Perhaps it was fitting that Hays CISD’s two varsity boys soccer programs needed all 80 minutes Tuesday to settle their final district bout against each other.
When the dust settled, a trio of goals scored within a 14-minute span gave the Hays Rebels enough leverage to hold off a late Lehman Lobo rally en route to a critical 3-2 road win. The victory kept Hays’ playoff hopes afloat with only three games left in the regular season.
Hays (11-6-4, 4-5-4) built a commanding 3-0 lead midway through the second half before Lehman stormed back into contention.
An over-the-top pass to Lobo forward Isaac Salazar led to him scoring a breakaway goal at the 57th minute, cutting the Rebel lead to 3-1. Lehman struck again roughly seven minutes later when Salazar received a second over-the-top pass, which led to another breakaway opportunity.
After Hays goalkeeper Lane Reynolds deflected his initial shot, Salazar recovered the rebound and blasted in a close-range goal that sliced Hays’ lead to 3-2.
But Hays’ defense stood firm and kept the Lobos off the scoreboard the rest of the way. While the Lobos had several chances to equalize in the final 15-plus minutes of the match, Hays’ backline solidified and harkened back to fundamentals, Hays Rebel head coach Cole Reynolds said.
“They’re (Lehman) a tough team and they were connecting passes and we were not,” Reynolds said. “But we figured it out and started connecting them again and cleared the ball when it was important.”
Early on, Hays’ offense dominated possession and controlled the pace of play, leading to a handful of scoring chances.
The Rebels capitalized late in the first frame when John Murillo possessed a loose ball in front of the Lobo net and kicked in the game’s first goal at the 29th minute of the match. Roughly three minutes later, Rebel Will Turner passed the ball to Gerardo Rodriguez, who in turn tallied a breakaway goal to give Hays a 2-0 advantage at halftime.
Rodriguez tallied a second goal three minutes into the second half, giving Hays a 3-0 advantage. Reynolds applauded his team’s ability to find the scoreboard, citing the program’s recent struggles on offense. Over the last three games, Hays has tallied six total goals. In the four contests prior to that point, Hays had scored only three times, Reynolds said.
Connecting passes into “dangerous areas” where the team had previously been prone to defend has also been a primary change, Reynolds said.
“Gerardo (Rodriguez) is a driving force, but we’re starting find other players who are scoring points when we need them, which is really big for us as well,” Reynolds said.
Hays’ gaze now turns to a critically important final stretch of the season. The Rebels travel to Westlake Friday, followed by a home match against Lake Travis March 10 and then a home match against Del Valle March 13.
Currently sixth in the district standings, Hays must win out or have Anderson or Bowie lose games down the stretch to sneak into the playoffs.
“This is the right time to peak,” Reynolds said. “We still have a good shot of getting in.”
But for Reynolds, Tuesday’s game also provided a bittersweet moment. With Lehman dropping down to the 5A ranks next season, Reynolds lamented the hiatus of a longtime district rivalry.
“I’ve always told my boys, if you can’t get up to play against Lehman, you shouldn’t play soccer. The game tonight shows it in both directions,” Reynolds said. “It’s been a great rivalry. I’m sorry to lose it as a part of our district.”
