Islander

A scrappy Little Cypress-Mauriceville Bears soccer team battled to a 2-0 victory over the Vidor Pirates.  Jordan King and Tanner Crow each scored for the Bears; while goalie Adam Garza and Zach Blanchard spearheaded a strong defensive effort.     Coach Jeremy Watzlavk commented that, "I am excited with the win.  Blanchard was unbelievable tonight.  He carried the team with his athletism and speed.  He was determined that the other team wasn't going to score on us."     Another bright spot was the play of goalie Adam Garza.  "Adam did a phenomenal job.  The Pirates fired some missiles against him, and he made some huge stops.  He was flawless", said Watzlavik.       The play was intense between the cross-county rivals. And, the fact that Pirates Coach Matt Wedel ended his tenure as the Bears coach following the 2009 season inspired both teams to play their best.     Mounting several offensive attacks early in the game, the Pirates consistently applied pressure on the Bears' defense.  Twenty minutes into the game, the Bears were missing several key players due to injuries.     "We controlled the action in the first half.  I looked over on their sideline and I see Garhett Bonneaux, Mitchell Heil, and Tommy Jones out with injuries ", said  Pirates Coach Matt Wedel,  "and I am thinking that we have a good chance." But, the Bears hung tough.     The Bears earned the critical first goal with less than one minute remaining in the first half.  Left midfielder Jordan King received a nice pass from Harley Cobb at the 25-yardline.  King gathered the pass and then kicked a lobbing shot to the back side post for a 1-0 Bears lead.  "It was a pretty goal by Jordan", admired Wedel.     The goal provided a much needed boost for the Bears.  "Jordan's goal gave us some momentum.  It lifted up the guys and gave them confidence that we could get the job done", noted Watzlavik.     The Pirates contined fighting hard through out the 2nd half.  "I knew that the Pirates would come out firing in the 2nd half.  I told our guys to hold them for the next 20 minutes, and then we could make our move", said Watzlavik.     The Bears performance improved in the second half.  The Pirates found difficulty in getting a clear shot on goal as Blanchard kept popping up on defense.  And, Bonneaux's "return in 2nd half really helped", said Watzlavik.  Erik Tutt and Cobb also provided strong defensive play for the Bears.      The Bears doubled their lead with 5 minutes remaining in the game with a goal from Tanner Crow.  Midfielder Yohanness Dundon delivered the pass to Crow on the left side of the field.  Crow "fought to get to the box and he put the ball past the goalie" observed Wedel.      "It was a relief when Crow's shot hit the net.  He gave a big-time effort on that play", said Watzlavik of the insurance goal. "The Pirates were constantly firing shots against our defense."     Coach Watzlavik told his team after the game, "Great job.  You guys never gave up."  Watzlavik later commented, "I am proud of the whole team.  Our team was able to keep its composure during the adversity."     Even though Coach Wedel was disappointed with the loss, he was complimentary of the Bears' play.  "The Bears played hard.  It was a good game.  My hat goes off to them. "     Coach Watzlavik admired Wedel's coaching ability.  "Wedel is a phenomenal coach," said Watzlavik.  "His teams always play good soccer.  He showed his strong character to be with his team" while a family member is hospitalized.  "It shows that he really cares for his team.  He is a great guy".      Wedel was pleased with the play of Pirates midfielder Zack Barton.     The Bears host the Ozen Panthers on Friday night. 

