KATY—In his team’s inaugural year of varsity competition this season, Katy Jordan boys soccer coach Jason Meekins kept his team’s mission simple.
“Plus one.”
During offseason training, that meant getting “one percent better.” It meant getting physically stronger. It meant striving for the extra.
“We’re playing juniors, freshmen and sophomores,” Meekins said. “In November, our goal was to play one more game after the season, just to make the playoffs.”
In Friday’s Class 5A bi-district playoff game against Lake Creek, with the season on the line, Jordan was plus one.
The Warriors nipped the Lions, 1-0, at Legacy Stadium in the playoff debut for each program. Jordan is in its first year of varsity play. Lake Creek (14-6-3) is in its fourth.
It was the Warriors making history as they exacted revenge on Lake Creek's 1-0 win earlier this season.
“Emotionally, it’s amazing,” sophomore midfielder Ryan Armijo said. “It’s fantastic. We worked all year for this moment. For how many kids came from different schools, we have such good team chemistry.”
Jordan broke a scoreless game in the 44th minute. Junior forward Nico Flores’ shot was deflected off the foot of a Lake Creek defender. The ball bounced high into the night. Once it came back down, Lake Creek goalkeeper Kaden Harmann headed the ball toward a teammate, but the pass was intercepted right to the foot of a Warriors striker.
“We were pressing their backline, trying to make them play out instead of playing long,” Meekins said. “In the first half, 70 percent of the game was in their half (of the field). We were creating chances, trying to put numbers, overload them on one side and get their backline to shift. We couldn’t break through. It was really good to get that goal.”
The Warriors held off the Lions from there.
Since starting the season 3-4, Jordan is 11-2-2.
“We started off the season shaky and we came back from it,” junior defender Ben Bucic said. “We learned how to work with each other, and we just kept improving and getting better. It’s been a really good season ever since and we’re proud of it.”
Meekins said players have bought in. Katy ISD is a hotbed for soccer. They’ve seen what it takes to be successful, especially for neighbors Seven Lakes and Tompkins.
“They want to build that here,” Meekins said. “I told them before we came here that they have a chance to be the first to do everything. They’ve really taken ownership in that and really thrive in that situation.”
Junior defender Pierce Sanchez, sophomore goalkeeper Elijah Betancourt, and Armijo have been key for the Warriors. Jordan has scored 36 goals and given up just 13 in its last 15 games.
“They work hard and they’re always asking for more,” Meekins said. “We’re always trying to give them as much as we can. We give them a lot of freedom to play, and they take it and run with it. We enjoy watching them just as much as we enjoy coaching them.”
Bucic said the Warriors, who are 14-6-2 overall heading into next week’s area playoff against Austin Crockett in College Station, have nothing to lose. They’re working everything they have.
“We’ve all come together and are playing as a group,” Bucic said. “We practice hard every day and we got here. It feels like something we’ve really, actually built. It’s way more special. It’s great to be a part of it.”