Burnet boys soccer riding three-game winning streak
CAPTION: The Burnet Bulldogs are all smiles as they earn a 3-1 record in District 25-4A play and will meet Marble Falls for first place in the standings. Courtesy photo
The Burnet High School boys soccer team will play Marble Falls for first place in the District 25-4A standings at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 14, at Mustang Stadium.
A confident Burnet squad will step on the field thanks to riding a three-game winning streak in district play.
“This will be a great rivalry and will test the newfound successes,” head coach Benjamin Boorman said.
The latest victory was against Lago Vista 5-0 Feb. 7.
“The weather was perfect for soccer in Texas — freezing with horizontal rain,” Boorman said. “You know what happens to dogs when they get wet; they go crazy. That’s what your Bulldogs did. They decided to give the Vikings ‘the business.'”
The Vikings were riding a two-game winning streak as they stepped on the field to face Burnet. But the Bulldogs came out of the gate with lots of energy, Boorman said, and quickly proved how much they have improved this season by pinging passes around the pitch.
Cleto Leon and Lisandro Olvera were both having their way with Lago Vista’s outside defenders thanks to putting crosses and shots in, the coach said. After some intense pressuring on the goal by Hector Arredondo and Eric Hernandez, the Lago Vista goal keeper fouled Hernadez in the box that led to a penalty.
Arredondo converted the penalty for the first goal.
Hernandez scored the second goal on a ricochet with eight minutes left in the first half after Lisandro hit a banger and the goalie parried right in front of the goal.
The Bulldogs kept up the intensity in the second half, while “the Vikings came out angry and put a few shots on target that were gobbled up by stellar (Burnet) goalkeeper Matthew Aguayo.”
It also helped that Anthony Perez and Josue Ramirez were “determined to keep a shutout and were up to the task of defending,” Boorman said.
Meanwhile, the Bulldogs got another goal when Jahir Benitez accepted a cross from Miguel Valdez, who was targeted on a throw-in and beat two defenders.
“It was over for the Vikings after that,” Boorman said.
Arrendon added the fourth goal on a penalty kick because of a second yellow card issued to a Vikings defender. The defender was ejected and Lago Vista was forced to finish the match with 10 players.
The fifth goal was scored “in miraculous fashion” by Hernandez “right in front of the keeper’s face,” Boorman said.
It came when the goalie failed to clear a ball and Hernandez kicked it back to Logan Juarez, whose shot was deflected and given up on by the keeper only to see it hit the post and have Hernandez put it in.
“It was a dominant performance,” Boorman said.
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