"That was a huge win", announced Coach Jeremy Watzlavik to the LC-M Bears soccer team following a thrilling 3-2 home victory over the perennial district powerhouse Central Jaguars.  Garhett Bonneaux led the Bears with two goals; and Daniel Delafuenta added another goal.     "We needed this win.  Tonight, we took a big step towards the playoffs.  I am excited", stated a satisfied Coach Watzlavik.      The Bears' emphasis on defense stymied the Jaguars most of the night.  "We had our strategy coming into the game.  And we, as a team, executed it perfectly", said Watzlavik.     Bonneaux was instrumental in leading the Bears to victory.  "Garhett is a great leader", commented Watzlavik.  "He wanted the team to win this game.  He earned an A+, 100 tonight".     The action started quickly for the Bears.  In the game's opening minute, Tommy Jones' perfectly placed throw-in went past a Jaguar defender to Bears forward Tanner Crow.  Crow ran to the ball, dribbled for 10 yards, and then sent a hard shot at the goalie.  When the goalie barely deflected the ball, Delafuenta kicked the ball past the goalie for a 1-0 Bears lead.     "Tommy always has a big throw-in.  And, our fabulous freshman Delafuenta put the ball in the goal", said Watzlavik.     The Bears scored six minutes later when the Jaguars fouled Bears midfielder Hippolito Hernandez. An opportunistic Bonneaux caught the Jaguar defense by suprise when he quickly sent the free kick from 30 yards out past the Jaguar's goalie for a 2-0 lead.  "Garhett had his wits about him" said Watzlavik.  "Once the ref put the ball in play, he kicked it before the Jaguars defense was ready".              The Jaguars bounced back quickly by scoring three minutes later to make the score 2-1.     At the 16-minute mark, Bonneaux scored his second goal of the night.  Deep in Jaguar territory, Bonneaux received a throw-in on the right side corner of the field.  Bonneaux's sharply-angled shot from the 15-yardline hit paydirt to give the Bears a 3-1 lead.  "I thought Garhett had kicked a crossing shot. But when I saw the net moving, I realized that the ball went in for a goal", said Watzlavik.     The Jaguars scored with 17 minutes remaining in the first half.  The Jaguars moved the ball to the middle of the field and then sent a quick shot into the net for a goal.  The first half ended with the Bears leading 3-2.     The game's close score contributed to a suspenseful second half.  As the game continued, both teams mounted several strong scoring drives. The Bears' stout defense shined in the second half.     The Bears' back defensive line of Harley Cobb, Tommy Jones, Mitchell Heil, and Zach Blanchard was a major reason why the Jaguars were unable to score in the second half.  When both Bears' center defenders, Jones and Heil, were forced to the sidelines late in the game because of injuries, it provided for some tense moments for Coach Watzalik.  "I was a little nervous when Tommy and Mitchell went out of the game", expressed Watzlavik.  "But, the rest of the guys were ready to step in."      Fortunately, defender Zach Blanchard provided a big lift for the Bears by playing one of his strongest games of the season.  "Zach was a beast out there.  He is a great competitor", said Watzlavik.  Goalie Adam Garza also played good game for the Bears.                The victory improves the Bears' district record to 3-1.  Coach Watzlavik once again spoke highly of his team's effort.  "I have something good to say about each and every one of our players".  And for the Bears, it was a satisfying night for a team that proved that they are worthy of a run at the playoffs.     On Tuesday, the Bears travel to Vidor for another district game.

