L.D. Bell soccer senior has special moment in playoff opener amid magical season

James Kebaso scored in the fifth minute to put the L.D. Bell boys soccer team up 1-0 over Southlake Carroll during the first round of the playoffs on March 25.

It set the tone for a Bell victory.

But as big of a goal it was for the Blue Raiders, it was an even bigger goal for Kebaso.

Kebaso, who plays with a brace on his left knee, has had problems with the knee ever since the eighth grade.

“I ran track in middle school and did the triple jump,” Kebaso said. “My ACL, growth plate, it’s been everything. I’ve seen six doctors and they all say different things. They just couldn’t figure it out.”

Kebaso added a second-half goal as Bell won 2-0 for the program’s first playoff win since 2000.

Then Bell beat El Paso Socorro 1-0 during Tuesday’s area championship. It might be the first time the team clinched a spot in the regional quarterfinals.

“His entire career, he’s had to fight off that knee injury,” Bell coach Marty Reeves said. “For the last four years, he’s been dying to get out there with his teammates.”

Kebaso played most of his freshman season on the junior varsity team then was pulled up to varsity for their playoff game against Arlington. Bell lost, but Kebaso assisted on their only goal.

He was hurt as a sophomore and played limited minutes before the season was canceled because of COVID.

As a junior, he had surgery and didn’t play a single minute.

“This is my first year playing with anyone on this team. That first goal [against Carroll] meant everything for me,” he said. “God blessed me to play this game. I don’t know what’s wrong with my knee. But to score in front of my home crowd was crazy.”

Reeves said it was the first time this season Kebaso played all 80 minutes.

He said that Kebaso usually plays anywhere from 20 to 40 minutes a game.

“Super resilient kid and has a huge heart,” Reeves said. “The talent is massive. Total difference maker.”

Bell (17-6-2), which won the District 3-6A title, plays a Class 6A Region 1 quarterfinal against 4-6A champ Keller (21-2) at 8 p.m. Friday at Pennington Field. The winner will advance to the regional tournament.

“My team supports me no matter how much I play. My teammates are everything to me,” Kebaso said. “It’s been hell all these years trying to rehab. I didn’t know what to do in my life, but it was great to have my team behind me, support me and push me to be the best player I can be.”