Mustangs Move On: Sachse boys advance to regional quarterfinals

The soccer playoffs are known for intense battles and it usually does not wait until the later rounds.

The Sachse boys found themselves in one of those matches on Tuesday, but the Mustangs found a way to claim a 3-2 victory in a Class 6A area round playoff game in Palestine.

The Mustangs (19-3-4) are back in the regional quarterfinal for the second consecutive time and will take on Mansfield Lake Ridge, a 2-1 winner over Tyler Legacy, later this week at a time and place to be determined.

Harun Spahalic was the catalyst on offense for Sachse, dishing out assists on each of the three goals, with Jonathan Majano, Cooper Tea and Haris Dunic providing the finishes, and the defense did the rest.

The Sachse girls were in a similar battle, but suffered a different result, as Belton was able to outlast them in a 2-1 shootout victory in a 6A girls area round game in Mexia.

The Mustangs (16-3-2) struck first on a first-half goal by Nia Chacon and they maintained that 1-0 lead into halftime.

But Belton was able to net the equalizer in the second half and it stayed 1-1 until the end of regulation and through two overtimes.

The shootout mirrored the match, with neither team willing to cede an inch, but Belton was able to do just enough to notch a 6-5 edge in penalties to earn the win.

Earlier in the day, there was the chance of a rivalry showdown in the regional quarterfinals between Sachse and Rowlett, but it did not materialize.

Instead, Belton moves on to the third round to face Mansfield Lake Ridge, who posted an impressive 10-0 win over Rowlett on Tuesday.

Lake Ridge spread the wealth offensively, as Alicia Riggins, Kaylee Mosley and Camryn Lancaster each scored twice, with Callie Conrad, Alexsis Villarreal, Kendall Smith and Lindsey Hughes adding goals.