In a dogfight between two county rivals, the Little Cypress-Mauriceville Bears soccer team came from behind to earn a thrilling 3-2 road victory over a scrappy Bridge City Cardinal team.  Jordan King's decisive goal late in the game broke a 2-2 tie for the Bears following an assist from Garhett Bonneaux.  Mitchell Heil and Bonneaux each scored one goal for the Bears.  Izzy Garcia recorded both goals for the Cardinals.      The hotly contested game featured back and forth action from both teams.  "The game was rough", said Bears Coach Jeremy Watzlavik.  "To come from behind and keep our composure was a good thing."     "It was a tough game", noted Cardinals Coach John Davis.  Davis was proud of his team's performance.  "We are a scrappy team.  Our boys never quit."     The Cardinals jumped out to a 1-0 lead at approximately the 7-minute mark.  The Cardinals drove down the middle of the Bears defense.  "We broke through the middle and Izzy Garci scored for us."  Eppy Munguia was credited with the assit for the Cardinals.          The Bears responded approximately six minutes later when Bonneaux was fouled by a Cardinal defender.  Bonneaux then booted  the free kick from twenty-two yards towards the near post.  The ball deflected off a Cardinal defender and into the net to tie the game at 1-1.     The Cardinals surged ahead to a 2-1 lead when Garcia scored his second goal of the night.  The Cardinals drove deep into the Bears' side of the field.  After a scramble for the ball in front of the Bears' goal,  Garcia received an assist from Josh Ozio.  Garcia quickly kicked the ball into the net near the conclusion of the first half.          Down 2-1, the Bears began their comeback in the second half.  A hard-charging Tanner Crow drove into the Cardinal's 18-yard box and earned a penalty kick when he was fouled by the defender.  Mitchell Heil's strong penalty kick was successful and tied the game at 2-2.  "The goalie got his hands on the ball, but Heil's kick was so hard that it went through his hands", Watzlavik stated.      The Bears mounted several charges against a packed Cardinal defense.  The critical goal occured with approximately ten minutes left in the game.  "Our game plan was to stop Bonneaux," Davis said.  "But he got away from us on that play."  Bonneaux dribbled down the right sideline and sent a pass to the left side of the field towards Jordan King.      King sent the game winning goal past the goalie on a sharply angled shot.  King's shot impressed Coach Watzlavik.  "It was a nice shot.  He just hustles all game long."     The Cardinals tried hard to tie the score in the game's final minutes.  The Bears defense was up to the challenge and prevented the fiesty Cardinals from scoring.     Coach Watzlavik complimented the Cardinals.  "They played hard.  The Cardinals are a better team than last year.  Coach Davis has made a lot of progress with the program.  They were certainly in a position to win the game."     Coach Davis admired the Bears' competative spirit.  "They never gave up.  The Bears are a well-coach team that made some serious offensive runs through out the game."     The win improved the Bears district record to 2-1. The Bears host the Central Jaguars on Friday night.

