Varsity Boys Soccer continued pre-season with two regular games (Klein HS, 1/9 and Sam Houston HS, 1/16) and a three-game rally at the Klein Memorial Tournament on Thursday (Klein Oak HS), Friday (Cy Springs HS), and Saturday (Magnolia West HS).

1/9: Klein HS

The Spartans came off the weekend tournament determined to create more scoring opportunities, and it didn’t take long to get on the board. After 6 minutes of play, the boys put together a nice team goal, beginning with a steal from Hanno Waguespack on defense and a pass up to Jasper Hartman. Jasper passed up to Giovanni Garcia, who put the ball up past midfield, where Everett Dwyer took control and passed a defender to make a run up the right sideline. He crossed to the middle, where Lorenzo Maule was waiting for a perfect header into the back of the goal. Spartans struck first, 1-0.

The boys created several more shots in the first half, notably by Dwyer, Hanno, and Hartman, but we just couldn’t find the goal, going into halftime 1-0. Five minutes after halftime, on a ball stolen by Hartman that was passed to Hanno, who took it out wide left, then cut back in to pass two defenders and cross to the middle where Dwyer was waiting for a sweet goal to the upper right corner. Spartans up 2-0. The strong offensive effort continued, but no goals fell for several minutes. With 5 minutes left, Klein caught the Spartans sleeping and scored their first of the night, making it 2-1. But Stratford held them off and finished the game 2-1, with the Spartans ending the game with 23 shots! A great win over a good team that defeated us last year.

1/11: Klein Oak (first game of the weekend Klein Memorial Tournament)

Trying to build on the last game, the Spartans knew they had to try to keep up their shots while increasing the actual goal percentage. Stratford got off to a slow start, but began taking some shots after about 10 minutes, with notable attempts on goal from Ricky Estrada and Santi Chelala.

But in the 15th minute, after several attempts from within the penalty box, the Klein Oak defense just couldn’t clear the ball and Hanno Waguespack came down with the first goal of the night. 1-0 Stratford.

In the 23rd minute, after the goalie stopped a cross from far left by Johnny Lumpkin, his pass to a defender was stolen by Lorenzo Maule and put right back past the goalie for another Stratford goal, 2-0.

Just about 10 minutes later, Everett Dwyer took a long, high pass from Chelala and cut back to the left for a golazo to the right side of the goal! Stratford 3-0.

Just before halftime, Klein Oak got on the board to make it 3-1. Coach Rodgers kept the boys fired up at halftime and they came out ready to play. After just 4 minutes from the half, Dwyer took another long ball right up the sideline, cut back to pass two defenders, and slipped the ball past the goalie to the bottom right corner to put the Spartans up 4-1. Stratford kept up the pressure, and Jack Bermack made some nice saves to keep Klein Oak off the board until a penalty kick was given for hands in the box with just 5 minutes remaining in the game. But Stratford was able to keep them at bay and finished with a 4-2 victory to start the tournament.

1/12: Cy Springs

Cy Springs has historically been a tough team (went 18-4 last year),  so this game was to be a real challenge for the Spartans. And from the beginning, it looked as though it would be a long day for the Spartans. Cy Springs was maintaining possession in our third of the field but were being held to just a few shots by the Spartan defense. But there were too many opportunities and the Panthers went up 1-0 in the 18th minute. They continued to win the possession game, but not without a few Spartan shots on goal before haltime, maintaining their 0-1 lead.

Coming out of halftime, the Spartans were starting to gain on possession and form some attacks. In the 5th minute of the second half, Fabu Ndayishimiye broke through on the left side, dribbled to the middle, and shot to the left, passing the keeper for the first Stratford goal! 1-1

The next 10 minutes were all Stratford with several more shots, from Santi Chelala, Fabu, and Everett Dwyer. But none fell, until the 14th minute of the second half, when Dwyer made a left-footed golazo to the upper right corner of the goal to put the Spartans up 2-1. That lead would not last long as Cy Springs equalized just 5 minutes later. Both teams battled the rest of the game with some great defense by Johnny Lumpkin, great saves by Jack Bermack, and offensive shots by Chelala and Fabu.

The Spartans just couldn’t connect on any more scores, and fortunately, neither could the Panthers. The game ended in a tough-fought tie, but one the boys can be proud of.

1/13: Magnolia West

Did I mention we tied Cy Springs?! Over the previous 3 games (2 wins, 1 tie), the Spartans were unfortunate to lose several players to injury, club games, trade deadlines, etc. Six players were out for the match with Magnolia West. Just know that it will be recorded as an “L” and we just won’t talk about it.

1/17: Sam Houston

The Spartans were back in good form on a cold Wednesday night for the last pre-season game against Sam Houston HS Tigers. From the beginning, Stratford dominated and maintained possession on the Tigers half, but it took awhile to get the shot foot warmed up. 15 minutes in, Everett Dwyer took a pass from Santi Chelala, then passed four defenders and smacked a hard shot to the middle but just over the crossbar. Just a minute later, Chelala had a shot on goal grabbed by the Tiger goalie. The Spartans were honing in. Then in the 17th minute, on an assist from Ricky Estrada, Dwyer hit a golazo to the upper left of the goal to put the Spartans up 1-0. The rest of the half was marked by Spartan shots all over the place, by Dwyer, Chelala, Fabu Ndayishimiye, and Oliver Burdick, but we just couldn’t get one in the net! Sam Houston tied it up with 3 minutes left in the half on a header from the corner. Halftime 1-1

Just a few minutes after halftime, Davis Cooper made a great save to keep the Tigers from taking the lead. And on the counter-attack, the long ball was controlled by Dwyer and taken up the right sideline and into the box for a goal to go up 2-1! Stratford continued to apply the pressure on the Tiger defensive third, and it led to another Spartan goal, this time with a header by Lorenzo Maule from a poor defensive clearance. Spartans up 3-1. Shortly after, Chelala dribbled from pressure and passed up to Fabu, who took a shot from inside the box for a Spartan goal, 4-1. Cooper had a few more great saves toward the end of the half; one unfortunately was blocked into another Tiger forward for a goal, 4-2.

With 11 minutes remaining, the Tigers took advantage of a set piece to edge a bit closer, 4-3. But the Spartans fought tough and held on to a victory in the final pre-season game!

Stratford Boys Varsity Soccer had their ups and downs during the pre-season, but learned to play tough and together, and to create opportunities. Let’s see if we can apply that in District play. We hope you will join us for the first District game next week, Tuesday, January 23rd against Cy Fair at home!