Longview boys and girls soccer teams have already won this year's District 15-5A title and are aiming for another title as the UIL postseason begins later this month.
The Lobos are already experiencing a record-breaking season. He achieved his 500th career win with a 6-0 win over rival Marshall on February 5th, setting a new standard with a program-record 13 consecutive wins from January to February. 26th and March 8th.
“Districts started and everything started falling into place,” Longview boys soccer head coach James Wright said of the 2024 team's success. “Ultimately, we were able to get everyone moving in the same direction. And we found the right places and roles for people to play within the team.”
Longview benefited from the rise of leading scorer Karsten Guerra. He started in the FW position in the District 1 game and had a positive impact on the team.
“[It was] It’s huge,” James Wright said of Guerra’s enhanced role this season. “I think it was a great relief for the rest of the team to know that we got a player who could consistently put the ball in the back of the net, because everyone was looking for that player.”
As the season progressed, Longview relied on an experienced group of seniors and 17 seniors to win its first District 15-5A title since a stellar 2021 campaign.
“The reason they're so good is because of the depth on the bench,” Longview boys soccer assistant coach Margaret Wright said. “All the kids on the bench are also starters, so there’s no transition between the guys on the field and the guys on the field.” [leaving] field. “
“This group has been friends since they were about 7 or 8 years old. [longtime] “My teammates, we all push each other to be better,” she added. “Even during the games, they are helping each other and trying to be better.”
As such, the Lobos remain on a mission to push as far as possible in the upcoming UIL playoffs. The Lobos look to improve on their 2022 Class 5A Region II quarterfinal finish and 2023 Class 5A area round result and return to the Class 5A Region II finals for the first time since 2021.
“They know how good they are and where it can take them,” James Wright said of the current Longview players. “We're just taking it one game at a time, so hopefully that gets us to where we want to go. [If we advance] As far as what we did in 2021, it would be great if we could replicate that. ”
The Lobos currently have a perfect 18-4 season record and a perfect 13-0 record in the district, but they need to continue to put their right foot forward if they are to advance to the fifth round of the postseason again. They also plan to use the final league test against Mount Pleasant on March 20 at the Longview Soccer Complex to prepare for their upcoming playoff challenge.
“They feel like they earned something and accomplished something,” James Wright said of the district title and winning streak. “Mount Pleasant is always one of the most difficult games to play. [Longview] The players will be desperate to win that game and we [as coaches] We will do our best to help them do that. ”
The Longview girls team had similar success. That's because the win over Tyler on February 20th marked the program's 400th win, and the win over Whitehouse on March 8th secured its fourth straight District 15-5A title.
“Our focus from before the season started was winning the district championship, and we accomplished that,” Longview girls soccer head coach Ron Bellamy said. “It's really great to win the district for the fourth year in a row. All we wanted to do was [also] doing better than in past years [in the postseason].I definitely want to get past the second round. [and] The girls are focused on what's in front of them.We know that we have to take care of the first thing [playoff] game [out of the gate]”
The Lobos have already accomplished a lot this season without letting injuries slow them down. They benefited from a group of experienced athletes and the promotion of former JV players Vianney Aguilar, Jaylene Delapaz and Kim Almonasid.
“We had a lot of injuries,” Bellamy said of the obstacles his team overcame this season. “It's great to have the depth to be able to lift guys up. We brought in three JV players this year and they all contributed. They all played important roles for us. We're excited to have them.”
“Evelyn Campos was a great defender,” he said of one of the team's more experienced leaders. “Jada Owens has been scoring goals and has allowed only four goals in district. She has had to have big successes many times. Danausia Johnson has been great this year. She has He has played up front. Yuri Alba [also] It was wonderful. ”
Longview currently holds a 15-2-4 season record and 11-0-2 district record and hasn't lost since Jan. 19.
“We've definitely gotten sharper,” Bellamy said of the team's growth over the past two months. “Offensively, we're scoring more points than we were at the beginning of the season. And defensively, we've stepped up a lot of things. We're playing very well.”
Longview has one final district game on March 20 at Mount Pleasant, which will provide opportunities for players up and down the roster. The Lady Lobos have already clinched the district title, as their head-to-head shootout win over the Lady Tigers on Feb. 17 built a four-point advantage out of reach in the district standings heading into the final league game of the year. have been acquired. .
“Everyone is staying sharp, getting playing time and getting plenty of rest for the playoffs,” Coach Bellamy said of how his team will maximize its chances in the district finale. “So we're in great shape for the playoffs.” [following] Tuesday. “
Longview will then finalize its postseason preparation plan for the Class 5A bi-district playoff opener against Nacogdoches on March 26 at Tatum High School at 6 p.m. If the Lobos win there, they will advance to their fourth and fifth area round appearance since 2021. It's their first time since 2019, but they're also looking to advance to the regional quarterfinals for the first time since 2016.