GRAHAM – After missing out on the soccer playoffs a year ago, the Brownwood Lions returned in triumphant fashion Friday night, claiming their third bi-district championship in four seasons, again knocking off the Kennedale Wildcats in the opening round, 2-1.

“This feels amazing,” said Lions head coach Michael Westerman. “It’s something I’ve told the boys about facing adversity all season. It’s very difficult to find motivation to trust the process and to reap the benefits of all the work we’re putting in. Fortunately enough, we have a really good group of boys, a solid group that continued to trust the process, knew the potential that we had, and deserved the win tonight. It feels good to celebrate that.”

The Lions (6-11-2), who also ousted Kennedale (9-10-2) from the playoffs by a 5-4 count in the first round in 2023, were the fourth-place team out of District 5 and the league’s second seed in the Class 4A Division II portion of the playoffs. The Wildcats were the District 6 runner-up and the league’s Top 4A Division II seed.

Tied at 1 with 6:42 left in the contest, a mass of humanity was assembled in the Newton Field end zone, where Lion freshman Aiden Jimenez was able to work a shot through the crowd from 10 yards out, finding the left corner of the net for the go-ahead goal for Brownwood.

“It was off a set piece and I told our boys we had to be scrappy in the box in those set pieces. The ball spills out and he gambles for it and slots it bottom post, and that’s a kid that deserves that goal,” Westerman said. “Aiden has been a phenomenal addition for us and has been getting more minutes. He’s a great kid, a great athlete that does everything that’s asked of him and more.”

The Lions dominated play everywhere but on the scoreboard in the first half as Brownwood easily led the way in possession time and shots on goals, but at intermission the game remained in a scoreless tie.

Then, just 3:45 into the second half, Kennedale struck for the first goal of the contest off a throw in when the Lions mishandled an opportunity to clear the ball, and in the blink of an eye the Wildcats seized all the momentum.

“We’ve been in that situation before, multiple times unfortunately, but it’s a familiar place even though it’s a punch in the gut at times,” Westerman said. “But again, it’s about buying into the process and understanding there’s still a lot of minutes to be played and knowing our potential as well. Plus we were creating a lot of opportunities and had made some big stops on the defensive end.”

It took just 84 seconds for the Lions to answer with their first goal as senior Jose Rodriguez buried a 40-yard free kick over the outstretched fingers of the Kennedale goal keeper and into the top left corner of the net to knot the score at 1 with 34:31 remaining.

“Jose has a phenomenal shot on him and we moved him to more of an attacking position this game to hopefully allow him to create in the attacking third and use that shot,” Westerman said. “We were able to draw a penalty in the attacking third which allowed him to open up that foot and have a shot, and it was a phenomenal shot. He put it in the back corner and gave us hope again.”

Regarding the importance of the postseason victory going forward for the Lions program, Westerman said, “This continues to lift up the expectations of the program. There’s an understanding that is an expectation. Yeah, we enjoy it and it’s nice to be in this position and to make the playoffs, but we expect to win these games and continue to raise the standard of Brownwood soccer. That’s my goal, to constantly raise those standards and be a top competitor in 4A.”

Brownwood will next face Benbrook (12-11), a 1-0 winner over Lake Worth Friday night, in second-round playoff action early next week. A time, date and location for the match-up had not been finalized late Friday night.