Ranger faces Western Texas for Region V North Title

Following a 3-0 win over Hill College in the Region V North semifinal, Western Texas set up a rubber match against Ranger College in the championship match Wednesday at 7 p.m. at The Depot in Cleburne.

While the teams have similar records, Ranger, 8-2, and Western, 9-4-2, they have gone about earning those victories in different fashions. Led by Kyle Edwards, RC averages nearly four and a half goals a game, while the Westerners have averaged just two goals a game in their 15 matches.

Edwards scored four of his 21 goals this season against WTC. As a team, Western Texas scored 30 goals for the entire season. Aside from Edwards, Ranger has had two other players, Chris Harrison and Azinho Solomon score at least two goals in a single match.

Matthew Alvardo led Western Texas with four goals. WTC had three other players score three goals.

In the team's first matchup in Ranger, RC jumped out to a 2-0 lead before the Westerners answered back to cut the lead in half. Ranger went back up by two goals when Edwards scored for the second time. However, Mario Banegaes scored his only two goals of the season in a comeback effort that gave Western Texas a 4-3.

With the conference title and regional tournament No. 1 seed on the line, Ranger went to Snyder looking to earn its first conference title and extract a little revenge. That's exactly what the Rangers did. Edwards and Harrison each scored a pair of goals and Jose Mario added one of his own as Ranger built a 5-0 lead before Western got on the board.   

The winner will head to Topeka, Kansas to play in the District Tournament Nov. 2-3 for a chance to advance to the National Tournament in Scottsdale, Arizona.