlier at home.
“We have to go there and play what may be one of the best teams in the region,” Encarnacion said. “Wichita Falls and Rider are both playing some really good soccer.”
That road trip will be Tuesday.
The outlook is dimmed a bit by injuries.
Israel Sustaita, the regular keeper, is still day-to-day because of a concussion, and Giovanni Carranza, who saw his first action in weeks against Burkburnett, reinjured his leg muscle and is likely done for the year.
The injuries forced Encarnacion to shift players.
Espinosa, who mans the central midfield usually, had to go into goal and Puente was pulled back into the midfield.
Others have been shifted, and reshifted, to find a combination that worked.
“We will have to go back to the drawing board one more time,” Encarnacion said.
- Area Sports
-
- Ponder pounds Lady Eagles The Valley View Lady Eagles had a rough outing in District 10-2A play Monday afternoon, falling to Ponder by the score of 18-2 in four innings.
- Whitesboro no hits Lady Leopards to open district play Opening District 9-3A play Monday afternoon, it was the Whitesboro Lady Cats who drew first blood.
- Outlaws improve to 3-3 The Cooke County Outlaws improved to 3-3 in their inaugural season in the Southern Conference of the Elite Football League with a 37-0 victory over the Arkansas Redhawks at home Saturday at Leeper Stadium.
- Valley View boys take second place The Valley View boys track and field teams competed in the Nocona Relays on Thursday.
- Hornet Relays results Held at Muenster High School, March 11
- Lady Cats take home Lindsay Tourney title The Callisburg Lady Cats took home the Lindsay Tournament Championship Saturday night, and did so in extra innings, defeating Commerce 2-1.
- Knights one-hit Callisburg for win The Lindsay Knights one-hit the Callisburg Wildcats for a 5-0 win in Saturday’s conclusion of the Lindsay Tournament.
- Lady Leopards' win punches playoff ticket The Gainesville Lady Leopards scored a pair of goals in each half and cruised to a 4-0 victory over the Wichita Falls Hirschi Lady Huskies Friday, giving the soccer girls the distinction of being the first GHS sports team to qualify for the playoffs this year.
- Lady Leopards mercy rule Muenster In their final tune up game before district play starts Monday, the Gainesville Lady Leopards produced one of their best offensive outings of the season with a 17-2 wins over the Muenster Lady Hornets in four innings Friday at NCTC’s Darwin Fields.
- Hirschi ends Leopards' playoff hopes A soccer season best described as frustrating ended for the Gainesville Leopards Friday with a 1-0 loss at home to the Wichita Falls Hirschi Huskies.
- More Area Sports Headlines
