Richland Fall sports rewind

Men's soccer

A promising season for the men's

soccer team ended prematurely due to an on-field fight with rival Mountain View

College on Oct. 21.  The altercation, which was ruled a bench-clearing event by the game

official, resulted in an automatic two-game

suspension for the team by the NJCAA.  As a result, the team was unable to compete in the

Region 5 championship on Oct. 29 and did not advance to the national tournament for only the second time in the past 10 seasons.  Multiple appeals filed by the school were

rejected by the NJCAA.

Freshmen Victor Pinal and Robert

Lundstrom led the team with nine goals each in the shortened season.  The team had risen as high as second in the national rankings

before the incident occurred.

Women's soccer

After defeating rival Mountain View twice during the regular season, the women's

soccer team was unable to collect a third win in the conference finals, falling 1-0.

 "We gave up a goal real early on a mistake and we just couldn't score a goal after that," said head coach Scott Toups.  "The hardest thing to do in sports is beat somebody three times in a row."  The loss kept the team from advancing to the national tournament, which the team won in 2009.

Forward Malin Qvarnstrom had an

outstanding season for the Lady

Thunderducks, leading the team with 16 goals and 14 assists.  The women finished the season as the ninth-ranked team in the nation, according to the NJCAA.

The team unofficially finished the

season with a 12-5-2 mark but was forced to

forfeit its first 12 games of the season due to a scheduling error.

"All of your classes have to start before the last regular season game," said Toups, who admitted that an unintentional mistake had been made on the schedule. "We appealed it.  We showed all of the documentation

showing that we had it covered, but they ruled against us."

Volleyball

It was a difficult season for the Lady

Thunderducks volleyball team.  The team stumbled out of the gate, losing its first four matches to elite competition at the Tyler

Junior College Tournament, and ended its season in similar fashion with six straight losses.  The team finished the season with a 7-20 record, including a sweep of rival Mountain View.

"We have a lot of great talent, but we're not playing up to our potential," said head coach Zelda Smith earlier this season.  "It's about being inexperienced, learning to play together and trusting each other."

Outside hitter ShaQuoia Mask was named to the Region 5 First Team while freshman Taiesha Brown and libero Chelsea Goolsby were awarded second-team nominations.  

 "We've got a solid core group coming back next year," said Smith. "I am looking forward to spring ball."

Basketball

Following a 4-28 record last season, the men's basketball team is off to a much better start in 2011.  The men have jumped out to an 11-5 record, and head coach Jon Felmet has a good idea why.

"The scheduling and the attitude of the team," said Felmet.  "Out of the 18

nonconference games we had last season, 16 were Division I opponents."

Though the schedule has been more

manageable early on, a stiff test awaits the Thunderducks when Metro Athletic Conference play begins on Jan. 14, 2012.  Brookhaven (6) and Mountain View (7) are both currently ranked within the national Top 10, and Felmet expects a stiff challenge once the games begin.  

"Every night is going to be a battle.  I think it's going to come down to mental

preparation and mental toughness to win games," said Felmet.  "We are pretty up and down right now.  But if the guys can stay more

focused, I think we can make a good run."

Freshman forward Billy Sherakas of Lake Travis High School currently leads the team with 9.9 points per game.