Wildcats win the area championship against Coppell in Allen. Photo by Jose Negrete.
Lake Highlands defeated Coppell Tuesday night to secure the area championship in boys soccer. They will play Odessa in the regional semifinals Friday at 7: 30 p.m. at Abilene’s Wylie High School, 4502 Antillery Road.
In Tuesday’s thrilling match, Luca Beirute scored off a free kick in the first half to tie it up 1-1. Sophomore Gavin Schaefer had an amazing header stop to keep the game in reach, and Asumani “Prince” Salumu scored the winning goal.
Soccer fans may know that district rival Dallas Jesuit also qualified for the playoffs, but they compete in Division II for schools with smaller enrollment. Lake Highlands neighbor Cooper McGough is team captain for the Rangers, and he scored two of the team’s three goals in regulation play to tie it up and send the team into penalty kicks. Jesuit won 9-8 in the shootout. They’ll face El Paso Coronado in Midland at 2 p.m. this Friday.
Photo by Jose Negrete.
