KILGORE SINKS SULPHUR; LIONS WIN | Kilgore soccer advance with wins over SS in Athens; Henderson boys win, girls slip

Kilgore’s Lady Bulldogs posed for this photo right after beating Sulphur Springs, 6-4, in overtime on Tuesday night at Bruce Field in Athens. Kilgore (18-3-1) will face either Ranchview or Celina in round three, the regional semifinals, of the UIL Class 4A, Division I girls soccer playoffs. Kilgore’s boys also won Tuesday night, 1-0, over Sulphur Springs in Athens, in the 4A D1 boys soccer playoffs; the Henderson boys won, 4-0, over Mineola in Longview in the 4A-D2 boys soccer playoffs; and Henderson’s Lady Lions lost, 2-0, to Bullard in Jacksonville in the 4A-D2 girls soccer playoffs. (Photo by ANNETTE WILEY)

Two UIL Class 4A, Division I area (second-round) playoff games against Sulphur Springs Tuesday night at Bruce Field for the Kilgore High School soccer programs.

And it was two Sulphur Springs playoff exits.

Neither of them were easy, far from it.

Henderson High School soccer, meanwhile, had a split decision, unfortunately: Bullard dealt the Lady Lions a season-ending 2-0 defeat in Jacksonville, while the Lions beat Mineola convincingly, 4-0, at Longview’s Lobo Stadium.

Let’s get to it.

Kilgore 6, Sulphur Springs 4 (girls): Coach Daniel Garcia’s Kilgore Lady Bulldogs were pressed harder than they’ve been in weeks in a 6-4 win in overtime against a scrappy Sulphur Springs team that earned a few cards along the way.

And the Bulldogs’ only goal came off the foot of Javier Baide, early in the second half of a hard-fought game against a Wildcats’ team who also gave Kilgore all it wanted, but came up short.

Kilgore’s Lady ‘Dogs, now 18-3-1, were set to play the winner of Celina (23-1) and Ranchview (13-4-1). That game was played Tuesday, as well, and was in a lightning delay with Celina in front, 2-0. That also delayed the Celina-Conrad boys second-round game.

As it turned out, neither Celina program got to finish, and both were to complete their games today.

When ETBlitz.com gets a playoff arrangement, we’ll announce it here and on the rest of our social media.

Kilgore scored first with just over 2 ½ minutes into the contest.

Sulphur tied it up, and then went up 2-1, still in the first half.

Kilgore’s Phenix Rivers tied it up on a free kick after a card on Sulphur’s Jobey Brown, tying it at 2-all with 3:46 left in the half. The game would get to the half with that same score.

Addy Fenton put the ball in play on a free kick for Sulphur and gave Sulphur a 3-2 lead off the tap-in by Jolea Moore, just after the start of the first half, and then Kilgore tied it almost immediately (3-all).

Kilgore’s Angelica Canchola scored from about 32 yards out with 6:34 left put the Lady Bulldogs in front, 4-3.

Sulphur had two players ejected on cards in the contest. But the Lady Wildcats were able to tie things up at 4-all and send it to overtime.

Kilgore scored with 5:15 left in the first overtime to break the 4-4 tie, then scored again with 1:54 left on a header.

Rivers wound up with three goals in the contest, and Canchola, Lexi Lara, and Maci McNew each scored once.

The Kilgore Bulldogs beat Sulphur Springs, 1-0, in Athens on Tuesday, the difference being a goal by Javier Baide — and some great defensive work. (Photo courtesy of KILGORE BOYS SOCCER BOOSTER CLUB FACEBOOK)

Kilgore 1, Sulphur Springs 0 (boys): There was a ton of offense in the girls game. But in this one, shots-on-goal were hard to come by.

A corner kick by Kilgore with 10:41, then another with 9:03, were executed well, but resulted in no score.

Sulphur lined up for a free kick with eight minutes left in the half, from 30 yards out, but off-target. The game went to halftime in a scoreless tie.

The Wildcats missed a free kick early in the second half, and then allowed Kilgore to with right around 30 minutes left in the game, Baide from about 32, 33 yards out.

The Bulldogs played solid defense the rest of the way, really the entire contest, and Sulphur Springs’ season came to a close.

The Bulldogs, coached by Hector Peralez, are now 20-3-1, and were to face the winner of Conrad (17-3-4) or Celina (15-2-3).

Same as the girls: Kilgore awaits the completion of the Conrad-Celina game. When the Bulldogs’ next playoff game is set, we’ll have that announcement on ETBlitz.com, and our social media.

Kilgore, of course, is looking to return to the state tournament after getting there last season, Peralez’s first as head coach.

Henderson 4, Mineola 0 (boys): The Lions picked up their 13th win of the season, and their second playoff win, as a part of the UIL’s Class 4A, Division II playoffs by shutting out the Yellow Jackets.

Jesus Lovo and Jan Balzaldua each scored a goal for the Lions, and Angel Torres scored twice, once on a corner kick, as Henderson got a fantastic defensive performance, led by keeper Jonathan Guevara, to keep the Yellow Jackets out of Henderson’s net.

The Lions, coached by Jorge Cardenas, advance to round three, the regional semifinals, for the first time since 2019.

Henderson (13-6) will meet either A-Plus Academy (of Dallas; they’re 14-4-3) or Gainesville (14-3-3) in this next round. As with the Kilgore teams, when an arrangement is set, it’ll be published here on ETBlitz.com and on our social media.

Bullard 2, Henderson 0 (girls): The Lady Lions just ran into a red-hot Bullard team.

The Lady Panthers had 18 straight wins coming into Tuesday night’s game — and now 19. They lost their season opener (to A&M Consolidated, 7-0) and haven’t lost since.

Henderson, coached by Oscar Guevara, finishes its season at 9-11-1, but did upset power Madisonville, a 21-game winner, in the first round of the playoffs.

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