Sam Rayburn players carried Coach Bijan Timjani from the field following a shootout victory that earned the Texans a share of the District 22-5A title.
In the end, it was a reward too good not to share.
The boys soccer teams from Sam Rayburn and Memorial both claimed first-ever district championships on Saturday, the result of a final-game tie between the Texans and Pasadena Eagles and a subsequent shootout victory for Sam Rayburn.
The Texans’ Ian Lively supplied the clinching penalty kick that wrapped up a 3-1 Sam Rayburn shootout victory tacked on to a 1-1 tie with the Eagles.
The kick followed a sensational shootout effort by Sam Rayburn goalkeeper Matthew Gutierrez, who saved three straight Pasadena attempts, much to the delight of the Texans contingent in the Veterans Memorial Stadium stands.
Sam Rayburn could have claimed an outright District 22-5A title with a victory, but following a 40-minute deadlock, the Texans needed the shootout victory to tie Memorial in the district standings.
The final standings showed both teams with 10-0-4 records and 36 points. Head-to-head, the schools had settled nothing during the regular season, both coming away with a shootout victory after tie games.
As such, the teams were declared co-champions and a contest was immediately scheduled to determine the seed order for the state playoffs. Memorial and Sam Rayburn will meet again Monday at 6 p.m. at Veterans Memorial Stadium with the winner getting the first seed and the loser the second.
Pasadena finished as the district’s No. 3 seed. Dobie completed another Pasadena ISD sweep of 22-5A by taking the fourth seed.
On the girls side, Memorial finished with the No. 2 seed and Dobie with the No. 4 seed. State playoff pairings remained incomplete late Saturday, but Dobie’s schedule was set for both the boys and girls.
Both will play Deer Park, a double champion in District 21-5A. Deer Park will host both games, the girls contest at 5 p.m. and the boys contest at 7 p.m.
The Eagles grabbed an early 1-0 lead on Sam Rayburn on a goal by Jesus Cantu. Sam Rayburn tied it up midway through the first half on a free kick by Ivan Rosales from 25 yards out. Although Pasadena stayed on the offensive for most of the second half, neither team could break the deadlock.
Then, in the shootout, the Eagles made only the first of their four penalty kicks, that by Julio Montano. Sam Rayburn’s Gutierrez rejected the other three.
The winner of Monday’s Sam Rayburn-Memorial game will face Baytown Sterling, the No. 4 seed from 21-5A. Monday’s loser will play North Shore. That game has been set for Friday at 7 p.m. at Deer Park.
Pasadena will play Port Arthur Memorial at a place and time to be determined.
Sam Rayburn's Ian Lively plants and boots the clinching penalty kick.
Pasadena's Luis Cayon dribbles between Sam Rayburn defenders Armando Jimenez (3), Daniel Hernandez (21) and Ivan Rosales (10).
Sam Rayburn's Samson Tamijani (5) tangles with Pasadena's Jose Araujo (19) for control of the ball.
Pasadena goalkeeper Diego Pineda corrals a breakaway shot on goal by the Texans' Ian Lively with 12 minutes left in the game.
After supplying the clinching penalty kick, Sam Rayburn's Ina Lively waits to be mobbed by teammates.
Sam Rayburn players continue their celebration in front of their fans.