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The Elgin girls soccer team is in a two-team race with Bastrop for the fourth and final playoff spot, and the boys are fighting valiantly to climb the ranks.
The Lady Wildcats went 1-1 last week, bringing their district record to 4-6 which is a half game back from Bastrop. The boys went 0-1-1 and are currently ranked eighth in district standings.
On Tuesday, Feb. 21, the Elgin girls lit up the scoreboard in their home matchup versus the Pflugerville Connally Cougars. Their top scorers brought their A-game, and the defense stepped up when they needed to.
The Lady Wildcats got off to a blazing start, taking a 2-0 lead as the first half expired. The Cougars answered with a few goals in the second half, but Elgin continued to roll on the offensive end. The Lady ‘Cats won comfortably, 5-2.
Sophomores Dory Estrada and Kailyn Cook each scored two goals, and junior Maria Yanez chipped in with a goal as well. Courtney Shepard, Yanez and Estrada were each credited with an assist.
On the same night, the Pflugerville Connally boys showed why they’re the top-ranked team in the district. They took care of business from start to finish, defeating the Wildcats 5-0.
On Friday, Feb. 24, both Elgin squads hosted the Georgetown Eagles on a cold, windy evening. The girls faced a tall task, as the Lady Eagles came in with an undefeated record. The Lady ‘Cats battled until the very end, but they were ultimately outmatched, losing 5-0.
The boys game was an intense back-and-forth contest that had fans on the edge of their seats. The Wildcats scored first in dazzling fashion. At the 33-minute mark, Guillermo Hernandez delivered a pass to Jose Teófilo Ferrusca, who then launched a shot from the right side of the 25-yard line to the top left corner of the goal post, resulting in a 1-0 lead for Elgin.
The Eagles responded by maintaining possession for most of the first half. The Elgin defense played their hearts out, though, especially goalkeeper David Macedo, who deflected a number of shots-on-goal. The Wildcats maintained a 1-0 lead going into the break.
Both teams came out aggressive to open the second half. Each offense took turns flying down the field and firing off shots. The Eagles eventually evened the score at 1-1 with about 25 minutes left to play.
Shortly after, a Wildcats player was given a red card, leaving them short handed the rest of the way. However, Elgin responded with grit and guts. The Eagles continued to attack, but the defense held their own.
The Wildcats’ best chance to reclaim the lead came with roughly 14 minutes left. Hernandez’ corner kick led to an on-target header, but Georgetown came up with the save. Neither team was able to find the back of the net down the stretch, resulting in a 1-1 tie.
Both Elgin teams have just four games left. Next up, they will face Cedar Creek (Feb. 28) and Georgetown (March. 3).
