Jackets lock up soccer playoff spot

Kingfisher erased an early deficit, battled the wind and secured a playoff spot all in one night.

Senior Alan Muñoz scored two goals and assisted on another as the Jackets beat Alva 4-1 at home Tuesday in a District 3A-2 boys soccer game.

The victory gave KHS a 2-2 district record and locked up the fourth playoff spot in the district, which meant the outcome of Thursday’s 8-1 home loss to Mount St. Mary didn’t matter.

The Jackets will play at Crooked Oak on May 2 in the first round of the Class 3A playoffs.

Crooked Oak won District 3A-1.

The visiting Goldbugs scored on a penalty kick 28 minutes into the game.

Muñoz returned the favor 11 minutes later when he scored on a penalty kick.

The senior gave the Jackets the lead - one they didn’t lose - in the 65th minute.

Zander Padilla assisted the goal as the Jackets went up 2-1.

Padilla garnered another assist just one minute later on a Konner Baartman goal.

Reid Witt wrapped up the scoring with 12 minutes to play as he netted a goal on a Muñoz assist.

“It was a tough game,” coach Isaac Waltman said after his team moved to 4-6 overall. “There was a lot of wind for our guys to deal with.”

The victory was the second in as many days for the Jackets.

They went on the road Monday and thumped Cordell 9-0.

The Jackets were without Muñoz, but got production from a variety of other players.

Baartman recorded a hat trick and added two more assists.

Padilla scored twice while Santiago Ortega gathered four assists.

The Jackets also got goals from Christopher Orozco, Witt and Xander Bolner, who also had two assists.

The scoring started early as Orozco used a header to score off Ortega’s corner kick just 3:30 into the game.

The Jackets were up 4-0 only 19 minutes in and 5-0 at halftime.

“With Alan out, this was really a great team win,” Waltman said.

He added that Baartman and Bolner, both seniors “really stepped up and took control of the game.”

Injuries and other issues forced several underclassmen into new positions and starting roles.

“They handled that pressure extremely well,” Waltman said.

Mount St. Mary got its district record to 4-1 with Thursday’s win over the Jackets on “senior night.”

Two of those seniors - Muñoz with the goal and Bolner with the assist - hooked up for Kingfisher’s lone goal.

The Jackets ended district play with a 2-3 mark.

They’ll enter Tuesday’s regular-season finale at Weatherford with a 4-7 record.