MINERAL WELLS – The Brownwood Lions’ flair for the dramatic in the postseason continued in round two.
After coming from behind and scoring the winning goal with 6:42 remaining Friday in a 2-1 bi-district triumph over Kennedale, the Lions emerged victorious over the Benbrook Bobcats Tuesday night on their final attempt in a penalty kick shootout to secure a Class 4A Division II Region I area championship.
“I’m pretty ecstatic right now,” said Lions head coach Michael Westerman. “It’s a testament to our season this year. Again, facing adversity and trusting the process and being able to reap the benefit of all the work you’re putting in, to be rewarded for that is just special.”
Brownwood (7-11-2) and Benbrook (12-12) played 100 minutes through regulation and overtime without recording a goal, which led to the penalty kick shootout.
There, the Lions surrendered goals on the first three of five Benbrook attempts before freshman goal keeper Hudson Fry turned away the last two tries by the Bobcats.
“Hudson, who’s a freshman between the sticks for us, he knew going into the season he was going to have to step up big and play varsity keeper for us,” Westerman said. “Our entire team has full faith in him and I told him and all the boys I was extremely confident with him going into pens. I had another word with him before pens and told him that I was proud of him regardless of the result, but I knew his capabilities. We practice this enough, he studies it a lot himself, and I was just extremely proud of him.”
Offensively, Brownwood was denied on its first PK try, then Aidan Pena, Isaac Morales, Jermiah Chacon and finally Jose Rodriguez all delivered to extend the Lions’ season.
“Again, that’s a testament to our season and facing early adversity,” Westerman said. “Despite having that blocked pen to start, we still trusted the process and felt that our keeper was going to make saves and that our shooters were going to make the rest of our shots. Fortunately, we were able to do that tonight.”
During regulation and the extra session, the Lions dominated play everywhere but on the scoreboard. Brownwood controlled possession for most of the contest and owned a considerable advantage in shots on goal, but was unable to find the back of the net.
“That’s been something we’ve struggled with,” Westerman said. “We play extremely, I feel like we move the ball extremely well and find space and push into the attack and create good chances, we just haven’t been too lucky in the attacking third. Once we get around the box we haven’t been able to put the ball across the line. They did have a great goalkeeper tonight who came up with some big saves, so credit to Benbrook for playing a great game defensively. They made it difficult for us to score.”
The Lions’ two postseason victories match their district win total and are one shy of what the team attained prior to the start of league play. With the struggles the Lions experienced earlier in this season, hitting their stride in the playoffs is in more rewarding.
“We’re at a position where we don’t take anything for granted and we’re very grateful for the position that we’re in,” Westerman said. “Though we want this to be an expectation, we understand how difficult it is to get to where we’re at, and we’ve experienced that. We played great teams along the way, but we’ve just never given up. We’re a relentless team that just refuses to give up, and in the playoffs it can go either way. You play great teams every round, you know that and expect that, we just continue to battle. Whatever happens is God’s will and all we can do is put in the work and hope for the best.”
Next up for the Lions is District 4 runner-up Bridgeport (13-6) – which defeated El Paso Irvin, 3-2, Monday – at 7 p.m. Friday in Granbury, tentatively, in third round playoff action.