The Ranger soccer team opened the University Interscholastic League (UIL) District 9-6A season with a pair of setbacks to Plano West and McKinney Boyd. A late comeback fell short in a 3-2 setback to Plano West on Jan. 22 before the Rangers dropped a 2-1 decision to Boyd on Jan. 25. Jesuit will head into the second week of district competition hoping to snap a three-game skid against Prosper and Allen.
 
vs. Plano West – Jan. 22
 
Senior James Koshakji and junior Diego Sierra scored goals for the Rangers against Plano West as junior Renin Seely added his second assist of the season. Senior Connor Tullis racked up five saves for the Rangers as Jesuit earned a pair of corner kick opportunities and drew seven Plano West fouls.
 
Plano West took the first shot on target early in the first half before senior John Scott Lacina placed a shot on target in the 16th minute for Jesuit's first major opportunity. Plano West scored its first goal of the game on the counter, taking a 1-0 lead in the 27th minute. The Wolves would score again in the 39th minute to take a 2-0 lead into the halftime break.
 
Jesuit cut the lead in half in the 51st minute, when Sierra and Seely moved downfield with a numbers advantage. The two pushed the ball deep into Wolves' territory, where Seely launched a ball into the box towards a waiting Sierra, who collected his team-leading sixth goal of the season.
 
Sierra had an opportunity to tie the contest in the 61st minute when the Rangers earned a penalty kick, but the junior sent his attempt wide of the net to keep the deficit at one goal in the waning moments of the second half. Plano West scored in the 65th minute to increase the lead back to two goals before Koshakji scored his first goal of the season on Jesuit's second penalty kick of the contest, a foul drawn in the box by Lacina.
 
vs. McKinney Boyd – Jan. 25
 
The Broncos scored in the 25th minute after controlling the opening portion of the match. Tullis would secure a pair of saves in the first half, opening the door for Foerster's first goal of the 2019 season. The Rangers cashed in on mounting pressure later in the half as Seely and Sierra hit the post on consecutive shots, only to find a waiting Foerster slammed home the rebound to tie the contest at 1-1.
 
Boyd's defense locked down on the Blue and Gold out of the halftime break, only allowing one shot on goal over the opening 20 minutes of the second half to help allow the Broncos the opening to take the lead back in the 63rd minute on a lofted ball which went over the Ranger goalkeeper's head.
 
With 10 minutes remaining in regulation, Jesuit made one final push towards the Boyd lead with a flurry of shot attempts. A shot by Sierra was block, a header from senior Kazuma Hirota was sent just wide and a pair of late corner kicks were turned away.
 
Jesuit will return to action on Tuesday, when the Blue and Gold will travel to Prosper High School to face the Eagles at 7:30 p.m. The Rangers will return home on Friday, Feb. 1 to battle Allen at 7:30 p.m.