Marble Falls boys soccer loses to Fredericksburg
CAPTION: Marble Falls senior Marco Almazan (10) scored two goals, one coming in the final minute, to give the Mustangs a chance during the loss to Fredericksburg Feb. 11. Photo by Shaunna Marcum/ShaunnaLisa Photography
The Marble Falls High School boys soccer team lost to Fredericksburg 4-3 Feb. 11 in District 26-4A play.
With the match tied at 2-2, the Billies (6-6, 2-0) kicked a ball deep in Marble Falls territory that went out of bounds. The ball was thrown in and the shooter found a tiny crease in the Mustangs defense. The ball ricocheted off the goalie’s hands as he dived for it to find the back of the net with 3 minutes and 11 seconds remaining in the match.
“Obviously it should never have happened because we should be defending there, and we didn’t,” head coach Ryan Craven said. “So we had to be better. We didn’t want to defend and we gotta get better.”
Minutes later, a Billie kicked the ball from about 40 yards out toward the Marble Falls goal in trying to waste time. Again the goalie backpedaled, but the ball was high enough to get past him for another goal with 53 seconds left.
Marble Falls senior Marco Almazan worked quickly in getting a goal, his second of the match, with 34 seconds remaining. But time ran out.
Junior Joaquin Aguilar scored the other goal.
While Craven was pleased that the Mustangs battled until the final seconds, he believes the match gave his players an opportunity to learn a life lesson.
“We let things not in our control get in our heads, and we played out of character,” he said. “Every loss we’ve had this year has been by a goal. They don’t quit, so that’s encouraging. But what are the expectations we have for ourselves this year? There’s a big setback, and I’m hoping it’s a wakeup call for us.”
Craven noted coaches flipped the game times of the varsity and junior varsity because of rainy conditions that began Monday, Feb. 10, to ensure the match was played. Athletes have routines and perhaps those routines were also upended, he added.
“We came out blazen and then some things kind of changed,” the coach said. “We let things get in our heads, and you gotta be more mentally mature than that.”
Marble Falls travels to play at San Antonio Davenport Friday, Feb. 14, with the junior varsity at 5 p.m. and the varsity at 7 p.m.
CAPTION: Fredericksburg defenders pack the box to ensure Marble Falls senior Marco Almazan doesn’t have an opening to make a pass or to take a shot. Photo by Shaunna Marcum/ShaunnaLisa Photography
