Tied 0-0 against Burleson Centennial, senior and team captain Mateo Murillo ran the ball from the 30 yard-line to the top of the box and scored an assisted goal to win the game, 1-0.
“That was a great team goal,” Murillo said. “This season had its ups and downs. This year was a lot of the guys’ first time on varsity. Most of us are seniors who have never played together before. But we adjusted and fought through the season.”
This season varsity soccer headed to Wichita Falls to compete in the Midwestern State University tournament, with a final standing of 1-1-1. Varsity soccer coach Michael Keel took the boys to tour Midwestern State University.
“The out-of-town tournament was a good chemistry-building weekend for the boys and they enjoyed it since we were not able to do it last year,” Coach Keel said. “The tour was eye-opening for the guys.”
The team stood by their motto “Rent’s Due” this year. Coach Michael Keel said the team’s work ethic brought them success.
“I told them we’re not the most talented team in the state,” Coach Keel said. “But there’s nobody that’s going to work harder than us. And the times when they’ve put in the work, we’ve been successful, and the times when they haven’t we haven’t been as successful.”
The team lost players throughout the season for numerous reasons. JV players moved up to fill their roles. Junior Adam Matter felt the pressure that the team faced losing starters during a critical time of the season.
“We had leaders who got hurt, but the next man is always ready to step up,” Matter said. “I got moved up toward the end of the season and I just wanted to help the team succeed.”
Despite the hardships the team faced, they kept their passionate mindset of securing a spot in the playoffs. Coach Keel and his team have learned success doesn’t come without work.
“We’ve learned that not everything is easy. And we just have to keep working and go to work the next day. I tell them it’s just like life, which isn’t easy. But we learned how to work hard and push through,” Keel said. “That’s life, it isn’t always sunshine and roses, but you keep going to work the next day. You just gotta get up and go.”
The players not only have to keep up their physicality but also keep a strong mindset as well. It is not just about putting your foot to the ball, there is a mental aspect to the game of soccer.
“Before each game, we remind one another to lock in and focus up. We are playing for each other. And we want to be the hardest working ones on the field,” Murillo said. “We are all one team, we win together and lose together.
