Deja vu: McKinney Boyd outlasts Flower Mound on PKs again

But Boyd head coach Colby Peek likes a good redemption story, and he watched on as his Broncos came through in the clutch on Thursday to outlast Flower Mound on PKs, 4-3, from McKinney ISD Stadium to win another nip-and-tuck bout between the two in the bi-district playoffs.

"I'm so proud of these guys. We graduated 18 seniors last year and tons of offense, guys who are playing at the next level," Peek said. "I thought we'd struggle to score goals, but we've still managed to score. There isn't one superstar, it's a bunch of guys who grind and work and do it for each other."

FINAL: @BoydSoccerR2L def @FMJagsSoccer 1-1 (4-3 PKs)MARK BUCKINGHAM IN THE CLUTCH!!! The Boyd keeper turns away Flower Mound's last 2 PK tries!! For the 2nd straight year, the Broncos outlast the Jaguars in a bi-district shootout and advance. pic.twitter.com/7ubNb7EfW8

— Matt Welch (@MWelchSLM) March 24, 2023

Thursday marked the second straight year the Broncos and Jaguars collided in the opening round of the postseason, with Boyd getting the better of last season's meeting on PKs as well, 5-4. But whereas that match was a showcase of resiliency by the Broncos in weathering a two-goal deficit at halftime, they had to overcome a hard-luck finish to regulation in Thursday's rematch.

Boyd had held a 1-0 lead since the ninth minute of the match, only for Flower Mound to net the equalizer in the 76th minute after a lengthy throw-in was parlayed into a header from senior Luke Spalding to knot the count at 1-1.

"It's a little deflating, a little tough," Peek said. "We were hoping we could hang on, but I feel the adversity we put those guys through in the offseason — times where they had a choice to either keep going or quit — it prepares them for those moments. It's deflating, but you've got a second to be deflated and you've got to come back."

Spalding's tying goal came amid a late flurry of offense from the Jaguars, enough to keep the two teams gridlocked through the remainder of regulation and the subsequent pair of 10-minute overtime frames.

Goal, @FMJagsSoccer!! With 4:39 to go, Flower Mound nets the equalizer vs McKinney Boyd. Jaguars get a throw-in into the box and Luke Spalding finishes it with a header! Tied 1-1. pic.twitter.com/UNPZc8rkSU

— Matt Welch (@MWelchSLM) March 24, 2023

Boyd's hardships were compounded not long into the shootout, as its first penalty kick careened off the right post and out. The Broncos regrouped to make their next four attempts, however, with junior Cesar Batres, senior Jason Hoyle, senior Nissim Pingue and senior Charles Drew all converting.

But it came while playing catch-up to the Jaguars, who converted their first three PKs on shots from junior Landon deLeeuw, senior Omar Jaber and senior Drew Leyman.

Boyd managed to wrest that momentum from Flower Mound, courtesy of some clutch work in net by senior Mark Buckingham. The Broncos' longtime PK goalkeeper came through with back-to-back saves on the Jaguars' final two tries, the last of which clinched the match and sent Boyd to area round of the playoffs for the third straight year.

"I'm definitely used to it at this point," Buckingham said. "I've been doing it for a long time and been in a lot of shootouts. I've learned how to control my emotions and I'm proud to be our PK keeper."

Said Peek: "I know how he felt on that end of the field in this stadium at the regional tournament last year after we lost that shootout to Keller. He didn't make any saves but was really close. So to come out tonight and do that, making saves on two really good shots, I hugged him and told him how proud I was of him."

Although Thursday's bi-district rematch once again required PKs, the build to that shootout was a marked contrast to last season's encounter. Whereas Flower Mound established control early into that meeting, it was Boyd who took the lead in the ninth minute on Thursday following a brilliant strike from near midfield on a free kick by Drew that cleared the Jaguars' defense and sailed over the head of senior keeper Luis Calzada for an early 1-0 lead.

Set pieces were a common theme in both teams' more opportune chances on Thursday, including a dizzying sequence early into the second half where Boyd and Flower Mound generated looks in the box off free kicks roughly a minute apart, capped by a long shot from Broncos junior Matthew Mitchell that hit the crossbar.

But Flower Mound's pressure amplified as the second half progressed, culminating in Spalding's equalizer with 4:39 remaining on the clock. The Jaguars exit in the bi-district round following an 11-5-3 season that produced a second straight runner-up finish in 6-6A.

Boyd, meanwhile, awaits the winner of Friday's bi-district tilt between Arlington Martin and state-ranked Irving.

"It's an amazing feeling. It's the best feeling that I've had, maybe ever. I'm really excited to keep playing," Buckingham said.