Johnson's Bridget Gleason, a four year starter, played in her last match as a Jaguar Monday night.
For the first time in the history of Johnson High school both boys and girls varsity soccer teams were playing in the post season. The Varsity girls making their third post season appearance and the boys making their first. Both drew New Braunfels in round one of the playoffs and both had high hopes of advancing deep into the UIl 5A bracket.
But Monday night the Unicorns sprinkled their magic dust on the ball and came away with two wins.
The Varsity girls dominate the 80 minutes of play but early in the first half New Braunfels got a break away and took a shot from the 18 yard line that Junior keeper Morgan Stearns made an acrobatic play on and got enough of the ball to push it left of the goal setting up a Unicorn corner. The offering from the corner found a New Braunfels player near the near post and she deflected the ball into the net.
For the Next 70 minutes of play Johnson threw everything they could at the New Braunfels keeper. Shot after shot went wide or high and the Unicorn net minder made some terrific plays. In the end Johnson just could not find an opening and lost 0-1 to the hands of the mythical creatures.
This is the second time the Jags have been removed from the playoffs in round one and the Jags finish their 2012 campaign 12-6-3 / 9-2-1.
The Varsity boys followed and their season ended as well and in even more heartbreaking fashion. Like so many Johnson sports making their first appearance in the playoffs the Jags exit after just one round but gain some valuable experiences for next year.
Johnson actually got on the board first when Alic Dinh sent a deep cross from the corner to the front of the net. Dinh’s offering nicked a Unicorn defenders head and the ricochet sailed over the New Braunfels keeper and into the net. The Jags would fend off the Unicorns the rest of the half and into the second half before giving up the tying goal to NB.
The two teams would play the full 80 minutes of regulation and also 20 minutes of overtime with the game still knotted 1-1. UIL rules send the match into a shoot out and while Keeper Rudy Apodaca made some tremendous saves the Unicorn keeper was outstanding and the Jags walked away with a shoot out loss.
The Jags finish their season at 11-8-3 / 6-5-1.
To all of the seniors, coaches, players, parents and fans the Double J Nation thanks you for a great year of Soccer at Johnson High School.
Go Jags!!
