By JIM OTTS
Register Correspondent
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.
“It's hard to put a finger on just exactly what went wrong this year,” Gainesville Coach Pedro Encarnacion said. “We thought we were going to be able to do some good things, but it just never came together.”
It seemed the Spotted Cats had plenty of luck — just all bad.
Perhaps symbolic of the way the year has gone was a midfield collision late in the second half.
Justin Espinosa, leaping to head a high bouncer, ran head-to-head into teammate Noel Puente. Puente went down with a concussion and went out of the game. Espinosa jumped up and stayed on the pitch, but showed signs of weariness and confusion during intermission.
Both seniors were as close to field generals as the team had this season, and both were as skillful with the ball at their feet as anyone in red and white. After the intermission, both were unable to return in the second half.
“This is really tough for our seniors and my heart goes out to them but this is a blessing, too,” Encarnacion said. “Some of those seniors will get a chance to play college ball and the adversity they endured and overcame will make them better.”
The Reds peppered the ball in from the outside, they had corner kicks, Neal took throw-ins that sailed into the space in front of the net, and Huskie defenders kicked the ball away or goalkeeper James Norris scooped it.
Finally, with 11:33 remaining, a long clearance went to the Huskie front where three Leopard defenders were aligned. The ball bounced the man in the middle, Monroy, and speedy Huskie target player Charles Witherspoon raced toward the net with the ball at his feet.
Smith and Abimael Gaona squeezed in quickly from the outside and goalkeeper Israel Sustaita charged off his line to meet the onrushing forward, but Witherspoon was too fast. His last touch sent the ball low, under Sustaita, and into the open net.
“My hat is off to coach (Alston) Caliste and the Huskies,” Encarnacion said. “They have been at the bottom of the district for so long and they have kept their heads high and improved their work ethic and that program is getting better and better.”
The Leopards pulled out the stops for the final 10 minutes.
Carranza and Everardo Puente and Hernandez were working hard to win everything that came near. Carranza proved especially adept at getting through the Huskie horde in the left corner and crossing the ball in front of the net.
It was the final game for 10 Leopard seniors who were honored before the game.
Those seniors are Sustaita, Monroy, Espinosa, Angel Carranza, Smith, Jamaal Jackson, Mendez, Vasquez, Noel Puente and Abraham Morales.
“It has really been an honor to work with this group,” Encarnacion said. “They have done everything asked of them.”