  After a one day delay due to the inclimate weather, the Little Cypress-Mauriceville Bears soccer team suffered a disappointing 2-1 loss against a strong Nederland Bulldogs team Saturday afternoon at Battlin' Bear Stadium.  Jordan King scored the Bears' lone goal, while Lane Smith and Jordan Wagner each scored for the Bulldogs.      Although Bears Coach Jeremy Watzlavik was clearly disappointed with the defeat, he was proud of his team's performance.  "We played well overall, especially in the second half," said Coach Watzlavik.  On the other side of the field, Bulldogs Coach Jason Butler complimented the Bears team.  "They are a dang good team", said Coach Butler.  "They never quit.  Our hats go off to them."      The game, played on a soggy and muddy field, was marked by strong defensive efforts from both teams.  The Bulldogs scored first in the 13th minute of the game.  The Bulldogs' successful push down the middle of the field resulted in a goal from Lane Smith.  Smith received a pass and shot from close range for a 1-0 lead.      Although the Bears started the game a little tight, both teams played well through out the remainder of the first half.  The shots on goal slightly favored the Bears, 10-9.  The Bulldogs remained in the lead as the first half ended.      The level of play intensified in the second half.  In the game's 51st minute, Jordan Wagner scored the game's decisive goal after a long drive down the middle of the field.  Wagner's strong individual effort was rewarded with a solid, close range goal.     The Bears mounted a strong comeback.  With 8 minutes remaining, Jordan King gathered a loose ball at the 15-yard line on the far left side of the field.  King's shot hit the upper right side of the net.  "King had a great shot", Watzlavik commented.  "It was a beautiful goal."          With the Bears behind 2-1, the team rallied back to mount several scoring drives, but was unable to score against a packed Bulldog defense.  "We had some good shots on goal, but we just couldn't find the net", said Watzlavik.  Butler stated, "We buried in and finished the game."     Coach Butler was happy with the Bulldog victory.  "We needed this win", Butler said.  "It was a good win versus a good team.  The game was a hard battle."     The loss evens the Bears' district record at 1-1.  The Bears travel on Tuesday night to face the Bridge City Cardinals. 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------   Neither frigid cold or a blustery wind could stop a red-hot performance by the Little Cypress-Mauriceville Bears soccer team Tuesday night at Battlin' Bear stadium.  The Bears began district play with a 7-0 victory over the Hamshire-Fannett Longhorns. Mitchell Heil, Jordan King, and Garhett Bonneaux each scored two goals apiece, while Daniel Delafuenta added one goal for the Bears.      The Bears defense, led by goalie Adam Garza and Tommy Jones, also had a strong showing.  "Our first priority was to have a shut-out at the end of the game", said Bears Coach Jeremy Watzlavik.  "And, we accomplished that goal."  The Bears held the Longhorns to a mere four shots on goal for the entire game.        Following an injury plagued pre-district season, Coach Watzlavik was proud of the team's victory.  "We did a pretty good job overall", said Watzlavik.  "It was a good team effort."     The game began slowly for the Bears.  At the 18-minute mark, Heil earned the game's first goal after he receiving a nice pass from Delafuenta at the 25-yard line.  Heil's strong shot connected with the upper right side of the net for a 1-0 Bears lead.     With one minute remaining in the first half, an attacking Jordan King corralled a rebound for a quick shot past the Longhorn goalie and a 2-0 Bears' lead.  "Jordan was everywhere tonight", Watzlavik commented. "He always works hard.  He deserved to have a strong game."      The first half ended with the Bears outshooting the Longhorns 18 to 3.     With the wind to their backs, the Bears surged ahead by scoring three times in the opening 10 minutes of  the 2nd half.  Delafuenta scored with a 10-yard blast after receiving a crossing pass from Bonneaux.  Shortly afterwards, Bonneaux scored a short-range goal after driving around 4 Longhorn defenders.  Then, Jones placed a long throw-in right at the feet of King, who was standing in the penalty box.  King quickly spun around and shot the ball past the goalie at the back side of the goal.  The goal gave the Bears a 5-0 margin.          The Bears added two more goals with approximately 20 minutes remaining in the game. Heil scored when he connected on a 15-yard blast following Bonneaux's second assist of the game.  "When you have Heil and Bonneaux in the game together, good things will happen", said Watzlavik.  Next, Bonneaux scored the game's final goal on a free kick from 25 yards out.     Watzlavik noted that other Bears players with strong individual performances were Hippolito Hernandez, Erik Tutt, Yohannes Dundon, and Zachary Blanchard.        The Bears host the state-ranked Nederland Bulldogs on Friday night at 7:00 p.m.

While at the Hamshire-Fannett soccer tournament, the Silsbee Soccer Coach made it a point to speak with me today.  It was a very good experience. His sincere words regarding last years tournament made a significant impression on me.  The Coach's comments centered around the important things in high school sports.  The Coach spoke of sportsmanship and playing with the right attitude. The need to realize that your opponent is not an enemy, but just another person wanting to play a game.  After the short time that I spent with him, I am confident that his concern for the welfare of others significantly enhances his ability to be a good leader for impressionable young men. Good Luck to you, Coach.  I wanted to thank you again for your comments.  I am confident that those comments will echo in my mind in the future when I remember my trip to Hamshire-Fannett.    From The Bears' Number One Fan 

Watching the game is not much fun in the chilly wind, rain and 40 degrees temperature.  I can complain b/c I go to every game. But that may be part of the reason for limited spectators at the games. I believe that moving the soccer season more towards the end of the season, like the track season, would be much better.  Who should be contacted  to make a change?

Emily Hughes has played some awesome soccer over the years.  Newcomer of the year in '08.  First Team All District in '09.  She was injured part of the season in '10, but 3 goals in a dominating playoff performance vs. Silsbee.  Not to mention an incredible track record with her club team.  I also anticipate a big season for Emily and the LC-M Bears.  PN-G is always tough. So, this season should be interesting. 

Newcastle, You can't get some eager person to take care of that media reporting stuff for you????  lol

Hughes' contribution to girls soccer should not be under estimated.  The man loves soccer.  His teams are constantly raided for talent, yet he is able to send another winning team out on to the soccer field.  Keep up the good work.  And, his daughter, Emily, is one of the best soccer players in the area.

