Sports Texoma

McKINNEY — The District 17-4A boys soccer playoff berths had already been decided prior to the final day’s slate of games, but Sherman wanted to enter the playoffs on a high note.

The Bearcats did just that against state-ranked McKinney, beating the Lions on their own turf with a 3-2 shootout win Friday night.

Sherman (8-10-5, 4-5-1, 14 points) returns to Ron Poe Stadium for a 7 p.m. bi-district game Friday against Carrollton R.L. Turner. 

“I emphasized a defensive game and tried to make sure the kids were conscious about not dribbling too much and establishing a passing game,” Bearcats coach Chico Aleman said. “We were playing on a cold, wet and slippery field, and I think it played to our advantage.”

Tanner Wall scored in the first round of the shootout and Harris Vick missed in the second before Raul Sibrian added a late goal. Joan Torres stopped three shots in the overtime period.

“I thought we had the better keeper, and Joan did a good job of shutting them down,” Aleman said. “I hope he plays the same way Friday.”

Sherman was forced to play without several starters, including juniors Freddy Menjivar (ACL injury) and Ben Pressley (SAT test) as well as freshmen Ben Schultze (illness) and Brett Willits (ankle sprain). It forced Aleman to re-arrange his defense without two of his fullbacks, moving Raul Sibrian, Tyler Cobb and Julio Torres away from their originial positions.

A pair of reserves stepped us as well in Jarred Stumberg and Garrett Svane, who were brought up from the junior varsity team to replace their missing counterparts.

“Their play was a big bonus for us, and they did a great job,” Aleman said. “They were forced into action because we didn’t have any subs and really came through.”

Both teams were fighting for possession on a Sherman corner kick, and Torres corralled the loose ball and put the Bearcats up 1-0 with at the 22-minute mark of the first half. McKinney (19-2-3, 8-1-1, 25 points) tied the game five minutes later.

Cobb had to leave late in the game after receiving a yellow card, and some miscommunication led to the Bearcats competing with only 10 players for a 10-minute span, allowing the Lions to score again for a 2-1 lead.

T-Bone Taylor sent the game into overtime after his 40-yard indirect kick was touched and eluded the Lion goalkeeper for the 2-2 deadlock, and the Bearcats went on to dominate the shootout.

“We’re going to have our hands full against R.L. Turner, becaues they have done a good job and have held their own against a lot of Class 5A schools,” Aleman said. “I hope our guys are ready to respond to the challenge.”

Little Elm 3, Denison 0

LITTLE ELM — Three different Lobos scored as Little Elm defeated Denison in the 17-4A finale for both schools on Friday night.

Karlo Sanchez, Ed Herdman and Collin Clark all found the back of the net for second-place Little Elm (15-7-4, 8-2).

Denison (5-16-3, 1-9) lost its final seven matches, did not score a goal in the final four and only two goals in the last seven.

District 17-4A girls

McKinney 7, Sherman 0

McKINNEY — The Sherman girls soccer team was trying to build off a three-goal spurt in the final 41⁄2 minutes of a loss to Prosper on Tuesday, but District 17-4A champion McKinney stood in the way.

The Lady Lions (14-1-2, 10-0, 30 points) completed the sweep of its district opponents entering next week’s first round of the playoffs after its latest shutout against the Lady Cats on Friday.

“We didn’t play very well, and I didn’t know what was going through our girls’ heads tonight,” Sherman coach Andrea Price said. “I think once McKinney scored its third goal our girls knew there wasn’t much more they could do.”

The Lady Cats (5-18-1, 0-9-1, one point) who finished the season winless in their final 16 games since a victory on Jan. 17. The record did include six one-goal losses.

“We can only go up from here,” said Price whose team loses only one senior in Epiphany Ross. “We’re a young team and hope to continue building a foundation.”