By JIM OTTS
Register Correspondent
WICHITA FALLS — The Gainesville Leopards ran into more trouble than they bargained for Friday, losing their District 9-4A soccer opener to the Wichita Falls Rider Raiders 4-0 while playing most of the second half without four starters.
“I had to pull four of my starters out within the first 10 minutes of the second half,” Gainesville Coach Pedro Encarnacion said. “The rest of the guys stepped up and played well against a very good Rider team, and now we just hope to heal up before Tuesday.”
Giovanni Carranza, Angel Carranza, Everardo Puente and Justin Espinosa, all midfielders, had to be replaced in the game.
Giovanni Carranza reinjured a foot that had been a problem before, Angel Carranza suffered a thigh injury, Puente has a hip flexor and Espinosa hurt his foot.
“Give those guys the weekend to heal and a day or two with Doc (Ben Melancon) and they will be back out there.” the Gainesville coach said.
Rider burst into the lead in the first minute with a lobbed cross into the middle of the pitch for a header goal.
“We settled down and played well after giving up that early goal,” Encarnacion said. “They did not score again until the last two minutes of the first half.”
That pre-intermission goal came on a well-struck blast from 25 yards out after Leopard defenders failed to clear a ball out of their penalty area.
Rider scored twice against the revised Leopard line-up after all the injuries.
“I am extremely proud of Noel Puente for the way he played,” Coach Encarnacion said. “We had to move him from forward back into the midfield and he played offense, dropped back to defend, and pretty much had to cover for us all over the pitch.”
Encarnacion also had high praise for defenders Dale Smith and Victor Monroy for their efforts.
“Really, everyone stepped up and gave us everything they had,” he said.
The junior varsity boys did not get to play Friday because of field conditions.
The varsity game was held on the grass field at Midwestern State University
Coaches did not want to damage the surface by playing two games.
The JV game will be made up later at a later date.
District play continues for the Spotted Cats on Tuesday with Decatur's Eagles coming to Leeper Stadium.
The junior varsity kicks things off around 5 p.m. followed by the varisty around 7 p.m.
Area Sports
February 8, 2010
Injuries plague Gainesville in loss to Rider Raiders
- Area Sports
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- 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.
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