WINNEMUCCA - Coming into the final two regular season games of the year, the playoff scenario for the Lowry High School varsity boys soccer team was a simple one. If the Buckaroos won both games they would enter the regional tournament as the fourth seed and play Truckee.
However, it went all wrong for Lowry, who lost 4-2 to Spring Creek at home on Thursday and 3-0 at Elko on Friday, ending its season without a trip to the postseason.
On Thursday against Spring Creek, the Spartans jumped on the board in the third minute Garrett Powell crossed the ball to Evan Morris in the box and Morris finished off the shot to give Spring Creek a 1-0 advantage.
Lowry bounced back to tie the game at 1-1 in the 10th minute as Carlos Aguilar hit a shot off the Spring Creek goalie, where Chris Mendoza was there for the rebound and the goal.
The Buckaroos took the lead in the 29th minute when Colton Irons found Aguilar, who dribbled down the field and scored past the Spartan goalie.
Spring Creek had an opportunity to tie the game in the 32nd minute, but Lowry goalie Orlando Pardini made a save to keep Lowry up by a goal.
That remained the score until a four-minute stretch in the second half that all but decided the fate of the Buckaroos' season.
In the 54th minute, Logan Billin collected a long kick from goalie Star 'Ita and Billin made a move near the goal and scored in the empty net.
Two minutes later, Spring Creek jumped to a 3-2 lead when Billin scored his second goal on a free kick by Morris. In the 56th minute, Brett Allen connected on a free kick from just outside the box to complete the comeback.
"Our season was basically decided in that stretch of four minutes," said LHS head coach Steve Swanson. "We played well for 76 minutes and let down for three minutes. After that we could not get going."
Lowry had a chance to cut the Spring Creek advantage in the 66th minute, but a penalty kick by Chris Mendoza went off the bar. Shortly afterward, a pushing match ensued with one player from each side getting red-carded.
"That was a big momentum shift," Swanson said. "If we make that penalty kick it's game on. When you miss it, it deflates you."
Lowry traveled to Elko on Friday, with the winner claiming the final playoff spot. The Buckaroos beat the Indians earlier in the year in Winnemucca, adding to a six-game losing streak for Elko at the time. The roles were reversed in the final weeks, with Elko getting hot, while Lowry fell on hard times with losses to Truckee, South Tahoe, Sparks, Spring Creek and a second tie to Churchill County.
Elko earned a spot in the playoffs with a 3-0 win, while the Buckaroos ended their season at 5-8-3 in the Division I-A North and 10-9-3 overall.
The first half ended scoreless, when Elko broke through in the 45th minute on a shot by Trevor Garvin that went off the hands of Pardini.
Two minutes later, Victor Hernandez added an insurance goal to up the lead to 2-0. In the 67th minute, Marcus Manuel sealed the victory for the Indians on a goal where he got through the Lowry defense.
[[In-content Ad]]
