Jared Herselman chases down a ball during a recent match for Hays, which improved to 7-0 in district play with a win against Giddings Friday night. The Lady Rebels also beat Giddings and are 6-1 in District 49-4A play. (Photo by Cyndy Slovak-Barton)
by JASON GORDON
The Hays boys and girls soccer teams both picked up easy wins over Giddings on Friday night.
The Hays boys stayed undefeated on the season, improving to 15-0-1 on the year. The Rebels are now 7-0 and have staked their claim as being the clear-cut top team in District 49-4A.
Against Giddings, the Rebs jumped ahead 4-0 by halftime on goals by Parker Thornton, Billy Bolton, Christian Varela and Omar Rangel. Uriel Hernandez added a second half goal for Hays in the 5-1 win.
“Not getting complacent is something we talk about every game, regardless who we’re playing,” Hays head coach Jason Burnett said. “I don’t think we’re going to have to worry about that this week.”
Hays is scheduled to play Class 5A Georgetown, which is the No. 34 team in the nation according to one poll.
“We haven’t seen competition like this since the Rebel Cup,” Burnett said. “It will be good to see where we stand. We’re a little old 4A going against a strong 5A. If we can control and possess the ball versus them we’ll feel like we are in pretty good shape as a team.”
The Lady Rebels beat an improved Giddings team 2-0 Friday night.
Hays’ first goal came when the team passed the ball from sideline to sideline twice before Bracie Harris sent a pass to Kelli Ureist, who hammered it into the back of the net.
“That was a beautiful goal,” said head coach Cole Reynolds, who saw his team improve to 6-1 in District 49-4A play. “If every one of our scores this season were made on plays like that we’d have a record like the boys do. That was a great example of teamwork.”
Lena New added another goal for Hays in the first half, knocking the ball in as several players and the Giddings goalkeeper got bunched near the net.
“It was a good win,” Reynolds said. “We played solid defensively and had several other scoring chances in the second half that just missed.”
He said he expects many of the teams Hays beat during the first half of district play to be geared up for the Lady Rebs the second tome around.
“If the Giddings game was any indication, I think we have to expect everyone to be better,” Reynolds said. “We know we can’t let down against anyone.”
The Lady Rebels, who are currently one game behind Bastrop in the district standings, play at LaGrange Friday before hosting Smithville on Tuesday.
