Longview High School's boys and girls soccer programs will be tested during the 2024 regular season, preparing for an extended stretch of the Collegiate Interscholastic League postseason that begins Tuesday.
There aren't many teams on the rise like Longview's boys soccer team. That's because the Longview boys soccer team has a 19-4 record on the season and is coming off a program-best 14-game winning streak in the UIL playoffs.
“It was fun for us to reach that record,” Longview boys soccer head coach James Wright said of the team's long winning streak. “We will probably stop talking about it between the players and myself because we need to focus on the issue.” [next playoff] The match is approaching. ”
The Lobos feel ready for the upcoming postseason as they were tested during the District 15-5A schedule. That was evident last Wednesday, when leading scorer Carsten Guerra scored the go-ahead goal with 16.9 seconds left in a 1-0 overtime home victory over league runner-up Mount Pleasant in the final regular-season game. was. They may have been pushed to the brink last week, but their ability to defeat a long-time nemesis and 13 other district challengers gave them the confidence they needed for more success late in the season.
“We have very high expectations for a decent performance,” Wright said of his playoff expectations against his veteran team. “Everything we've done in district has been to prepare for this moment. There are no easy games from here on out.”
Longview, looking to advance to its first regional final since 2021, will be the No. 4 seed in District 16 vs. 5A in its first playoff game in a Class 5A Region II boys soccer bi-district game Tuesday at Lufkins Abe at 7 p.m. Don't overlook Huntsville's opponents either. martin stadium.
“It's going to be a tough game,” Wright said of his team's first-round playoff chances. “In that area [16-5A]the top four teams were all very competitive [and] They all took the game away from each other. However, I think it would be a mistake to view them as a 4th place team. We try to take every match seriously. We are not ignoring them.They have a pretty good defensive record. [and] We got a very good goalkeeper. We're preparing like we did in Frisco. [ISD teams] Or Mount Pleasant. ”
Longview is expected to rely on offensive players like Guerra to break through Huntsville's defensive wall and its own goaltender Eric Torres to keep the Hornets off the scoreboard.
“Kirsten, he's found his happy place,” Wright said. “He's been producing goals, he's been very consistent and his mood and mental state is very different from where he was at the beginning of January. He's a very important person, but he has a lot of support. I have [from teammates]. The same goes for Eric who scored the goal. He is supported by very strong defenders. ”
The Longview girls team has won their fourth straight District 15-5A title and will look to make some noise in the postseason, showing off their success.
“It’s exciting,” Longview girls soccer head coach Ron Bellamy said of the Lady Lobos in this year’s playoffs. “I feel like we have a good team and I hope we stay like this for a while. I think we had a chance to win some games.”
The Lady Lobos bring a 16-2-4 season record to the postseason as they travel to four games Tuesday, Class 5A Region II Girls Soccer 2 vs. District 16-5A, starting at 6 p.m. They are already making game plans for the early games of the playoffs. They will face seeded Nacogdoches at Tatum's Eagle Stadium, but they also concede that the Lady Dragons are 2-1-1 in their last four games since Feb. 27.
“They’re a good team,” Bellamy said of the program’s first-round opponent. “They started the season very slowly, but have recently picked up their game.”
“I really think we have to win, but we have to take care of business,” he added. “My hope is this. [for the Longview girls] To jump in early. I want to score goals early and build on them. ”
The Lady Lobos showed they can overcome adversity last Wednesday with a 3-1 come-from-behind victory over District 15-5A runner-up Mount Pleasant in the final game of the regular season. While they will very likely face another deficit at some point in the postseason, they also have the confidence and depth to push toward their first regional quarterfinal appearance since 2016.
“I don't know if it's going to be one person,” Bellamy said of the players expected to step up for the team in the postseason. “We have a lot of good players, and every night someone steps up and makes a great play. That's been the case all year with this team.”
spring hill
The Spring Hill Lady Panthers open the Class 4A playoffs Tuesday against Palestine at 5:30 p.m. at Wildcat Stadium in Palestine.
The Lady Panthers were 13-7-2 on the season, while Palestine led the postseason with an 18-6-3 record.
Two of Spring Hill's losses were to 5A teams, Hallsville and Corsicana.
The Lady Panthers finished the season with five wins out of six, all five of which were shutouts, with Spring Hill outscoring their opponents 28-0. Spring Hill recorded 11 shutouts this season.
Although Palestine had won six straight games, the regular season ended with a 9-0 loss to Jacksonville.
The Lady Wildcats have posted 16 shutouts this season.
