SMA moves to Regional round of playoffs

The SMA Bears soccer team propelled itself into the area round of the TAPPS Division III state playoffs Monday night with a 3-2 home win over St. Joseph Catholic School of Bryan. 

It was a tight first half, with both the Bears and Eagles making several failed attempts at the net. St. Joseph finally hit the goal with 4:58 on the clock to establish a 1-0 lead. 

The Bears fought back, and with less than 3 minutes to play in the first half, Inaki Infante-Valenzuela passed the ball to Muassiri Almeida, who took it at the 40-yard line, worked around several Eagle defenders, and finished hard and low with a goal to tie the game.

Manuel Kogoya put on a show in the second half, scoring his first goal 10 minutes in and his second at the 3:09 mark. Goalie Eli Hughey had two key saves in the half to keep the Eagles at bay. 

With just 12 seconds to go, St. Joseph drilled in another goal. The Bears then gained control and kicked the ball far and away to preserve the win and advance to the Area round of playoffs.

SMA took a 2-0 victory over Houston Lutheran North on Thursday, advancing the Bears to the regional round of the TAPPS Division 3 state playoffs. 

Muassiri Almeida hit the Bears’ first goal 25 minutes into the match off an assist from Sean Feigl. With less than four minutes in the half, Manuel Kogoya added a second goal off another Feigl assist. 

The Bears, coached by Corey Schade, will take a 9-4 season record into the Regional round where they meet the 2020 state champion Houston St. Thomas Episcopal at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 27 at a neutral site in Bryan.