Mustangs finish the 2022 season, look to the future
Following a 2-0 loss to Leander Rouse on March 12, the Marble Falls High School boys soccer team provided purple balloons to its seniors, asking them to release them to symbolize the end of their eligibility and what will happen to them in the next few months.
“It’s very easy for me to (define) this team,” head coach Rick Hoover said. “It’s character. I told them this all year. By far this has been my favorite team because of the quality of kids they are. I could turn my back on them, and I didn’t have to worry.”
That says a lot considering Hoover, who finished his ninth season as the head coach, guided the Mustangs to unprecedented success highlighted by playing in the Class 5A Region IV tournament in 2018. But coaches noted the reason: this 2022 group played matches with the biggest hearts and a never-say-die attitude. It also helped the players were the same on and off the field, Hoover added. These seniors were part of the first Marble Falls Middle School soccer program designed to help prepare them for playing the sport in high school.
“This whole season the kids are so polite and respectful,” he said. “The kids don’t talk back, they make good grades, too. They don’t get in trouble in school. Everything is a pleasure to deal with them. They’re so delightful.”
Rouse, ranked No. 5 in Class 5A, scored all the goals it needed in the opening three minutes of the first half for a 1-0 lead then added the insurance in the opening three minutes of the second half. But it could have been worse had it not been for outstanding defensive play, especially from senior goalie Hunter Johnson. He made several tremendous plays as the Raiders controlled the ball and took numerous shots throughout the first half.
The Raiders (17-1-3, 11-0-3 District 25-5A) will enter the playoffs as the district champion.
“That team is good,” Hoover said. “That Rouse team reminds of me our 2018 team. They are so fast and fluid.”
Rouse is the next in line of great District 25-5A champions in a race where any team is capable of winning at any time. Other playoff qualifiers include Georgetown (13-3-7, 6-2-5), Georgetown East View (13-4-5, 7-4-3), and Leander Glenn (13-8-2, 6-6-2).
“It’s one of the top two or three in the state,” Hoover said of the district. “There is not a bad team. The four that didn’t make it would from another district. Last year Liberty Hill went to the regional final and Leander was the district champion. It’ll be interesting to see the playoffs this year.”
Marble Falls dropped to Class 4A for the next two years beginning in the 2022-23 academic year. The University Interscholastic League hasn’t released the new districts yet, but Hoover already knows how the move will impact his program. Like now, speed and quickness in getting to the ball will remain a priority. So will taking advantage of scoring opportunities, lessening mistakes, and possessing the ball. Those were learned in the last two decades of playing in the second largest classification in the state, and Hoover believes those are staples to success. He also notes that many of the players in central Texas know each other well because they’ve battled one another while playing club soccer.
It also helps he’ll have returners who’ve logged significant minutes that include junior Caleb Vidal and a sophomore class that oozes with talent such as Garrett Goggans.
“We’re going to take the Class 5A mentality to 4A,” he said. “We’re not going to change our mentality because it’s 4A. We’re not going to change a thing. We have a few great weapons coming back.”
