GEORGETOWN, TX — After two years, no more explaining what could have been anymore.
LEE made up for a bitter loss in the 2019 final by beating Rockwall-Heath 2-0 to capture the UIL Class 6A state championship Saturday night at Birkelbach Field.
The victory will go a long way toward erasing the memory of falling to Flower Mound on penalty kicks in the 6A state championship two years ago on the same field.
“It’s a dream come true, really,” said LEE senior goalkeeper Joey Batrouni, who’s headed to Coastal Carolina. “The last two years was the dreadful work of getting back to state. We could have done it last year, and we got our season ruined from COVID. This year, we had our chance and we did it. … We’re state champions — 2021.”
Two years ago, LEE and Flower Mound played to a scoreless draw through regulation and overtime before the Volunteers fell 4-1 on penalty kicks.
LEE ensured there wouldn’t be any penalty kick drama Saturday after goals by Henry Bowland and Giovanni Garcia.
But things got interesting when Batrouni traded blows with Rockwall-Heath’s Brock Bernard, and both were issued red cards with 6:26 remaining.
Batrouni had to leave the game and the Volunteers finished with backups Ibrahim Asimbahwe and Jesus Blanco, who played forward before getting pressed into duty in front of the net.
“I don’t care how I walked off the field,” Batrouni said. “I’m proud of these boys and what we accomplished.”
Bowland, who will be Batrouni’s teammate at Coastal Carolina, was named the game’s MVP. Bowland did a masterful job of directing the midfield and sustaining pressure on the Hawks, who had been spectacular on defense in their playoff run.
Health (15-9-1) had tallied five shutouts in six playoff matches heading into Saturday’s final.
“This was a great team with a really good defense and a solid goalkeeper,” junior forward Julian Sanchez said. “We just had to break them down, pass around, move around and try to score, really.”
The Hawks’ unlikely run came after they went 0-4-3 in their last seven regular-season games. The Hawks were making a bid to become the Texas state soccer state champion with the fewest wins and most losses.
But LEE wasn’t about to let Rockwall-HeaFth write a final chapter in the Cinderella story. Instead, the Volunteers locked up the city’s first state title in UIL’s highest classification since Churchill won it all in 2003.
“This couldn’t be any more sweet,” LEE coach David Rogers said. “We’ve been knocking on the door for four years — regional finals, state finals, undefeated last year, and the only thing missing was a state championship.”
The Volunteers were counting on redemption last year when they were 17-0-1 and ranked No. 2 in the nation. But the COVID-19 pandemic ended their season prematurely.
“Last year, we got robbed because COVID happened,” Sanchez said. “It feels unreal that I have a gold medal right here on my chest.”
On Saturday, the Volunteers (28-1) dominated play for the most part, outshooting the Hawks 6-4.
The Volunteers scored the first half’s only goal when Bowland finished off a nice cross by Sanchez at the 24:34 mark.
But LEE missed on two big chances to add to the score before halftime.
Bowland missed a penalty kick off the crossbar with 4:35 left. Junior Davis Kelly drew the penalty after he was tripped in the box.
The Volunteers nearly atoned for that a minute later when Dante Valencia missed a one-timer over an open net.
LEE added another goal with 25:36 to play when Garcia headed in a pass from Bowland to make it 2-0.
Garcia was one of six Volunteers who made the Class 6A boys all-tournament team. Others included Bowland, Sanchez, Davis Kelly, Gavin Seesholtz and Jonathan Facio.
LEE was one of two area teams that claimed state championships Saturday.
Boerne defeated Fort Worth Diamond Hill-Jarvis 3-1 to win the 4A state championship. It was the Greyhounds’ first state championship since 2006, when Rogers coached the team. Rogers then led Boerne Champion to a state title in 2011.
“I’m very proud of Boerne,” Rogers said. “LEE, I knew we were knocking on the door for a couple of years now. But San Antonio soccer is definitely on the rise.”