I wonder which district will be tougher now????  Welcome back, Wedel!!!!

Congrats to all!  But a big WAY TO GO to Coach WEDEL  !!!!!!

Wow, some people think denial is only a river that flows threw Egypt.

Vidor has really come on in the last quarter of the season.  Coach Wedel's influence has been a huge asset for the Pirates.  They should do well in the playoffs.

Lemonhead, Are you serious??  LC-M, who finished in 5th place in 4A-38, lost to Lumberton 1-0, beat Vidor twice, beat Livingston, and beat Liberty.  Please resort to facts when making such broad-sweeping statements. Vidor is coming on strong.  But we will see what happens in a few days, won't we??

#1 fan, Thanks for the kind words.  I am dad for # 10 who plays midfield for the Bears.  He played for Pat Wilson 3 years and Arendale last year in club soccer.  We know several Nederland and PN-G players on those two teams.  We were so thankful that Pat and Arendale let us join their teams.  I got to speak with Pat before the game. I admire and respect the solid soccer play of the Bulldogs over the years.  They are a super team and I have articulated that fact on this board on numerous occasions in the past.  The Arendale club team was a pure joy to watch with their solid ball movement.  Your team plays the game the way it should be.  I love how the players don't get upset when things don't go their way (which isn't often) and don't get overly excited when they win.  I have seen nothing but class from the Nederland team. I wish your team all the luck in the world in the playoffs.  I was proud of your performance last season during the playoffs last season.  How did we lose to PN-G 8-0?  Hey, they are a great team also.  I know several of their players.  And their success is not surprising to me.  They scored on 5 set plays(corner kicks and throw ins).  They are well coached and they were just hot that night. 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------     Needing a win to advance to the playoffs, the Little Cypress-Mauriceville Bears soccer team fell to the Nederland Bulldogs 5-2 at Battlin’ Bears Stadium on Friday night.  The loss, coupled with Hamshire-Fannett's victory over Ozen, knocked the Bears out of the playoffs in the highly competitive District 38-4A by a narrow margin.        Bears Coach Jeremy Watzlavik stated that "missing the playoffs is disappointing.  We are in a tough district.  One loss moved us from a potential third-place finish to out of the playoffs."     Watzlavik was pleased with his team's performance on the night.  "The boys played well.  I am not making excuses, but we were short several players.  Tonight, we were gave it our all, but Nederland is a tough opponent.  In the end, we just ran out of steam."     Nederland scored the first goal in the 12th minute, when forward Hector Garcia's fancy dribbling created a breakaway goal to give the Bulldogs a 1-0 lead.     Captain Garhett Bonneaux led the Bears to their first score in the 23rd minute. Bonneaux maneuvered around a couple of Bulldog defenders and placed a 10 yard shot against the backside post that bounced in for a goal and a 1-1 tie.     The Bears took the lead in the 31st minute.  Bonneaux sent a free kick that drew the Bulldog goalie away from the goal.  Surrounded by several Bulldog defenders,  Bears forward Kevin Ducharme passed the loose ball across the box to Scott Karasik.  Karasik quickly zipped a nice shot into the goal to give the Bears a 2-1 lead.  "Kevin made a really nice pass to earn the assist", noted Watzlavik.     Nederland tied the game at 2-2 with 1 minute remaining in the first half when Bulldog midfielder Jordan Wagner dribbled to the middle of the Bears defense and then delivered a goal from 10 yards out.      "Nederland is always calm under pressure.  They never loose their cool", stated Watzlavik.     Early in the second half, the Bulldogs quickly took the lead at 3-2 when the Bears gave up an own goal.  "We had a hard time recovering from the own goal" Watzlavik said.       With limited substitutes, a fatigued Bears defense was vulnerable towards the end of the game.  The Bulldogs added two more goal in the game's closing moments.  Garcia scored his second goal in the game's 70th minute.  Wagner also scored his second goal three minutes later on a nice header to secure the victory for the Bulldogs at 5-2.     The game was senior night for the Bears.  The team recognized seniors Dylan Cope, Cristian Diaz, Kevin Ducharme, Brian George, Derek George, Kevin Hernandez, Aaron Hudnall, Scott Karasik, Matt Manley, Jonathan McCollum, and trainer Samantha Sanchez prior to their final home game for LC-M.      "We will miss those players next year.  Captains Cristian Diaz and Scotty Karasik will be especially missed.  They had vital roles for our team.  They were good captains.  And, we will miss their leadership," Watzlavik explained.     Watzlavik was proud of his team's overall performance this season.  "It was a great season.  We exceeded people's expectations for our team.  We beat some teams that many people didn't think we would win.  We would have liked to have qualified for the playoffs this year, but it is a tough district."     "I am confident that we will be a better team next season," Watzlavik stated.  "We have a strong group of returning players".          The 2010 Bears were a scrappy group of players that was entertaining to watch.  The players, in Watzlavik's words, "came together as a team".      Coach Watzlavik succeeded in earning the respect of opposing coaches and his players.  Bear fans have good reason to be optimistic for a successful season in 2011.

