Commentary: 3-5A soccer races got crazy in a hurry

It didn’t take very long for the District 3-5A boys and girls soccer races to take a couple of interesting twists.

We’ll see in the long run what they all will mean, but at the very least tonight’s Odessa High-Permian doubleheader at Ratliff Stadium already looms very important.

The girls game kicks things off at 6 p.m. when the Lady Bronchos (9-4-1 overall, 1-1 district) shoot for their second straight victory while the Lady Panthers (5-7-1, 0-2) try to break into the win column.

At 8 p.m., the boys will take center stage in what is arguably the ECISD’s best rivalry game — particularly in terms of its competitive nature and the significance in the playoff picture.

The Panthers (5-5-1, 1-1) will be trying to build on the momentum of a 2-0 road victory against Abilene High while Odessa High (7-4-2, 1-1) will try to bounce back from a stunning 3-1 loss — home loss, no less — to Abilene Cooper.

That result put the Cougars at 2-0 in the 3-5A standings and in a first-place tie with Midland High for the league lead. This from a program that went 0-3 to start the season in their own tournament, that hasn’t made the playoffs since 1990 and hasn’t had a winning record in district since 1992.

With road victories against San Angelo Central and Odessa High to start the 3-5A schedule, Cooper certainly could take a big step toward a playoff berth if it can beat Abilene High tonight in another crosstown rivalry game.

Meanwhile, two-time defending league champ San Angelo Central is 0-2 in district.

But the 3-5A boys soccer race has been a scrum for the most past in the last couple of seasons and appears to be on the way to such a campaign again — meaning victory for either OHS or Permian tonight will be a precious thing.

In the girls 3-5A race, Midland High looked capable of a 12-0 season but was stunned 2-0 by San Angelo Central on Tuesday in Midland. Now, the Lady Dawgs still should be the class of the league and Abilene High also should qualify as one of 3-5A’s four playoff representatives.

Central, at 2-0 in district, also must be considered a frontrunner at this point, so two-time defending district champion Permian has some work to do after losing its first two games and will have to keep raising the level after Monday’s improved effort at Abilene High.

Odessa High very well could be 2-0 in district after leading Midland Lee most of the way in last week’s district opener for both teams. But if the Lady Bronchos can win tonight — which would be their first victory in the series since 2004 — and start 2-1 in district while putting Permian at 0-3, you’d have to say that they’re quite happy with the first quarter of the district season.

Stay tuned.

District 3-5A Soccer Standings

GIRLS

All District

Team W L T W L

San Angelo Central 10 3 0 2 0

Midland Lee 7 4 1 1 0

Abilene High 11 1 0 1 0

Midland High 12 3 0 1 1

Odessa High 9 4 1 1 1

Permian 5 7 1 0 2

Abilene Cooper 3 9 0 0 2

Monday’s Score

Abilene High 1, Permian 0

Tuesday’s Scores

Odessa High 1, Abilene Cooper 0 (SO, 2-1)

San Angelo Central 2, Midland High 0

Friday’s Games

Abilene High vs. Abilene Cooper, 5 p.m.

Odessa High vs. Permian, 6 p.m.

Saturday’s Game

Midland High vs. Midland Lee, noon

———

BOYS

All District

Team W L T W L

Midland High 4 4 6 2 0

Abilene Cooper 5 6 1 2 0

Odessa High 7 4 2 1 1

Permian 5 5 1 1 1

Abilene High 3 7 0 0 1

Midland Lee 6 7 1 0 1

San Angelo Central 6 6 0 0 2

Monday’s Score

Midland High 3, San Angelo Central 0

Tuesday’s Scores

Permian 2, Abilene High 0

Abilene Cooper 3, Odessa High 1

Friday’s Games

Midland High vs. Midland Lee, 7 p.m.

Abilene High vs. Abilene Cooper, 7 p.m.

Odessa High vs. Permian, 8 p.m.