SOC: 'Rider kickers bounce back in playoff chase
The Center boys’ soccer team jumped right back into the thick of the District 35-4A playoff race last Friday night, scoring two goals in each half as the Roughriders blew past Diboll, 4-1, at Lumberjack Stadium.
The win, Center's first in league play, moves the 'Riders into a fourth-place tie with Hudson as each team is now 1-3. The top four teams in the league qualify for the playoffs.
Jacksonville (8-7-1) popped Nacogdoches, 3-1, to move past the Dragons into a first-place tie with Palestine (11-5-5). The Indians and Wildcats, who tied 1-1 last Tuesday, are both 3-0-1 in 35-4A play and in a dead heat for the league title.
Diboll is the only winless team in the district at 0-4.
Rene Solis and Luis Reyes both lit up the scoreboard in the opening 40 minutes for the Roughriders as they moved out to a 2-1 lead at the break.
Then in the second half, two other 'Riders - Eduardo Chavez and Jose Gonzalez - got into the scoring act as they recorded goals as the Roughriders got rid of some of the frustration that had been building in them the past several games as they looked for their initial district win.
"It was definitely a big win for us because I feel like we were starting to get really frustrated on the field and in practice the last couple of weeks," said Center Head Coach Richard Ruiz later. "It was a relief for the kids to get a win, as well as for me.
"We're still looking to make the playoffs this year and we have high hopes that we have more wins ahead of us."
Ruiz praised the play of Gonzalez, a freshman, saying that his hard work is paying off in games.
"Jose was put in as a forward and did a very good job up front for us," Ruiz explained. "In practice he always works hard and he earned his spot on varsity and showed against Diboll that it is paying off."
Center's matchup tonight (Tuesday) at home against Hudson has been delayed because of the wintery mix that was predicted to fall. The Roughriders have rescheduled that game for Wednesday at 6 p.m. at Roughrider Stadium. There will be no junior varsity match.
Other league games scheduled Wednesday include Diboll at Jacksonville and Palestine visiting Nacogdoches.