Marble Falls boys soccer beats Burnet to take top district spot

CAPTION: The Marble Falls Mustangs celebrate staying unbeaten in District 25-4A play as the first round concludes with a victory against Burnet. Staff photo by Jennifer Fierro

The Marble Falls High School boys soccer team beat Burnet 10-0 Feb. 14 to remain undefeated in District 25-4A play and move to 6-0.

Marble Falls, which has had a soccer program about three decades, faced an opponent whose program is eight years old. And the Mustangs played like a veteran team. Once the scoring began, it came in bunches.

Jesus Cruz got it going thanks to an assist from Marco Almazan. Then Alamazan called his own number by finding the back of the net for the second goal.

Alamazan also assisted the next goal, which was converted by Max Nejaera. Jesus Cruz finished the first half scoring and was assisted by Diego Mata for a 4-0 advantage.

It took the Mustangs less than two minutes to pick up the offensive onslaught in the second half.

Alamazan passed to Seth Parker, who found the back of the net. Esteban Dominguez was next in the scoring, off a ricochet, after an assist from Fernando Arreguin for a 6-0 advantage with 34:22 remaining in the contest.

Arreguin scored the seventh goal on an assist from Parker.

Garrett Goggans converted a penalty kick struck with so much force that even the goalie’s outstretched left arm couldn’t stop it.

Almazan added an unassisted ninth goal in the game with 17:50 remaining in the contest.

Cruz scored the game’s final goal with Dominguez assisting at the 6:10 mark. By then most of the Marble Falls starters were on the sideline as reserves took over.

Mustangs head coach Rick Hoover said the scoring was the result of each player understanding what it means to wear the purple and gold.

“We have to play at our level,” he said. “We certainly did not try to run up the score. I had my subs in. You can’t tell kids not to score. We have to play to a standard.”

He added that standard has been set throughout years of work on the pitch by players who graduated long ago. And many still keep up with the program and want to see the athletes who play today wear the uniform with as much pride as they did.

“We have to play to our standard, and we didn’t set that up this year,” the coach said.

Still, Hoover noted the Bulldogs have talent and are learning the system and scheme.

“They are a year or two away,” he said. “You can see their kids are trying to get there.”

“It was a perfect storm of Marble having great luck and momentum, and the Dawgs having an off game,” Bulldogs head coach Benjamin Boorman said. 

He noted that Genesis Ceron and Victor Aviles “had their hands full in defense trying to deal with the entourage of attackers flooding the wings.” 

“This was humbling, but I know that the boys will get back to work soon, and this was not indicative of the improvement that they have made,” the coach added.

The Marble Falls junior varsity also won 7-0.

“(Our Dawgs) played their hearts out, but due to close possession and steady passing by Marble, most of the game was spent on our half,” Boorman said. 

Goalie Aiden Morris made 19 saves in the game, and the Mustangs attempted close to 30 shots.

“The boys did a great job of blocking shots and crosses,” the coach said.

On Friday, Feb. 17, Marble Falls will play at Lago Vista with the Lady Mustangs taking the field at 5 p.m. and the Mustangs to follow at 7 p.m. Burnet is at Austin Achieve with the junior varsity playing at 5 p.m. and the varsity at 7 p.m.

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