Two regular season SCAC champions, two undefeated SCAC campaigns, zero losses at home all season, an undefeated men’s team in all competitions, a perfect zero goals allowed at home by the women in SCAC competition and now, two SCAC tournament champions. Two unbelievable SCAC histories came to an end on Nov. 10 at SaberCats Stadium in Houston as the Trinity Tigers claimed two SCAC championship trophies in their final two games in the conference.
The championship games were both incredibly entertaining and completely different. In the early game on Sunday, the women’s team defeated Texas Lutheran University (TLU) with a golden goal in double overtime after a scoreless back-and-forth chess match. The women had defeated Southwestern in the semifinal by one to zero on Friday, Nov. 8 to clinch their spot in Sunday’s final. The women’s SCAC trophy has gotten used to life in San Antonio. It will return to the Bell Center for the ninth time in the last ten years. Only 6 times since the inaugural season have the Tigers not claimed the SCAC title, making this Trinity’s 28th and last-ever SCAC women’s soccer title.
For the men, recent SCAC history has been less pretty. Going into this season, Trinity were 22-time SCAC champions, but they were suffering a five year drought before this season after winning seven titles in a row from 2012 to 2018 and nine titles in a row from 2002 to 2010. Had the Tigers lost this championship, it would have been a bitter pill to swallow for McGinlay after so many years of dominance. Trinity didn’t lose however, they won their game on Sunday beating the University of St. Thomas 4-2 to bring the trophy back home. They, just like the women, defeated Southwestern on Friday, Nov. 8 by a score of one to zero to earn a championship appearance for the fourth straight time.
In sharp contrast to the women’s championship, it only took six minutes and 52 seconds to open the scoring in the men’s. St. Thomas, who beat number one seed Colorado College, had won three straight SCAC tournament championships and knocked Trinity out in four consecutive SCAC tournaments, including three straight finals.
“We felt like no matter who we played this year, no one would match our fight,” JonConnor Rule, senior defender, said. “We don’t fear any opposition.”
Cain opened the score after junior attacking midfielder and top Trinity scorer Adam Knutson picked up the ball on the left edge of the box. Knutson drove to the end line and sweated it across the box to an unmarked Cain.
Then about ten minutes later, Trinity doubled their lead. After a shot off the crossbar and a goal line clearance from St. Thomas, junior midfielder Zach Anderson somehow generated enough power with his neck to head home off a bounce from the edge of the area.
Trinity seemed a shoo-in for the title then, but St. Thomas quickly caught Trinity. An attack up the right wing drew the entire Trinity backline over, shifting them too far and leaving Daniel Castro open even with the back post and the penalty spot. Castro touched the ball down onto the ground with his chest before hitting the ball as it was rising, launching a powerful half volley past everyone.
“We did not give away a goal,” head coach Paul McGinlay said. “Daniel Castro is an unbelievable player, and that goal was world-class.”
No one had a chance to stop it once Castro struck it, claiming his and St. Thomas’s third goal of the tournament and first of the match.
After Castro’s moment, possession balanced out a lot more, a massive change as Trinity had controlled the early proceedings. Junior goalkeeper Omkar Satpathy was forced into action a few times, but no time more important than in the 36th minute. After a moment of brilliance between the St. Thomas left-wing and left-back, referees charged a penalty to junior defender Luke Chandler. Castro lined up to take a penalty shot.
“Before the game, Jozsef, our assistant coach, and I were going through film,” Satpathy said. “I saw that Castro – on every single PK – he waited for the keeper to choose a side and would take a little half-step. I saw him lining up. He took his half step and waited for a second. I took a hard step to my left then I went to my right.”
As anticipated, Satpathy smothered the ball, keeping Trinity ahead. The save put the wind back into Trinity’s sails who suppressed St. Thomas’ offense for the rest of the half.
After a spell of pressure from St. Thomas with several close calls, Trinity gained some control back-building some pressure and near misses of their own. Sophomore defender Cam Smith cut inside and made a move drawing defenders to him. This opened up space for first-year forward Samuel Theiss’s run. Thiess swiveled on the ball and put a first-time cross towards senior defender Will Powell at the back post, who was able to score.
Less than ten minutes later, though, when a whipped in corner kick came down at the back post amidst a stack of bodies and somehow found the net. Elijah Flores claimed the goal, although it was unclear if anyone got a touch on the ball. Then an awkward collision on the sideline saw a second yellow for Ian Alvarez, forcing St Thomas down a man for the final 16 minutes.
This red card marked the third straight game between Trinity and St. Thomas where St. Thomas lost a player.
“The ending was storybook,” said McGinlay, “JC headed. It came straight out to Hunter. He took a couple of touches, looked across and Ty Jarrett was off to the races. Ty was celebrating before the ball was in the net.”
The entire Trinity bench rushed to Jarrett, senior defender, in the corner, but JC Rule, a 6th-year senior who had never lifted the SCAC championship ran straight across to his head coach.
“He was the first person I saw so I just sprinted over to and gave him the biggest hug,” Rule said, “We talked a lot before the game, all that we’ve been through together, it just encapsulated our time together here.”
Rule and McGinlay embraced as they finally became a championship-winning captain-coach duo.
“I think they wanted this one for the old man too,” said McGinlay, “JC especially. I haven’t been closer to any player because of our longevity. I’ve seen him run around San Antonio since he was six. … It was a special moment.”
The Tigers earned an automatic NCAA playoff berth with the win, although they almost certainly would have made it anyway. While the women were sent on a road trip, though, the men earned the right to host the first two rounds.
“[We can go] as far as we can take ourselves,” said Rule, “We had hopes of the regular season title and the conference tournament, and the NCAA Tournament. Now we have two out of three, and enthusiasm is at an all-time high. We’re looking towards Vegas and the final four … one game at a time.”
The Tigers will play against Belhaven University on Friday at 5:00. If they win, they will play the winner of Bowdoin College and Hardin-Simmons University on Saturday at 7:00. I’ll be on the call on Tiger Network as Coach McGinlay tells me he hopes to be sitting next to me after a win, scouting out his opponents for Saturday.
