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March 15, 2010

AHS shifts focus to playoffs

From Staff Reports The Athens Review

ATHENS — The Athens Hornets and Lady Hornets soccer teams swept Mabank in District 31-4A action Friday night. It was the regular season finale for both Athens teams, which are now headed for the playoffs.

The varsity boys and girls teams will play a warm-up game against Palestine Tuesday at Bruce Field. The boys will start at 5:30 p.m., with the girls to follow at 7 p.m.

The Hornets will open the Class 4A playoffs against Longview Pine Tree at 7 p.m. Thursday at Chapel Hill High School in New Chapel Hill near Tyler.

The Lady Hornets’ first-round playoff matchup was not yet known.

The Lady Hornets, coached by Dedra Jackson, have qualified for the playoffs for the first time in the program’s history. They defeated Mabank, 3-2, getting goals by Jessica Castaneda, Celeste Martinez and Priscilla Brannon.

The Hornets got a hard-fought 2-1 win over the Panthers. They finished 6-4 in district play behind Lindale (10-0) and Whitehouse (7-3).

Mabank scored the first goal of the match on a poorly-executed clearing of the ball in front of the Athens goal.

But the game was soon tied when sophomore Mic Maldanado scored the first of Athens’ two goals on a strong shot from about 30 yards out.

Freshman Bryant Castaneda then put Athens ahead when he redirected a crossed ball into the net.

“We played some of our best soccer of the season for the first 10 minutes of the match,” Head Coach Mark Ingram said. “but we’ll have to sustain this level of play for the entire 80 minutes to remain competitive because the play will only get tougher as we head into the first round of the state playoffs.”

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