Leps Win Soccer Season Opener

Last year the La Grange boys soccer team surged to a 177-2 season record, a 10-2 district mark and went to the second round of the playoffs.

With most of that team back this year, the Leps looked poised for even bigger things this season, and they certainly started that way with a 5-0 win Monday in the season-opener over Wharton at home.

“This game was just a continuation of what we’ve been able to do in our scrimmages,” said William McGonagle, who is heading into his seventh season as head coach of the Leps. “We can score in a lot of different ways in a lot of different moments. For Phillip (Arceneaux, last year’s District MVP) to not score and for us to still win 5-0 shows you the kind of firepower we have.”

Those goals Monday were scored one each by Salvador Aguirre, Anthony Soto, and Xavier Ortiz and two by freshmen Jeffrey Cabrera.

Four of the five goals came from freshmen or sophomores. Meanwhile, everyone who started the game for the Leps were either juniors or seniors.

“We’ve got a great mix of young talent and experience on this team,” McGonagle said.

A trio of goalies helped La Grange shut out Wharton. Will Bundick, Collin Landis and Ramon Ortiz split the goalie duties.

McGonagle said he was also very impressed with the impact CJ Davis and Cody Krupala had on the game when they came off the bench. All in all, it’s an exciting mix of talent for the Leps that McGonagle said makes his expectations for this year’s team high.

“The sky’s the limit,” he said. La Grange will really be tested this weekend as they host a three-day soccer tournament at Leopard Stadium Thursday-Saturday.