Ochoa leads the way for Conroe once more against Oak Ridge
Alexis Ochoa proved once again Friday night that he can find a way to score goals against Oak Ridge this season.
The Conroe senior midfielder put the Tigers up on the board first against the War Eagles and the Tigers prevailed 5-0 at Buddy Moorhead Stadium to start the second round of District 12-6A.
Ochoa scored a hat trick previously against Oak Ridge back on Feb. 6 (a 4-0 Tigers win) and he put in a brilliant goal for his fourth for the Tigers (10-5-2, 4-1-1 13 points). He then added one more in the 72nd for good measure for five total goals in two games against the War Eagles.
“I just think that we are working as a team,” Ochoa said afterwards. “It’s just our style of game and if we keep doing what we are doing, nobody can stop us.”
The senior added two assists as well.
“Ochoa has always been one that works really hard for us,” Conroe coach Victor Trejo said. “He’s been with me all three years that I’ve been here. He just gives us so much. He’s leading the district in goals and assists. He’s just having a great season.”
In the 12th minute, Ochoa drilled a low shot past Oak Ridge senior goalkeeper Ryan Santiago to jump-start Conroe’s scoring run.
Oak Ridge (3-10-1, 0-6) kept battling and had a couple good chances at an equalizer in the first half, but couldn’t finish.
In the 27th minute, sophomore Qasir Morton found an opening in the box and directed an arcing pass toward net. It went high. The War Eagles found success maneuvering the ball down to offensive third of the field, but Conroe’s defense was there to turn them away.
“We’re just a super young group,” Oak Ridge coach Gareth Glick said. “The score doesn’t really represent it, but I was proud of their performance today. There was just simple little mental error breakdowns. But for large portions of the game, I felt like it was a good game.”
The Tigers eventually got their insurance goal before the halftime horn sounded.
Senior Gerardo Godinez put in a corner kick ball from the left corner as he planted a shot on while positioned at the far post with less than a minute to play.
The Tigers struck quickly to start the second half.
Junior Misael Martinez put a hard shot on net from a right angle and it the corner of the net for a 3-0 Tigers lead.
Shortly after a red card was assessed to senior defender Servando Rosales, Bonilla made it 4-0 in the 55th minute.
With the win, Conroe remains in second place as it keeps pace with The Woodlands in first.
Conroe came in off a 3-3 draw a week ago with College Park.
Against Oak Ridge, Conroe regrouped defensively with a shutout by junior goalkeeper Oscar Maldonado and a fine performance by defenders Rosales, Gonzalo Barbosa,, Carlos Gonzalez and Charlie Lopez. Alex Zamora shifted to the back line midway through the second half after Rosales exited the game.
“After a tough game against College Park and with things not going our way the last 19 seconds — the momentum this week was focusing on this game and taking it one game at a time,” Trejo said.
Oak Ridge was winless through the first round district play and netted just a pair of goals in those five games. That trend continued against Conroe, but with some positives.
“I think it’s a combination of a lot of things,” Glick said. “We struggled for success at the beginning of the year and a young group it’s become a confidence issue at points. I thought we were more of threat today than we have been the past five games so that’s positive.”
Conroe travels to Lufkin Tuesday night while Oak Ridge meets The Woodlands at Woodforest Bank Stadium the same night.