Not necessarily with the Tigers’ success and the national ranking that have come with their 13 straight wins entering Tuesday night’s match against rival Temple, but more with the way they’ve handled their rise.
“With the rankings and everything, I thought our heads were going to go sky-high,” Caffey said. “I thought we might bottom out, but we’ve stayed strong.”
Belton - up to No. 10 in ESPN RISE’s Fab 50 national poll - looked every bit the part of one the state’s top teams in blowing past Temple 3-0 at Woodson Field to remain atop District 12-5A.
But with Belton already leading 2-0 at halftime thanks to a pair of goals by New Mexico signee Caffey, Tigers coach Tarcisio Mosnia got the sense that his team got complacent.
It was something the Tigers (16-1 overall, 6-0 12-5A) hadn’t done in their previous district contests. Belton had won its first five 12-5A games by just more than six goals per game.
For whatever reason, the second half seemed to take a little luster off the Tigers’ 14th straight win.
“I think being up 2-0, these guys are happy about it . . . ,” Mosnia said. “We just can’t have those letups. If they just take one shot and they score, now the momentum goes the other way suddenly.”
That never materialized, though. The Wildcats (11-7, 3-3) took just five shots against goalkeeper Manuel Amaya, including two in the final six minutes.
With a key home match against fellow district leader College Station A&M Consolidated looming Friday, the Tigers know they can’t afford to let up again with the lead.
“Everybody knows if you get a big head, the only thing that can happen is that you might fall,” Caffey said.
Facing pressure from the Tigers’ fast-paced offense for most of the night, Temple coach Matt Corley thought his young team handled it fairly well.
Belton peppered goalkeeper Brandon Stegmeyer with 18 shots, but Temple was able to turn away the high-scoring Tigers time after time. But a pair of mistakes early allowed Caffey to increase his season goal total to 23.
Caffey helped the Tigers take control by scoring twice in the first 22 minutes. Both times he was able to get the ball in the front of the net, taking advantage of Wildcat misplays on defensive clearances.
“The first two goals in the first half, we kind of gave it to them,” Corley said. “They were mistakes on our players . . . you give (Caffey) those kinds of opportunities, he’ll put them away every time.”
Forward Vincent Crepeau scored in the 77th minute to cap the scoring.
Scoring didn’t come as easily for the Wildcats. Temple had several first-half chances off corner kicks but were unable to put the ball in the net.
The biggest thing the Wildcats need to do now is regain their confidence, starting Friday night at Killeen Ellison.
“I don’t think we’ve peaked,” Corley said. “I don’t think that we’re anywhere close to peaking. All we can do now is keep our head up, come to practice and keep working and come out against Ellison on Friday and just concentrate on getting back in the winning mode.”
The Tigers’ second-half letup couldn’t completely overshadow another win. Belton has already showed just how dangerous it can be - especially when it keeps the pressure on for 80 minutes.
“They’re not playing bad,” Mosnia said with a grin. “They’re playing pretty well."
rschneider@temple-telegram.com
