Junior Enrique Vega tries to slip past a Colleyville Heritage defender at Eagle Stadium on Thursday. The Leopards tied Heritage 1-1 in the season opener.
Boys soccer looks to bounce back after 1-1 tie in opener
After a 1-1 tie to Colleyville Heritage yesterday in the season opener at Eagle Stadium in Allen, the boys soccer team has another challenge against Allen High School today in the second round of the Eagles’ tournament.
Heritage was the first game of four for the team. After Allen today, the Leopards face Tascosa and Adamson Saturday. Allen enters today’s game with a 4-1-1 record after a 3-3 tie to Tascosa on Thursday.
“We prepare ourselves to play our own game and hopefully whoever we have to play has to adjust to us, but we work different formations and systems of play in case that doesn’t work,” junior Enrique Vega said. “We [have been] doing full field scrimmages because it’s the closest we can get to game-like situation and it’s the only way to work game fitness.”
Sophomore Benji Merrick scored the Leopards’ goal on Thursday on an assist by senior captain Cal Cranfill. Last season, Colleyville Heritage defeated Lovejoy in an early season matchup 0-1. Colleyville Heritage finished last season with a solid record at 14-7-2.
Last season, the Leopards played well enough to make the state playoffs, but fell in the first round to Frisco Centennial in a crushing overtime loss. They look to go deeper into the playoffs this season, but it all starts this week.
“Reaching the playoffs last year playing some of our best soccer and it coming to an abrupt end against a very good Frisco Centennial team in overtime left us a little bitter,” head coach Alex Duran said. “We know we can achieve great things but this must come with hard work and preparation. As long as our team continues to do this throughout this long season we will be successful.”