Marble Falls boys soccer plays well at Governor’s Cup

CAPTION: Marble Falls junior goalie Jett Marcum leaps and catches the ball to ensure Waco High doesn’t get a goal. Photos by Shaun Marcum/ShaunnaLisa

The Marble Falls High School boys soccer team beat Bastrop Cedar Creek 2-1 Jan. 1 in its season opener, which happened to be at the Governor’s Cup Showcase in Georgetown.

The Mustangs followed that with a 0-0 tie against Waco High and a 1-1 tie against Georgetown East View Jan. 2-3.

Ismayl Ismaylov and Daniel Dominguez each scored during the win and Eliezer Chocoj scored in the tie. Demarco Davis picked up the Chocoj assist.

“I was so proud of our guys’ effort and fight,” head coach Ryan Craven said. “There was a lot of growth. There’s still a lot that we have to get fixed, but we defended pretty well.”

He noted that “a lot of fire power” graduated when the program said good-bye to 15 players.

“The type of soccer we’re going to play this year is winning games 2-1, 1-0, that type deal and our kids know that,” he said.

This showcase demonstrated that. Craven pointed out the Mustangs led 1-0 against Cedar Creek then “gave up the lead.”

“We just kept playing and kept playing,” he said. “And we got a goal towards the end and won that game 2-1.”

He noted Waco High “plays a style of soccer a lot like us, just high press and putting a lot of pressure on teams. They put a lot of pressure on us and had some chances.”

But junior goalie Jett Marcum didn’t let Waco find the back of the net. That’s why he was named the player of the game.

“Jett had a ton of saves,” the coach said. “It kept us in it, so that was a battle that we scratched to come out with a positive result. Again, we were more on our heels and just had to battle to get a draw. You’re like ‘OK, well then, we have to get better at that.’ We didn’t play very well, but we fought and competed to find a way to come away with that result.”

Craven said the match against East View “was back and forth the whole way.” He noted the Patriots scored in the first 3 minutes of the second half that compelled the Mustangs to “change up a few things tactically.”

“I put in Demarco off the bench, who hadn’t played really at all the first half and put him in there,” he said, “and he just started running around and putting pressure on their defense and was able to win a ball and laid it off to Eli, who was able to see the beautiful upper 90 shot over the goalie’s head to tie it up.”

While most programs might be rebuilding after graduating 15 players, the Mustangs aren’t there. Craven pointed out last year’s junior varsity “went undefeated.”  

“So they have the confidence and swagger about them to think they’re the best players on the field,” he said. “They’re out there competing, and they’re not intimidated. The (varsity) speed is a little bit faster and their vision of the field needs to get a little bit better of seeing where to play the ball because it’s closing down faster than what they’re used to. But it’ll come the more they play.”

The coach pointed out the Mustangs can still improve, adding he’s still “mixing and matching people.”

“(We’re) trying to figure out where everybody fits best,” he said. “We have the talent. We’re just figuring out where that talent needs to be at and we’re slowly starting to figure it out.” 

Marble Falls welcomes defending Class 4A Division II state champion Austin Achieve (1-2) at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 6, in the home opener.

CAPTION: William Guzman regains possession of the ball in a true battle against Waco High as Diego Lacayo prepares to move. Photos by Shaun Marcum/ShaunnaLisa