by MOSES A. LEOS III
Lehman Boys Soccer Team Head Coach Jay Sansom understands one particular caveat of the sports world: Never, ever rest on your laurels.
Though, he and his team could very well be forgiven if they did so. After all, the Lobos successfully navigated a stunning 2012 campaign, which saw the Lobos finish second in district play. The highlight of the year became the 3-0 victory over Pflugerville Connally in the Bi-District Round of the UIL playoffs.
With Lobo Soccer obtaining the school’s first ever playoff win in any sport, one would believe that the team could easily hearken back to last season for continued success.
That is until Coach Sansom deals everyone this sobering dose of reality: “We graduated 14 seniors. That right there changes the whole dynamic.” Good dreams, gone; time to move forward.
Through two games played, the Lobos have compiled a record of 1-0-1, with Lehman defeating Seguin 7-0 on Tuesday evening. However, the real test begins on Thursday; Lehman begins play in the 2013 Rebel Cup, facing off against Austin Akins out of District 15-5A.
However, for all of the gloom and doom which youth and inexperience brings, Coach Sansom remains unafraid of the challenge at hand. He understands that change is nothing new to the program. “[In 2011], we graduated 12 [players], last year we graduated 14,” Sansom said.
Because of this, Sansom can look forward to working with the dynamics of the Lobo style of play. His idea is to look at new systems to help his team succeed, despite the inexperience.
“Some things are by making two steps, some things are just in transition," Sansom said. "A lot of things we saw we didn’t really capitalize on in the 1-1 tie against Connally. [Tuesday night] we beat Seguin 7-0; a lot of things offensively we changed up within our system, made things more efficient. Defensively, we were a little more engaged with one another. Everything’s a progression.”
The most important aspect of it all: “Win doing what we’re practicing doing, versus going out there playing a sloppy match … winning [by playing] ‘boomball’, kicking the ball around.”
His players are equally excited about the subtle change in systems. Junior Center-Back Chris Piedra, one of the three Team Captains, talked about some of the tendencies he wishes to see within the defense.
“From my perspective, [the goal is] to organize my defense, to where everybody is manned up," Piedra said. "Just defend as much as we can as a team, as a player, and don’t let the other team score."
Fellow Team Captain and Senior Right Winger Cody Devine believed cognizance of situation, as well as humility on offense would be paramount to success.
“We’re trying to play smart ball by keeping it away from the defense, getting good goals and not getting cocky about it,” Devine said.
All three Team Captains, including Senior Defenseman Victor Bravo, agreed that looking back on 2012 would not be a problematic issue.
But Piedra says they have a pretty good team this year.
"Competitively, we can probably compete against last year’s team," Piedra said. "We have a pretty good group of guys that are willing to play, that want to play. This year, we will try not to look back. Try to look for this year, to look what we can do with new formations, new players. Try to go out there and play what we can and what we know how to do.”
The words of Victor Bravo essentially voices the collective thought of the team.
“[I’m] real excited, [because] we want to make this year like last year: Make it to the second round of the playoffs and win,” Bravo said.
The Rebel Cup begins Thursday, where all of the 16 participating teams are guaranteed to play three games in three days, with a chance to play a fourth in the tournament championship rounds.
For Samson, the biggest boon from this tournament will come from finding out where his team is at this point.
“Having three games, potentially four, it will help us solidify where we are at,” Samson said.
Lehman in 2013 Rebel Cup
Thursday, 10 a.m.:
Lehman vs Akins—Lobo Field
Friday, Noon:
Lehman vs. Austin Reagan—Lobo Field
Saturday, Noon
Lehman vs. Leander—Shelton Stadium
Consolation and Tournament Championships to be held at 4, 6 and 8 p.m. Saturday at Shelton Stadium
