Coming into the championship game of the Temple Wildcat Kickoff Showcase on Saturday night, the Wildcats had won their four games by an average of three goals per game.
After a 3-1 semifinal win over Waco Midway on Saturday morning, Temple coaches warned their team before the meeting with Midland Lee at Woodson Field that the Rebels would be a tougher draw than it had faced so far this season.
They were right. But in the end, the Wildcats were better.
Behind a pair of goals from Brad Lawrence, Temple beat Lee 2-1 to take the tournament title.
Against the best competition the Wildcats had faced, coach Matt Corley knew it would be important to make sure his forwards didn’t get frustrated if the scores didn’t come as easily as they had earlier in the tournament.
“That is something we were worried about when you score four or five goals a game, then you get into a game like this,” Corley said. “When you get to the end of the year, all the playoff games are going to be like this.”
It took the Wildcats (5-0) nearly 30 minutes to score their first goal, a ball tipped in by Lawrence after it was bobbled and dropped by Lee’s goalkeeper.
Lawrence scored his second goal - and third of the season - in the 41st minute, heading in a crossing pass from Tyler Schneider to give the Wildcats a 2-1 lead.
Lawrence said he figured Schneider would try to cross the ball from the right corner back across the middle, so the trick was getting in the right position.
“I knew he was going to cross . . . I just tried to be in the right place,” Lawrence said.
Lawrence was one of five Wildcats named to the all-tournament team. He was joined by Sean Coles, who scored 11 goals in five games, goalie Matt Elliott, midfielder Josh Pickett and defender Chase Moore.
Pickett, Coles and Ryan Staten each scored goals against Midway, which didn’t allowed a goal in its first three tournament games.
Though he had played well throughout the tournament, allowing seven goals in five games, Elliott likely secured his all-tournament spot with several key saves in the closing moments.
Twice Elliott swatted away would-be goals that would have tied the game for the Rebels. Elliott also made a key stop before halftime to keep the game tied at 1.
“He made one great save in the first half . . . if that ball would have gone in, that would have changed the momentum, everything,” Corley said. “All the credit to Matt - he saved our butt.”
Coming into the tournament, the Wildcats already had a set starting lineup, as well as experience at key positions. But more than anything, players said they wanted to send a message to area teams.
“We were just looking to prove ourselves, because I think we’re going to be a really good team this year,” Lawrence said. “We wanted to prove we’re one of the best teams out there.
rschneider@temple-telegram.com
