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BRYANT — Two hard-fought playoff victories have propelled the Bastrop boys varsity soccer team into the regional round of the UIL playoffs, surpassing their last postseason run six years ago.
The Bears edged Pflugerville Connally and then held off Sharpstown in a tense penalty shootout Monday night to continue their playoff push.
Bastrop will move on to face either Lake Creek or Port Neches-Groves, with the date and time to be announced later this week.
vs. Pflugerville Connally
Goals were scarce in the defensive battle between two familiar opponents March 21, but both teams managed to reach the back of the net in the first half, tied at 1-1.
Coming back from halftime, Bastrop’s back line stood strong. A good pace and consistent pressure limited the Cougars’ attack and set the stage for Bastrop to score the game-winner.
Senior Aaron Arellano and sophomore Angel Chavez Hernandez each notched one for the Bears, while senior Cade McCoy tallied an assist in the 2-1 win.
vs. Sharpstown
Bastrop returned to the field March 24 against Sharpstown, where the Bears took a late lead, only to see the Apollos equalize and force a penalty kick shootout after a 1-1 finish in regulation.
The Bears remained focused and converted all four of their penalty attempts, allowing senior goalkeeper Ezra Gaona to showcase his talent with two critical saves to secure the 4-2 shootout victory.
