Title for Apollos not in the cards
Frisco Wakeland is closing in on a three-peat, and Houston ISD’s search for its elusive first soccer state championship continues.
The Wolverines defeated the Apollos 2-1 in the Class 5A boys soccer state semifinals Thursday at Georgetown ISD’s Birkelbach Field.
Wakeland (21-2-5), a two-time defending state champion, will meet El Paso Bel-Air at 1:30 p.m. Saturday. Sharpstown (21-3-2) was in the state tournament for the first time.
It was a notable moment for the Houston ISD school, which only had baseball state championships (1977, 1982) to its name.
The Apollos and Wolverines were scoreless through 28 minutes until Wakeland senior forward Alex Wing banged a header in off a cross from junior defender Nathan Guindon.
The Wolverines made it 2-0 eight seconds before the break when junior midfielder William Hitchcock scored against Apollos goalkeeper Blaise Mucho.
“We win as a family, we lose as a family. We wouldn’t have gotten as far if it wasn’t for our goalkeeper, so we hold no blame to him on that play,” Sharpstown coach Greg Boles said. “We just had to pick him up at halftime at that point. He’s been big for us all year.”
Undauted, the Apollos summoned the same resiliency they showed in last weekend’s Class 5A Region III match against Kingwood Park when they were down a player and a coach because of red cards.
In that regional final, it was Sharpstown junior midfielder Ulises Reyes’ hat trick that made the difference, especially his two second-half goals. On Thursday, it was Apollos senior forward Josue Carias Ortez answering the call with a goal in the 51st minute.
Sharpstown might have been in a unique position compared to other teams in the state tournament this weekend.
Because of University Interscholastic League rules, Apollos senior midfielder Bryan Jimenez had to sit out the match because of a red card he received for a high kick in the regional final.
Sharpstown is the third Houston ISD boys soccer team to reach the state tourney in as many years.
Boles believes it is only a matter of time before an HISD team secures a state soccer title.
“Absolutely,” Boles said. “You hear this from every team, but our plan from the get-go was to win state. HISD should be having teams at this stage, and we should win a state title here real soon.
“Our plans were not to go home tonight. I felt we gave a good effort and came up just a little short.”