Sports

Wolves rely on second-half rally to slip past Knights

Energized by music from La Murga de Austin, opening-round playoff loss at House Park a tale of two halves

Junior midfielder Liam Plum looks with anticipation as Weiss goalie Tobias Reyes saves a Mac shot attempt late in the second half of Weiss’ 2-1 victory of host McCallum at House Park. After Weiss scored two second-half goals to take the lead, Mac scrambled for the equalizer but could not produce it.

Naomi Di-Capua, staff reporter
March 27, 2022

After earning the district championship on the final game of the regular season, the Knights fell short in their first round of playoffs against the Weiss Wolves Thursday night at House Park.

“

This team was special. The seniors set an exemplary standard and demanded that everyone rise to it.

— head coach Nick Martin

The atmosphere of the game was enhanced by an appearance by La Murga de Austin, the supporters section band for Austin FC. The band appeared at the request of Weiss assistant coach Jorge Garcia.

Coach Nick Martin admitted afterward that the season-ending loss was devastating, but said that his 2022 boys varsity squad remains an exceptional squad that etched its name into the school history books.

“This team was special,” Martin said. “The seniors set an exemplary standard and demanded that everyone rise to it. Sometimes your path doesn’t go where you think it will, but I’m incredibly proud of what this group accomplished this year.”

Things looked promising for the 17-5A district champs immediately after the opening kick.

Junior Liam Plum had a breakaway opportunity on the goal but missed his shot. The early opportunity, however, was a sign of better things to come further in the match where he was able to redeem himself.

“It was a good breakaway,” Plum said. “Unfortunately I couldn’t put it away.”

La Murga de Austin plays “El Equipo de la 5-12 (Selena)” at House Park during the bi-district playoff match between host McCallum and visiting Weiss. Video by Dave Winter.

Shortly after Plum’s breakaway, sophomore Dash Levy had the same opportunity as Plum with a breakaway shot, but was also unable to capitalize.

But it wasn’t over for Levy or Plum, as minutes later, Plum shot the ball directly in front of the goal, with Levy seizing the chance and knocking it in for a 1-0 lead.

“That felt good to get that assist to Dash,” Plum said.

“

It was unfortunate that the refs decided to reverse the decision of offsides for the first goal,

— senior midfielder Cooper DeMont

The rest of the first half saw numerous more scoring chances from both teams but no more goals.

The Knights’ backline, freshman Speight Twohey, senior Cooper DeMont, junior Jack Pitts, junior Charlie Parthymuller, senior Silvio Guzman, and goalie Sam Kanewske, put in some excellent work in keeping the Wolves off the scoreboard.

The first half ended with the Knights up, 1-0.

The game turned midway through the second half as the Wolves stepped up their game taking more shots at the goal. At first, Kanewske and the Knight defense was able to repel these chances, but the Wolves finally put one in the net of the Knights after Patrik Fagan chipped a shot over the head of a charging Kanewske to tie the score with just under 12 minutes left in the game.

Initially the goal was called offsides; however, after the referees deliberated, the call was reversed, garnering a goal to Weiss.

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“It was unfortunate that the refs decided to reverse the decision of offsides for the first goal,” DeMont said.

Three minutes later, Fagan scored for the Wolves a second time, this time on a well-placed free kick following a handball call. The goal gave the Wolves a 2-1 lead with nine minutes remaining.

“

[After the loss,] I was sad, disappointed, angry. We should have won that game, but this is the first team I’ve really felt like I’ve been a part of.

— junior midfielder Liam Plum

“There’s not much you can do to control a handball,” DeMont said. “It was accidental.”

The Knights pressed for an equalizing goal as the clock wound down, the Wolves. Although the Knights were able to get a shot on goal, the season-extending goal was not to be as the match ended with a 2-1 win for the Wolves.

“I was sad, disappointed, angry,” Plum concluded. “We should have won that game, but this is the first team I’ve really felt like I’ve been a part of.”

With the loss, the Knights season ends with an overall record of 13-3-3 and the Knights’ first district championship since 2007.

It is not the outcome they predicted for themselves, but that’s the cruel reality of high-school soccer in central Texas.

It is in fact the theme of the opening round of the playoffs between 17-5A and 18-5A.

The lower-seeded team won all four matches between the two districts. Northeast and Crockett both vanquished the 18-5A co-champions Hendrickson and Connally respectively, while Anderson, second-place in 18-5A lost on penalty kicks to third-seeded Pflugerville.

Unexpected playoff losses, however frustrating, do not negate regular-season excellence.

The 2022 season brought great success for McCallum soccer as they showcased teamwork both on and off the field.