Sportsmanship is somewhat lacking.  I hope they have followed all the rules regarding their players.  Is anyone looking into the situation?

Wedel has got that Vidor team on the move.  Nice job, Coach Wedel.  Lumberton is always a quality team.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------     Fighting for their playoff lives, the Little Cypress-Mauriceville Bears catapulted to fourth place with a solid 3-2 victory over the Hamshire-Fannett Longhorns on Tuesday night at Battlin' Bear Stadium.  Garhett Bonneaux had a hand in all the Bears' goals with two goals and one assist; while Kevin Hernandez scored the game-deciding goal for the Bears.     Bears Coach Jeremy Watzlavik was proud of the team's victory.  "I am happy for our team, it was a good team effort", said Watzlavik.  "They deserved the win."     The game had a slow start for the Bears.  In the game's opening minute,  the Longhorns earned a throw-in on the Bears' side of the field.  The Longhorns headed the throw-in into the Bears' goal for a 1-0 lead.      The Bears answered one minute later from a nice throw-in of their own when Tommy Jones threw the ball in front of the Longhorn goal.  The ball was kicked several times around the box and ended up at Bonneaux's feet.  Bonneaux blasted a left-footed shot that deflected off a Longhorn defender for a goal and a 1-1 tie.        The teams battled hard for the next 25 minutes without either team scoring.  Then, Bonneaux took a free-kick from 25 yards away from the Longhorn goal.  Bonneaux's shot went through a crowd of Longhorn defenders and into the opposite side of the net for a 2-1 Bears lead.  "I saw that the Longhorn goalie was standing at the near post; so I tried to catch him off guard while he was organizing his wall, and it worked", said Bonneaux.  "It was a beautiful kick", observed Watzlavik.     The Bears struck again in the game's 53rd minute when Bonneaux passed to Hernandez at the 35 yard line.  Hernandez controlled the ball and charged towards the Longhorn goal on a breakaway.  Going one-on-one against the Longhorn goalie, Hernandez drilled the ball past the goalie and into the net.  "It was a strong goal by Hernandez", noted Watzlavik.  "I was happy that he got the goal for us."  Hernandez's goal gave the Bears a 3-1 lead.     The Longhorns scored four minutes later when they were awarded a penalty kick.  The Longhorns converted the kick to make the game's final score 3-2.  Although the Longhorns made several offensive runs, a resilient Bears defense prevented any further scores.     Watzlavik noted that other Bears players with strong individual performances were Jordan King, Fabian Mankat, Cristian Diaz, Tommy Jones, Mauricio Benitez, Dylan Cope, and Mitchel Heil.        The Bears can punch their playoff ticket with either a win against  the Nederland Bulldogs or a Longhorn loss against the Ozen Panthers.  The Bears will host Nederland on Friday night at 7:00 p.m.

