It was Diamond Hill-Jarvis last year. Now Trimble Tech is leading Fort Worth boys soccer
When Diamond Hill-Jarvis made its playoff run to the boys soccer state championship game last season, the city of Fort Worth got behind the program.
The Eagles’ trip to the state semifinals was the first for any Fort Worth ISD soccer team, boys or girls. Their appearance in the title game was the district’s first in the six major team sports — football, volleyball, soccer, basketball, baseball, softball — since 2007.
One year later and Trimble Tech is two wins away from being in the same spot.
The Bulldogs (27-3-1) take on Amarillo Palo Duro (24-1-2) in the Class 5A Region 1 tournament at 3 p.m. on Friday at Memorial Stadium in Wichita Falls. If they win, the regional final will be noon on Saturday.
“It’s very exciting to see Trimble Tech advance to the regional tournament. They were so close last year,” said Amanda Atlas, Fort Worth assistant athletic director. “When Diamond Hill-Jarvis advanced last year, we were all just shocked. Now, with Tech, we are just enjoying it. The expectations have risen for FWISD soccer.”
Tech made history last year.
After finishing fourth in district, the Bulldogs upset Mansfield Summit in the first round.
Then they beat Birdville in the second round to clinch a spot in the regional quarterfinals for the first time. However, their season ended against Grapevine, 3-1, in the quarterfinal round.
But after the loss, Tech coach James Williams already knew that 2022 would be special.
“We performed well and I knew we would be stronger this year,” Williams said. “This team is a family. In fact, ‘family forever’ is the slogan on our hoodies. They are all close and know how each other thinks on the field, which allows us to play faster and move better than the teams we have faced so far.”
Williams has been at Tech since 2008.
He started as the junior varsity coach in 2014, and took over the varsity team in 2019 when the school was pushed up to Class 6A during the 2018-20 UIL realignment.
The Bulldogs competed with schools twice their size in enrollment and missed the playoffs during the 2019 and 2020 seasons, but Williams said that competition helped.
“This year is the culmination of four years of hard work by my seniors and they have earned it,” Williams said. “I knew Wyatt would be the team to beat in district and I was right. We defeated them to win district in the last game of the season. For me the goal was always to be still playing.”
Tech beat Everman, 9-2, in the bi-district round. It beat Colleyville Heritage, 3-2, in area and shut out Arlington Heights, 4-0, in the regional quarterfinals.
“We are all blessed to have this kind of opportunity to represent Fort Worth ISD,” senior Daniel Jimenez said. “We have worked hard to get this far. This group of guys is a family and we grew closer and closer during tough games. Being with family is always the best feeling. I have enjoyed every moment with my teammates.”
Jimenez scored a goal against Heritage, which had made the regional final last season.
The Bulldogs own a 103-28 goal differential and have posted 17 shutouts behind goalkeepers Aaron Ceja, a senior, and junior Andres Martinez, with Ceja playing majority of the minutes.
Four players have scored more than 10 goals; Daniel Gutierrez, Julian Hernandez, Yahir Sanchez and Ivan Mulgado.
By comparison, Palo Duro has outscored teams 109-27 with 11 shutouts.
It’s the Dons’ second straight trip to the regional semifinals. They won the District 3-5A championship.
“These boys know what it means to fight to win. I have been involved with soccer since 1984. I know that any team can win on any given day, but I am a mathematician by trade. We have tried to do everything we can to increase our chances of success and so far, we have been blessed with victories.
“We just want everyone to know that Tech is good at soccer. That sounds simple, but that’s the point. We want to be known as the team to beat.”
Regional Tournament
Fort Worth-area teams
Boys
Keller: 18-game winning streak
Grapevine: Hasn’t lost a match all season (26-0-2)
Mansfield Lake Ridge: Three goals scored in each of first three playoff games
Midlothian Heritage: Knocked off Diamond Hill-Jarvis in regional quarterfinals
Castleberry: Hasn’t lost in regulation since Jan. 22
FW Trimble Tech: First trip to the regional tournament
Girls
Southlake Carroll: Outscoring playoff teams 16-1
Keller: Hasn’t given up a goal since Feb. 11 (9 straight shutouts)
Mansfield: 107-13 goal differential this season
Colleyville Heritage: First trip to the regional tournament since 2011
Grapevine: Sixth trip to the regional tournament in past seven seasons (not including 2020)
Midlothian: Averaging nearly four goals per game in the playoffs
Argyle: One loss in 25 matches and outscoring teams by 156 goals
Midlothian Heritage: Defending 4A champ making fourth straight trip to the regional tournament
This story was originally published April 7, 2022 at 2:03 PM.