They were able to score goals in bunches at times throughout the season, including 11 goals in the final week. With skilled players around the mid-field, the wings, and at striker such as seniors Joshua Ramos, Brian Jimenez, Anthony Dominguez, John Gutierrez, and Alex Hernandez, those high goal numbers are just normal numbers that this group is capable of putting up on a nightly basis. Younger players have played key roles this season for the Bobcats, as Lucas Sanchez and Yahir Velazquez each posted hat tricks this season, as well as returning players such as Nathan Sanchez and Johnathan Hernandez this season as sophomores, who played big roles as freshman last season. Freshman Elliott Vazquez has been a standout player this season for the Bobcats, along with other freshman Bradley Brown, who both had stellar games throughout the season.
As well as this attack has played this season, the Bobcats were given some great news on Wednesday. Their leading scorer from the last two seasons, senior Aniell Felipe, will be taken off the injured list, and inserted back on the pitch right in the middle of this Bobcat attack for the State Tournament, leaving everyone excited about this great news.
On the defensive side of the ball, this group has been great throughout the season, and really well as of late. Freshman GK Jacob Pacheco spoke at practice on the defense, "I feel like we're ready for this tournament, starting off against Warren. Every practice has been getting better, we're talking better and communicating as a team really good right now, we're excited." Pacheco is coming off a clean sheet against Magnolia last week and followed that up with another stellar performance against Malvern.
Gio Ruiz, Carlos Garcia, Fabian Aguilar, and Dylan Mercado. Those are four names that will have a big say in how these Bobcats fare this weekend at the State tourney. All four of these guys are elite-level defenders and all have a great knack for making plays. As long as Pacheco and Ruiz, Garcia, Aguilar, and Mercado are on the same page, Bobcat fans are in for a really good weekend of soccer.
The Bobcats are opening up against the Warren Lumberjacks, the #2 seed out of the East. Warren finished the year 10-2-2. Should be a great matchup between the Bobcats and the Lumberjacks on Thursday. The match is set to start at Maumelle at 11AM. The winner will advance to face the winner of Green Forest vs Brookland.