  In a contest between two teams fighting for the district's fourth and final playoff spot, the Little Cypress-Mauriceville Bears soccer team fell to the Central Jaguars 2-0 at Battlin' Bear Stadium on Wednesday night.  The loss moves the Bears into 5th place in the district with two games remaining on their schedule.     A disappointed Bears Coach Jeremy Watzlavik believed that his team " played a good game.  We tried our best, but we didn't play our best game."     The game featured intense action from both teams.  In the opening moments of the game, each team mounted strong offensive attacks, only to have the opposing defense prevent a score.  Central scored the important first goal with ten minutes remaining in the first half for a 1-0 lead.  Then, Central pushed the score to 2-0 with another goal with only two minutes remaining in the first half.     The second half was a defensive struggle in which neither team was able to score.     Watzlavik remains optimistic about the Bears' chances on reaching the playoffs.  "The playoffs are not out of the question.  Unfortunately, we don't control our own destiny.  We have to depend on help from other teams in order to make the playoffs."     Although the Bears will host the final two games of their season; they face tough opponents in each.  Next Tuesday, the Bears face third-placed Hamshire-Fannett.  And, the district leading Nederland Bulldogs will visit the Bears on next Friday.     

The Little Cypress-Mauriceville Bears soccer team cruised to a 5-0 road victory over the Bridge City Cardinals on Friday.  The win improves the Bears' district record to 5-5 and keeps their playoff hopes alive.    Bears Coach Jeremy Watzlavik was impressed with his team's dominating performance over the Cardinals on both offense and defense.  "We dominated the game.  We worked well together," said Watzlavik.  The Bears out shot the Cardinals 21-7 in the first half and 18-4 in the second.        The Bears' strong performance featured several stellar performances.  Leading the way were forwards Scott Karasik and Leo De La Cruz with two goals each; while midfielder Garhett Bonneaux added a goal and an assist.  Cristian Diaz earned a shutout for the Bears with his play at goalie.  "Cristian did a great job, as usual.  He had a couple of really good saves", noted Watzlavik.      Tommy Jones' return to the sweeper position resulted in a marked improvement in the Bears' defense.  "Our defense plays so much better when Tommy is on the field.  We missed his play when he was out with an injury", said Watzlavik.          Watzlavik was also pleased with the play of Mitchell Heil and Jordan King.  "Mitchell did a great job.  He is like the energizer bunny because he never gets tired."  Watzlavik also commented that King "had a good game.  He hustled all game long."    Playing on a wet and sloppy field, the Bears' solid teamwork generated their first score just five minutes into the contest.  Heil sent a nice pass to King near the Cardinal goal.  King centered the ball to De La Cruz on the opposite side of the goal.  De La Cruz handled the pass and kicked the ball for a goal and a 1-0 lead.    The Bears scored three minutes later following a long through-ball from Derek George from the middle of the field to Karasik on the right side of the Cardinal goal.  Karasik centered the ball to De La Cruz, who converted the pass for his second goal of the game.    Karasik scored his first goal at the 10 minute mark with a hard charging break-away goal.  After beating the Cardinal defense, Karasik shot a short ball past the Cardinal goalie.            Bonneaux added a goal in the closing moments of the first half with a 25-yard goal that gave the Bears a 4-0 lead at halftime.    The final score occurred six minutes into the 2nd half when Karasik added another goal.  Bonneaux sent a through ball near midfield that Karasik quickly corralled and dribbled hard towards the goal.  Karasik easily raced away from the defense and beat the goalie to give the Bears a 5-0 lead.    The Bears host the Central Jaguars on Monday in an important contest to determine the district's final playoff spot.  Watzlavik commented that "the game has major playoff implications. One team will make the playoffs and the other will not.  We need to play our best game in order to beat Central".

