Blackcats' season ends with heartbreaking loss in regional semis

The Mexia Blackcats lost a soccer match Friday afternoon, but they did not lose their swagger.

After falling to Stafford in a penalty kick shootout in the regional semifinals, as the weary ‘Cats made their way from the sidelines at Legacy Stadium in Katy, two players stopped and delivered a message to their coach and some onlookers. They said they would be back in the regional tournament next year to take care of some unfinished business. And with all but one player coming back, there was a resonance to that statement.

There was defiance in defeat after Mexia left everything on the field during a mentally and physically draining tussle with Stafford. The teams were tied 3-3 after 100 minutes of play — two 40-minute halves and two 10-minute overtime periods.

The teams went to the shootout phase of overtime, with five players designated to take penalty kicks against the opponent’s goalkeeper. Stafford found the back of the net four times to two for Mexia. Victor Olvera and Hector Sanchez scored for Mexia.

Stafford took a 3-1 halftime lead, but the ‘Cats clawed their way back into the game with a pair of second-half tallies.

Mexia tied the score when Sanchez leaped into the air, caught the ball squarely as it floated four feet off the ground and drilled a rocket from 25 yards out that went off the goalkeeper’s hand and into the net with just over 16 minutes remaining in regulation. Rey Garcia sent the crossing pass to Sanchez to set up the goal.

The Blackcats had pulled within one seven minutes into the second half. Garcia sent a through pass to Edgar Olvera, who took one touch and booted the ball past the Stafford goalkeeper from point-blank range. 

Mexia goalkeeper Ivan Marquez made two critical saves in the final six minutes to keep the match tied.

In the 34th minute of the second half he short-hopped a low shot from 25 yards away. With 1 minute, 10 seconds remaining in regulation, Stafford sent a free kick from 60 yards away to the front of the net. Marquez leaped in traffic and punched the ball away from the goal.

The game began as if it would be a high-scoring affair as each team scored in the first five minutes of the match. David Davila opened the scoring with a quick shot from 12 yards out that found the net 3 minutes, 17 seconds into the contest.

Stafford answered a minute later to knot the count. They added a goal in the 11th minute of play and one in the 35th minute to take a 3-1 advantage.

Following the gut-wrenching defeat, Mexia coach T.J. Sadler praised his team for its accomplishments this year.

“That’s an amazing season. We did more than we expected this year,” Sadler said on the Legacy Stadium sideline. “They came out the second half down 3-1 and just turned it on. Our guys came out in the second half and took it upon themselves to make something happen and we tied it up.”

The coach said the blistering sun and high temperature took its toll on his team during the grueling match. Some of the Blackcats began cramping up in the overtime period and fell to the ground forcing play stoppages.

“The heat got us today,” Sadler said. “I think everybody on the field cramped at least once. It was a long last 20 minutes in the overtime because we were hurting so bad.”

As Sadler spoke, Sanchez and Garcia interrupted him to make the proclamation that the Blackcats would be back at the regional tournament next year. The coach agreed. “We’ll be back next year,” he said.

Mexia will lose only center back John Luna to graduation. Everybody else is expected to return for another potential run in the playoffs.