THE OFFICIAL SITE OF
LD Bell High School Athletics

As action in the pool and on the basketball courts and wrestling mats hit the postseason this month, district action on the pitch has more than kicked off. In District 5-6A, programs entered Friday having already competed in five matches (pending weather). But despite district play closing in on the midpoint, early results have done little to give any indication as to how the boys soccer standings in the district may shake out, including six teams within a win of first place. Below is a look at how Star Local Media projects the final standings playing out in 5-6A: 1. Marcus The Marauders are in their first season under head coach Chad Rakestraw — who arrived from Coppell, where he led the Cowboys to a pair of state titles — and are tied for the district lead two weeks in. Marcus has posted wins over Hebron, Hurst L.D. Bell, Lewisville and Southlake Carroll with a loss to Euless Trinity. The Marauders are also tied with Flower Mound and Trinity for the best goal-differential in the district as they gun for a 27th consecutive playoff berth. Marcus is one of two teams to have already faced the Farmers and Raiders and was projected by the coaches to finish fourth. 2. Hebron The Hawks produced a historic season in 2017, claiming the District 5-6A title and reaching the regional finals for the second time in program history before suffering a heart-breaking loss to Arlington Sam Houston. Hebron has alternated wins and losses in district thus far with victories coming over Flower Mound, Carroll and Bell and losses to Marcus and Byron Nelson. The Hawks have big shoes to fill after graduating the district’s MVP and top goalie, but fortunately plenty of all-district talent returns for Hebron, including Defensive Player of the Year Diego Hernandez and Utility Player of the Year Matthew Doyle. Senior forward Nick Garcia, meanwhile, is a scoring threat any time he touches the ball and is coming off a first-team all-district campaign, as is junior midfielder Caleb Meyer. 3. Trinity The Trojans entered Friday alone in second in the standings and are the lone team to top first-place Marcus this far. Trinity also secured victories over Lewisville and Bell with a draw against Byron Nelson and a loss to Carroll. Trinity is seeking its first playoff berth in five years after previously qualifying for the postseason in four consecutive seasons from 2010-13. Through five games, the Trojans are lone 5-6A that has scored in every match. 4. Flower Mound David Doyle’s bunch got out to a strong start in district, picking up wins over Lewisville, Southlake Carroll and Byron Nelson but have since suffered consecutive losses to Bell and Hebron. A lack of offense has been Flower Mound’s bugaboo of late. After scoring eight goals in their first three district wins, the Jaguars scored just once in their two losses. Senior midfielder Noah Kubala is back off a first-team all-district campaign last season, while seniors Dylan Becerra and Sam Mettovaara and junior William Moss were second-team selections. 5. Lewisville The Farmers are coming off a banner season in 2017 after advancing to the regional tournament for the first time since 1993. Lewisville entered as one of four teams from 5-6A ranked in the initial TASCO regional coaches poll but have dug a major hole just four matches in. As of Tuesday, the Farmers were the lone winless team in the district (and were seven points behind fourth place) but did have the benefit of having only faced top five teams in the district standings. The Farmers got off the schnide on Wednesday with a 5-1 rout of Byron Nelson, but it still looks as if they may have lost too much talent to graduation from last year’s squad. 6. Southlake Carroll The Dragons last missed the playoffs in 2006, but that streak could be in jeopardy in a district as talented and deep as 5-6A. Carroll certainly has the ability to compete for a postseason berth and then some as evidenced by its wins over Lewisville and Euless Trinity, but have an uphill climb with losses to Flower Mound, Hebron and Marcus. The Dragons can ill-afford losses to Byron Nelson or Bell to close the first half if they want to make a charge at the 5-6A crown. 7. Byron Nelson The Bobcats have been a tough team to figure early in district competition. On the positive side, Nelson topped reigning district champ Hebron and won soundly over Bell and played second-place Trinity to a draw. Conversely, Nelson dropped a match to Flower Mound before being routed by then-winless-in-district Lewisville on Wednesday. 8. L.D. Bell The Raiders have been up-and-down to open 5-6A action. Bell wasn’t a contender for a playoff berth a year ago, wasn’t considered a playoff threat by the coaches’ poll and has posted just a 1-4 record thus far. However, the Raiders did deal Flower Mound a loss and could end up surprising, or at least playing spoiler, in district.

THE OFFICIAL SITE OF
LD Bell High School Athletics

PROJECTING THE STANDINGS ON THE 5-6A PITCH

JUSTIN THOMAS

Carrollton Leader | 2/12/2018

PHOTO CREDIT: LD Bell Athletics