Through one round of the UIL soccer playoffs, several East Texas teams got over their first hurdle and now are facing area matchups.

First off is the Robert E. Lee boys’ soccer team, which took care of Killeen Ellison 4-0 to reach the area round for the ninth time in 11 years. Senior forward Collin Berry had a brace in the victory.

The Red Raiders are enjoying a strong run of success as REL hasn’t lost since its Jan. 27 district opener. Lee is in the midst of a 14-match unbeaten streak.

The Red Raiders (18-3-2) will meet up with a familiar foe in the next round, too. Lee and North Mesquite are scheduled to kick off at 7:30 p.m. Friday from Bruce Field in Athens. Lee and North Mesquite were district rivals for nearly a decade.

“They are always big, strong and physical and are a well-coached team, so it will be an interesting game,” Lee coach Marty Germany said of North Mesquite. “We try to look at it as one game at a time (and this is the next one).”

In Class 5A, the Longview Lady Lobos took out Lindale 2-0 in bi-district and will next play Mansfield Legacy in area on Thursday at 7 p.m. at Bruce Field in Athens. Longview (17-3-3) received two goals from Selma Deluna in the win.

The Lufkin boys and girls teams are moving on after the Lady Panthers edged Pine Tree 2-1 and the Panthers took out Longview 3-1. Both now look west for their area opponents but are staying in the Piney Woods for their matches. The Lufkin girls will face Red Oak at 6 p.m. Thursday at Trinity Mother Frances Rose Stadium, with the Lufkin boys battling Dallas Spruce at 6 p.m. Friday at Lobo Stadium in Longview.

The Hallsville girls and boys teams won their bi-district games, with the Bobcats too much for Nacogdoches (4-2) and the Lady Bobcats blanking Whitehouse (2-0). The two teams join up in a playoff doubleheader Thursday at Eagle Stadium in Lindale. First up are the Hallsville boys against Dallas Adamson at 6 p.m., followed by the Hallsville girls vs. Waxahachie at 8 p.m.

The Jacksonville Indians got past Pine Tree last week in a penalty-kick shootout and now turn their attention to Mansfield Lake Ridge. The Indians and Lake Ridge will tangle in the area round at 6 p.m. Thursday from Tiger Stadium in Corsicana.

In Class 4A, the area round is loaded with boys and girls teams from East Texas.

First off on the girls side of things, Kilgore, Mabank, Athens and Henderson all won their 4A Region II bi-district playoff games. Kilgore routed Gladewater 7-0, Mabank blanked Tatum 4-0, Athens took care of Spring Hill 3-1 and Henderson got past Chapel Hill 3-1.

The Kilgore Lady Dogs will next face Liberty-Eylau at 6 p.m. Thursday from Marshall’s Maverick Stadium. The Henderson Lady Lions will face Pleasant Grove at 6 p.m. at Hawk Stadium in Texarkana. Mabank and Athens are both on to the next round after byes created by the lack of a District 14 and only two teams in District 13.

Several Class 4A boys teams from the area enjoyed strong bi-district victories and now face Region II area matchups. Kilgore destroyed Gladewater 10-0, Athens blanked Waskom 4-0, Henderson was too much for Chapel Hill in a 5-1 win and Mabank grabbed the program’s first playoff win, 1-0 over Tatum.

Kilgore will face Pleasant Grove at 7 p.m. Thursday at Hawk Stadium in Texarkana while Liberty-Eylau and Mabank meet at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Pine Tree’s Pirate Stadium in Longview. Athens will battle Atlanta at 7 p.m. Friday at Lobo Stadium in Longview and Henderson is slated to take on Pittsburg on Thursday at a site yet to be determined.

In Region III, the Palestine Wildcats made quick work of China Spring 5-0 and will next face Liberty at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Huntsville High School.

 

TWITTER: @CParryETFS