Paris High Posts Twin Soccer Shutouts

The Lady Cats (7-8-1) scored 3 goals within the opening 5 minutes of each half on their way to a dominate, 4-0, win over the Lady Warrriors.  The Wildcats, meanwhile, needed 71:15 of an 80-minute match to avoid a tie with the defensive-minded Warriors, 1-0.

Both teams close out a very quick first round of district play next week with matches vs. Princeton and North Lamar.  The Paris girls travel to Princeton Tuesday for a pair of matches, while the boys host Princeton Tuesday at Wildcat Stadium.  The Lady Cats are scheduled to host the Pantherettes next Friday, Feb. 27, while the boys meet the Panthers that same night at R. L. Maddox Stadium.

The Lady Cats, who struggled to beat the Lady Warriors last month at the Bonham Tournament, 1-0, found themselves quickly up by a 2-0 count in the district rematch.  Senior Julianna Clipson’s long throw-in was cleared out of a crowd by junior Monica Silva.  Junior midfielder Katie Chaix, streaking down the left flank, found the net from a strike just outside the goalie’s box for a 1-0 lead just 2:16 into the match.  It was Chaix’ first goal of the season.

Paris was soon back in scoring position when sophomore Tieren Gates made a run deep into the far right corner.  A Bonham clear into the middle of the field was intercepted by Silva who flipped to freshman Estephany Balderas.  The Lady Cats’ leading goal scorer beat one closing defender to the ball, then split two more defenders with a left-footed shot from 13 yards out that the Bonham goalie couldn’t corral until it bounced just over the goalline.

That made it a 2-0 lead with still 35:26 left before halftime.  The Lady Cats continued to control play in the Bonham end of the field, but couldn’t add to the lead until the second half started.

Clipson, one of just two seniors honored in pre-game ceremonies (back defender Maddie Bruce is the other), finished a run with a strike from 25 yards out that bounced past a diving goalie into the left corner of the net for her 10th goal of the season.  At the 35:01 mark of the second half, Paris was now up, 3-0.

Balderas recorded her 12th goal of the season on a beautiful long run.  She stepped over a tackle from 30 yards away, controlled the dribble, and used her right foot to punch the ball into the net from 12 yards out just before another defender closed in.  With 17:48 left, Paris led, 4-0.

Balderas almost had the hat trick moments later when a Clipson chip bounced into the goalmouth.  As the Lady Cat midfielder rushed in for the header she was kicked in the face by a Bonham player 4 yards from the goalline.  Play was stepped for several minutes as Balderas received medical attention and had to leave the match.

Inexplicably, instead of being awarded a penalty kick for a foul inside the goalie’s box, the Lady Cats were given a bizarre-looking free kick from just outside the box.  With the 9 Bonham players lining the goal-line just 6 yards away, Silva passed back to freshman Katy Hall, whose kick from 10 yards out was smothered by the Lady Warrior goalie.

Paris goalie Lindi Hamner posted the shutout, but the Lady Cat sophomore was never seriously challenged.

By contrast, the Wildcats (10-4) played their entire match in a molasses soup thrown up by the Warriors (5-3-7), who pulled 9 players back into defensive posture hoping to play for a scoreless result.

They almost succeeded.  Like the Paris girls, the Wildcat boys dominated time of possession and kept the ball inside the Bonham end of the field.  Still, on the few opportunities they had to convert against the Bonham defensive wall, they misfired until crunch time late in the match.

Paris head coach Jeremy Beshirs moved stellar senior defender Leo Gutierrez into attacking position in the second half.  A strike by senior midfielder Edgar Alvarez resulted in a handball violation by the Warriors just outside the 18-yard box.  Gutierrez took the free kick and bent a wicked curve past the Bonham wall which was redirected by junior Justin Mitchell into the goal from 7 yards out.

Mitchell’s second goal of the season came with just 8:45 remaining.  Bonham loosened its defensive strategy to try to get the equalizer, but freshman Paris goalie Cade Blackmon leaped to swat away a long cross, and a bicycle kick rebound shot looped over the goalpost for the Warriors’ only attempt of the match.

In other district results Friday, the North Lamar boys upset 6th-ranked Princeton, 3-2, while the Princeton girls routed the Pantherettes, 6-1.