Fri May 16, 2025

By Lance Hawley

Sports Hope

Bobcats Hand Green Forest 1st Loss of the Year, Advance to State Semifinals Behind Hat Trick from Aniell Felipe

Bobcats Hand Green Forest 1st Loss of the Year, Advance to State Semifinals Behind Hat Trick from Aniell Felipe
Bauxite- And then there were four. Your Hope Bobcats are headed to the State Semifinals after a gutsy and impressive 4-2 win over 1-seeded Green Forest on Friday afternoon, as they are 1 of 4 teams remaining in 4A.  Fresh off a dominating 4-0 win over Warren, the Bobcats had to respond to an early deficit in this one. Green Forest punched (literally) a goal in to put Hope in a 1-0 hole, but a banger goal on a free kick from Aniell Felipe tied things back up at 1-1. 

The Tigers would answer with another goal to take a 2-1 advantage. Moments later, Felipe would score his second goal of the match on a great pass from Nathan Sanchez to bring the score to 2-2. 

The second half would begin tied at 2-2 and that would be as close as Green Forest would get to winning, as Aniell Felipe scored his third goal of the match, as Anthony Dominguez gave him a great pass. With the score 3-2, Johnathan Hernandez put the nail in the coffin, as he found the back of the net to extend the Bobcats lead to 4-2 on an excellent assist from Felipe. Aniell spoke on the win after the game, "Feels so good to finally be in the semifinals, this team came out and did everything we could and we got the dub."

GK Jacob Pacheco made numerous plays and the defense of Gio Ruiz, Carlos Garcia, Fabian Aguilar, and Dylan Mercado was outstanding in the second half, as they continue to play at a high level. 

Senior Brian Jimenez spoke after the game on the Bobcats fighting through adversity and capturing the win, "We believed all the way we believed and we came back." 

The Semis are set as the Bobcats will face Robinson at noon on Saturday in Robinson. With the winner earning a spot in the State Championship. 

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