“Luis keep going!”
“Get open!”
The energy at Buddy Echols Field builds as the Coppell boys soccer team makes an effort to go up two goals and solidify its standing as first place in District 5-6A. Forward senior Luis Mendez Gil has the ball and Lewisville backs are racing to get back.
He finds his space and takes a shot. The back of the net flies as the ball swirls in the goal. The team’s pride can be felt around the stadium as they celebrate. It was this goal that solidified the team as district champions, an achievement not been accomplished for Coppell in nine years
“In my four years, we never got this close,” Mendez Gil said. “It just feels amazing. It’s a pleasure to lead this team on.”
In program history, the boys soccer team has won three state titles in: 2004, 2013 and 2016, and nine regional titles.
Coach Stephen Morris trained the team hard this year, and it went undefeated in district. But while their skills were at their peak true success was found in the team’s passion for the sport.
“They’ve got personality, they bring energy, they’re just excited to play,” Morris said. “We’ve almost never had the same lineup twice and we’ve still been able to maintain our standards. That is a big part of the culture we’re trying to build, because everybody has something to contribute.”
Morris has seen the team persevere through some of the toughest conditions. In one match in particular against Hebron, goalkeeper junior Chase Anderson’s jersey froze against his skin. Cold temperatures and strong winds were difficult for the team to beat and yet, they persevered and won the match.
“It’s probably the most miserable night of soccer I’ve been a part of,” Morris said. “We get out there and the boys are just like ‘it’s miserable but we’re going to play,’ and we went 3-1. It showed how hard they’re going to work because I think part of the reason we won that game was the other team did not want to be there.”
According to Anderson, the connections the players have with each other on and off the field are the reason the team is so successful. Friendships help them hold each other accountable.
“Everyone is friends with everyone,” Anderson said. “We know our strengths and weaknesses, so if I see one of my teammates out of position, I know what position to put them in for them to succeed the most. We don’t hold back on each other.”
The turning point in the season came Feb. 11 against Flower Mound Marcus as both were tied for first place. Since both teams were evenly matched, the match was hard fought, but Coppell successfully pulled out the victory, winning 2-0.
“They have really good players and we know a lot of their players and club teams,” Anderson said. “It felt really good to beat them because we knew they were a talented team. That was our biggest win this year.”
The last time the team won the district championship in 2016, it went all the way, lifting the state championship.The team hopes to follow in the footsteps of the 2016 team and win at state as well.
“As they begin to have that success, they start to build that belief in themselves,” Morris said. “They’ve achieved an objective that hasn’t been done for nine years, so now we’re stoked to maybe achieve another one that hasn’t been done. The last time they won district, they won at state, so that’s the hope.”
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