The varsity boys soccer team played against Life Waxahachie on March 19 at Lorena High School for their first round playoff game.

“This team wants a gold ball,” soccer coach Samuel Burnside said. “It comes from winning a District Championship or play-off match. The first opportunity for that comes with Bi-District.” 

There were eight District games, and the top four teams advanced to playoffs. Lampasas won four games. 

“We knew we were capable of advancing, we just had to get the job done,” senior Parker Boykin said. “We couldn’t let anything slip against teams we knew we were better than, and we didn’t. It was a good feeling.”

To prepare for games, the soccer boys practice after school from 3:45 to 5:15 every day they don’t have a game.

“Practices consist of a mixture of conditioning, possession play (“Rondos”), shooting, and many other more position-specific drills to address issues we see during the season,” Burnside said. “The boys wanted our fluidity of play to improve with possession, and that has been achieved through a lot of practice.”

Boykin said the goal is to extend the season as long as possible.

“Just don’t let the season end,” Boykin said. “Soccer is my life, and each game in playoffs, I am basically playing for my life and want to extend it as long as possible.”

Senior Juan Rodriguez said he overcame a lot of challenges this year.

“I had two main challenges this year,” Rodriguez said. “Learning a new position and being injured for a few weeks during the season. For both, I continued to work my hardest in whatever way I could. Take it one day at a time. You may not see results when you want but if you are determined and have that drive, then you will succeed.”