Coyotes hold off Raiders, 3-2

As he walked to the penalty spot Tuesday night, Wichita Falls High School senior Alex Ramirez recalled Rider goalie Zack Majewski saving his penalty kick a year ago.

Ramirez went left then and was denied. So this time he blasted a shot into the right corner of the goal, doubling the Coyotes’ lead with 26:37 remaining.

Ramirez’s second goal of the night proved to be the game-winner in an entertaining 3-2 victory that keeps Old High undefeated in district and drops Rider to 0-2 on the young 5-5A season.

Scoring chances were pretty even during the 80-minute duration, but the Raiders turned the final 20 minutes into an edge-of-your-seat affair after several opportunities and Devyn Sanchez’s goal with 35 seconds remaining.

“I looked at the clock multiple times like can it be over already because they had intensity the whole game. It was kind of scary,” Ramirez said. “This is a great group of guys. We just need more chemistry, but I think we’ll go far. We can do better, but we’re 2-0 right now so it’s alright with me.”

The Coyotes (4-1-3) have now gone 5-0-2 against the Raiders since ending a nearly two-decade long drought against their rivals. A 2-0 start in the first half helped a young Old High team withstand a late surge.

Ramirez scored the opening goal in the 13th minute on a low corner kick that Richy Acosta flicked on. While Rider had a couple prime opportunities it couldn’t get on net in the first half, Acosta converted a give-and-go with junior Alex Ramirez to double the lead with 6:10 left in the first half.

“When you execute a set piece you work on over and over again, it gives you a big boost. The second goal was good, hard work,” WFHS coach Patrick McCauley said. “The guys don’t always finish off games like you want to, but it helped we had a two-goal lead.”

Rider (1-4-2, 0-2) had been blanked in three of its first six games, but the Raiders received a quick jolt when Aaron Lange received a pass from Kaleb Luster and beat WFHS keeper Mark Ledezma 48 seconds into the second half.

Even when Ramirez converted the penalty kick after a Rider defender was called for a hand ball in the box, the Raiders played determined soccer and had the majority of opportunities. Sanchez’s header off a cleared corner kick brought the Raiders within a goal, but Lange and Luster both had missed prime scoring chances beforehand.

“It was a good high school soccer game. We probably made a few more mistakes and it cost us,” Rider coach Josh Hill said. “They made some, but we really couldn’t capitalize on them.

“You don’t want to lose, but it’s a lot easier to take if the effort is there. We’re working hard and they didn’t give up. They believed and they played like it believed, even when we were down 3-1.”

Standouts: McCauley praised the senior Ramirez, who picked up from where he left off last season and now has six goals.

“Ramirez is so hard to defend in the middle with his dribbling, his pace and his passing,” McCauley said. “He makes it hard for teams.”

The Old High coach also mentioned center backs Andres Rodriguez and Jose Castaneda, goalie Ledezma plus reserve midfielder Andrian Botello as standouts.

Hill praised Matt Osmond, defender Grayson Ellett and Luster, who was dangerous on the left side for Rider’s attack.

“I knew their forwards have speed. Lange and Luster are really quick,” McCauley said. “I thought we adjusted in the second half with the pressure. Chances were pretty even, I was just glad we were able to finish ours.”

JV results 

Rider 1, WFHS 1 

Goals: (R) Colby Garcia

Rider II 7, WFHS II 1

Goals: (R) Hagen Sanchez 3, Roland Salazar 2, Adam Canalas, Colsen Welch