Marble Falls boys soccer beats Austin Achieve
CAPTION: The Marble Falls Mustangs are on the verge of winning the District 25-4A championship after a season sweep of Austin Achieve. Photo by Shaunna Marcum/Mixed Media Photographer Designer at ShaunnaLisa, Cliffhanger Loop Productions
The Marble Falls High School boys soccer team defeated Austin Achieve 3-0 Feb. 27 in a crucial District 25-4A matchup.
The win clinched a playoff berth and put the Mustangs in position to win the district championship.
“It was a really good win against Achieve,” Mustangs head coach Rick Hoover said. “All we have to do is win one of our next three to be outright district champions.”
Marble Falls (15-2-1, 7-0) led 1-0 until the final 20 minutes of the match. That’s when the Mustangs put the contest away thanks to scoring two more goals.
Goals were scored by Garrett Goggans, Diego Mata and Ivan Espino. Goggans and Mata also had assists, while Kash Bussaraporn had the other assist.
“All the kids are so unselfish,” Hoover said. “They take advantage of their opportunities when they have them and set up their teammates when they don’t. It’s a special group.”
Last season, Marble Falls and Achieve split the series and shared the district title.
“Goals are really hard to come by,” the coach said. “A really, really good team will win a lot of games 2-0 and 3-0.”
The coach noted Marble Falls beat Achieve in both games with identical 3-0 scores. That speaks to another important element — the Mustang defense.
“That looks like a dominant performance, and it was on the scoreboard,” he said. “In both games we were very similar. We were able to control the midfield. Our defensive backline played lights out. (The Polar Bears) are an offensive team. Being able to shut out them twice is a big accomplishment. They don’t get shutout. For us to be able to control them both times is more of a statement on our defense more than anything.”
Hoover was so pleased with the performances of senior goalie Isaac Larranaga and the defense that he went a step further.
“If I had to give a game MVP, it’s all of our defense,” he said. “They really stepped up. Achieve had chances, but Isaac and our backline were stingy and stubborn. That’s a big accomplishment again. Isaac hasn’t given up a goal in district.”
The Polar Bears pride themselves on producing multiple goals in each match.
“They are an offensive team,” Hoover said. “And we stopped them from putting it in the back of the net. I expect them to go far in the playoffs.”
Marble Falls travels to Florence Friday, March 1. The boys varsity plays at 4 p.m, the girls varsity follows at 5:30 p.m., and the boys varsity takes the field at 7:15 p.m.
Watch videos on Highland Lakes sports by going to Fierro’s YouTube channel and searching for The Broad Podcaster. Please like, subscribe and share.