The Little Cypress-Mauriceville Bears soccer team battled the district-leading Nederland Bulldogs to a 4-3 overtime loss Tuesday night in Nederland.  With the game serving as the end of the first half of district play, the scrappy Bears proved that they are strong enough to compete with any team in the district.  And, the undefeated Bulldogs demonstrated why they are a strong favorite to repeat as district champions.     Although the wind was not a factor, the game was played on a slippery and muddy field.  The thrilling action proved to be entertaining for both sets of fans.  And, when the Bears jumped out to a 2-0 lead mid-way through the first half, it was clear the remainder of the game was going to be highlighted with intense action.     Bears' forward Dylan Cope scored the game's first goal at the 27-minute mark.  Cope received the ball near the 40-yard line and bulled his way through a couple of Nederland defenders for another 20 yards.  Then, Cope unleashed a powerful shot from the left side.  Cope's shot went past the Nederland goalie for a score.  Bears Coach Jeremy Watzlavik commented that, "Dylan was at a good angle to shoot at the goal, and he really smoked the ball into the net."     The Bears struck again two minutes later.  Defender Tommy Jones sent a nicely placed free-kick from 40 yards out to a crowd of Bears in front of the Nederland goal.  Garhett Bonneaux's close range shot bounced off the goal post.  As the ball was rolling into the goal, Hipolito Hernandez tapped the ball into the goal for a 2-0 Bears lead.     Nederland scored their first goal with three minutes remaining in the first half.  Bulldogs midfielder Jack Wilson kicked a beautiful shot from 15 yards out.  Wilson's shot went perfectly between the out-stretched hands of the Bears' goalie and the back post.  Bulldogs Coach Jason Butler commented on the effect of the score.  "It was a good goal.  We needed the change in momentum to close out the first half."      The first half ended with the Bears leading 2-1.     Nederland took command of the game in the opening moments of the second half.  Jake Kemp scored two goals for the Bulldogs to give them a 3-2 advantage.  Kemp's first goal occurred  after the ball deflected out of the hands of the Bears' goalie.      The Bears did not give up.  Later in the half, Jonathan McCollum placed a long throw-in deep into Nederland territory.  Bears' wing Fabian Mankat then headed the ball past the Nederland goalie for a score that tied the game a 3-3.     The teams battled without any further scores in the second half to send the game into overtime.  With two minutes remaining in the first overtime period, Bulldogs forward Hector Garcia received a pass deep in Bear territory.  Garcia dribbled around the Bears' defensive line a blasted a close shot from the left side for a 4-3 Bulldog victory.     Nederlands Coach Butler commented on his team's play.  "I thought we came out sharp, and then we went a little flat.  As the game progressed, we started taking advantage of our opportunities."  Butler commented that "our hats are off to LC-M.  They never gave up."  Butler was particularly impressed with Bears goalie, Cristian Diaz.  "He made several key stops."     Although Bears Coach Watslavik was disappointed with the game's outcome, he was very proud of his teams effort.  "They all played their hearts out.  They played as well as they could.  We were without forward Leo De La Cruz because of an illness.  And, when we lost Garhett Bonneaux in the second half with an injury, we were still in the lead.  When you lose the heart and soul of your team, you don't know how your team is going to perform.  But, our kids played lights out to force the game to overtime", said Watslavik.     Watslavik was especially impressed with the play of his stopper, Tanner Crow.  "Crow had a good game on the field.  But his leadership when Bonneaux was knocked out of the game was phenomenal.  He was instrumental in getting his teammates in their proper positions.  He kept our team battling.  He is quite a competitor."     Watslavik was also complimentary of the Bulldogs team.  "They are a phenomenal team.  I am impressed with their passing.  They knew how to take advantage of their opportunities.  It would have been nice to win it, but we knew they weren't going to give us many opportunities."         Watslavik hopes the game will serve as a confidence builder for his team.  "Nederland is a team that nobody was supposed to beat.  But, we held our own against them.  I hope this game gives our team confidence that we can play with anybody.  We are a scrappy team."     At the district half way mark, the Bears are in fourth place.  On Friday, the Bears travel Beaumont to face the Ozen Panthers.   

PNG's goalie, Micah Murdock is a stellar goalie.  Good hands, excellent instincts, nice size.  He is tough to beat.  On top of that, he is a great kid.  He has a bright future.

Both teams are really impressive.  Good kids on both sides.  It would be a great game to watch.