Texas High gets rivalry win in match with Pleasant Grove
TEXARKANA, Texas — The Texas High Tiger soccer team won the crosstown rivalry match with Pleasant Grove in a match that was closer than the 5-0 score.
The visiting Tigers opened scoring six minutes into the match on a solo run by Alijah Garza. About 17 minutes later the Tigers doubled the advantage on a free kick from Austin Miller that was initially stopped but ended up in the net on a rebound shot by Juan Carlos Coc Coc. Garza assisted on another goal finished by Reece
Gaylor in the 25th minute. This gave the Tigers A 3-0 lead that would last into the second half. The Hawks fought hard and looked sharp into the halftime break.
Garza, who had been important to the Tiger effort, received a yellow card in the 27th minute, his second booking in as many matches.
The second half was the much calmer of the two with only two goals. Austin Miller scored a goal in the 43rd minute, assisted by Gaylor.
The Tigers’ high-pressing defense was challenged by a hard-attacking Hawk offense. The Hawks had quite a few chances as they got past the Tiger line. These chances went for nought when the Hawks shots hit the post on two occasions, went narrowly wide twice and over the top crossbar once.
The Hawk attack subsided after they received their only booking of the match. with a yellow card presented to Brooks Beck with two minutes remaining in the match. The card led to a Tiger direct kick near the Tiger bench about halfway between the center stripe and the penalty area. Oscar Hernandez took the kick and placed a parabolic shot in the upper 90 on the opposite side of the goal.
“This is an important game for the boys, so it means a lot to me. I was glad they got the result they wanted,” said Tigers Coach Jesus Deleon. “These guys grew up playing with the guys in the other side, so it is a special game. I was really moved to see our guys mingle with the Hawk players and taking pictures on the field after the match. It was a fun night and a fun match.”
Hawks Coach Kevin Read noted the quality of the Tigers team.
“Texas High has one heck of a team,” he said. “They played well with a lot of energy and endurance. We need the experience of playing high-level teams before we face Paris and Pittsburg in district play. Texas High gave us that.“
THS JV also wins
The Texas JV team came away with a comfortable 3-1 win Friday night at Pleasant Grove.
The Hawks made a spirited start in the match with a goal by Carter Prewitt. The Hawks played well on their home turf, standing toe to toe with the Tiger squad. Their tenacity appeared to frustrate the Tigers as evidenced by the first booking of the match at the 20th minute when Jackson Haltom was handed a yellow card.
The Tigers got back into the match with a goal by Vincente Jaralillo when he received the ball directly from a punt by the Tiger keeper in the 23rd minute. That concluded scored in the first half. The half ended with another booking in the 35th (last) minute of the half. Joseph Minor received a red card as he was defending an attack from the Hawks along the home side touch line.
The Tigers faced an uphill battle in the second half with the match tied 1-1 and playing down one man the remainder of the match due to the red card.
Jaralillo put the Tigers ahead seven minutes into the half with his second goal of the match. The Hawks continued their through ball attacks on the Tigers high press, but timing on several runs resulted in off-side calls killing their attacks. The Tigers’ final goal came on a corner kick in the 52nd minute. The last Tiger to touch the ball on the way to the goal was Juan David Escobedo before it bounced off of a Hawk defender and into the goal.
Tigers Coach Zak McCarthy was satisfied with his team’s performance.
“We’ve gone through a tough, busy and draining week with a lot of games. Today, you could see the wear and tear of the busy schedule on the boys, so now it’s time for us to go rest, recuperate and get ready for another busy week ahead,” he said. “I’m proud of the guys and their continued efforts and look forward to seeing them bounce back next week.”