After a season-ending surge that saw the Central High School boys soccer team win eight of its last 10 games and march to the regional quarterfinals, a whopping 15 Bobcats were honored as the District 3-5A all-district team was released this week.

Topping the list of honorees for Central, which won a share of its third consecutive district title this year, were junior Austin Hawk, who was named the district's Offensive Most Valuable Player; sophomore Courtney Costello, who was the Newcomer of the Year; and Tony Vu, who for the second season in a row was the Coach of the Year.

Hawk made a remarkable transition from a defender last year to dangerous goal-scorer for the Bobcats this season.

"Austin has definitely stepped it up," Vu said earlier this year. "...The transition from defense to forward was obviously a good move."

Costello, meanwhile, was the leading scorer on the junior varsity team last season and didn't miss a beat making the transition to the varsity level this year.

"I was just hoping to make it on varsity this year," Costello said last week. "I didn't think I would start. I was just working to get on the team."

After a 1-3 start to district, Vu led his team on a seven-game winning streak to snag a share of the 3-5A title.

"He's quiet. He's laid-back," Central defender Austin Ray said of his coach. "The negatives are really soft-spoken. He's a good, positive coach."

Four Central players were first team all-district honorees - midfielder Jeremy Cooper, goalie Marshall Doig, and forwards Julio Mendoza and Larry Picasso.

All those players are seniors.

Another quartet of Central players were second team all-district honorees, including a trio of defenders - seniors Cai Benavides and Austin Ray and junior Dillan Drost - and senior midfielder John Socha.

Four more Bobcats were honorable mention all-district selections - sophomore Luke Guevara, juniors Chase Harris and Ryan Parker, and senior Zach Jones.

The Bobcats went 16-9 this season, beating Burleson in the bidistrict round of the playoffs and El Paso El Dorado in the area round before falling to El Paso Bel Air in the regional quarterfinals.

ODESSA - The Central High School boys soccer team has been dominating teams with a lightning-fast offense all season.

On Tuesday, El Paso Bel Air beat the Bobcats at their own game.

Bel Air, using an attack even quicker than Central's, dominated the Bobcats 4-0 in a regional quarterfinal contest at Ratliff Stadium.

"Their guys were playing all over the field," said Central head coach Tony Vu, whose team ended its season with a 16-9 record. "They were in great shape. They were constantly going after every ball, all out."

The win vaults Bel Air, with its sparkling 26-1 overall record, into this weekend's regional tournament. For the first time since 1998, the tournament won't include a boys or girls team from Central's district.

The key to Tuesday's win, Bel Air head coach Sergio Delgado said, was keeping the ball away from Central.

"I think they are used to playing against teams where they have possession of the ball most of the time," Delgado said. "We took the ball away from them. They didn't have the ball and couldn't create chances to score."

That was especially true early as Bel Air controlled possession with a gusting wind at its back.

Just two minutes into the game, the Highlanders had already created two scoring opportunities.

"They move really well without the ball," said Central senior midfielder Jeremy Cooper.

"When one person had the ball, there are three or four other guys moving to create for him. They wanted everything. They came out and wanted it bad."

The Highlanders finally did cash in during the game's ninth minute when Mario Alvarez blasted one in to give Bel Air a 1-0 lead.

As the first half wore on, however, Central began to match up better and better with Bel Air, and the Bobcats didn't allow the Highlanders any more first-half goals.

It gave the Bobcats a measure of confidence at the break, especially considering Central would get the wind at its back in the second half.

The confidence would be short-lived as Dario Espinal scored off an Alvarez assist the fourth minute after halftime.

"I've noticed we play better against the wind," Delgado said. "We know we have to control the ball better because we are against the wind."

Bel Air would go up 3-0 two minutes later when Miguel Amaya scored an unassisted goal.

"I was glad with the situation at halftime just being down 1-0, especially because they had the wind," Vu said.

"Some early defensive lapses in the second half really cost us, and they were able to put away some great finishes to seal the game."

Not that the Highlanders needed it, but Jonathan Lopez added an insurance goal off an Amaya assist to make the score 4-0 with 30:17 left in the game.

It was a forgettable finish to a memorable Central season.

"We can't be unhappy about this season," said Cooper, who along with his teammates won a school-record third consecutive district title this year.

"It's been a great year," Vu said. "Early I didn't know what to expect. I don't think anyone expected us to go this far after losing 13 seniors, but the guys stepped up and they defintely proved themselves, even though this wasn't the result they wanted in this round of the playoffs."

This was also one round farther than the Bobcats made it last year in the postseason.

Even though he will be losing 10 quality senior players, Vu has several standout underclassmen who will return, including leading scorer Austin Hawk and postseason hero Courtney Costello.

"We definitely have some talent coming back, and some guys on JV will be able to step up and fill some voids," Vu said. "I'm looking forward to what next season holds."

On paper, the favorite appears clear.

Today, the Central High School boys soccer team heads into its regional quarterfinal game against an El Paso Bel Air team that looks nearly unstoppable.

The Highlanders have won 25 of the 26 games they've played this year (with the only loss coming to an El Paso Soccoro team that is still alive), far outshining Central's 16-8 mark.

Bel Air has a pair of D-I soccer signeees (sweeper Omar Tena and midfielder Mario Alvarez have signed with Cal State Fullerton).

Talk to a few of the Central players, however, and one does not come away with the feeling that the Bobcats consider themselves big underdogs.

"We're not scared or anything," said Central senior defender Cai Benavides. "I think we have the same chance they do. We're pretty confident."

Self-confidence is not a problem for the Bobcats anymore.

There was a time, not so long ago in fact, where just making it to this third round of the playoffs seemed remote to even the most confident of Central players.

Believers were few and far between after Central started district play 1-3.

"There were some serious doubts," said senior defender Austin Ray.

There were no doubts in the mind of Bobcats head coach Tony Vu, a man Central athletic coordinator Steve Heryford calls "The Tony Dungy of Soccer."

When Central was at its lowest, Vu may have saved the season.

"I guess coach believed in us when we almost didn't believe in ourselves," Benavides said earlier this year.

Dungy is the head coach of the Indianapolis Colts, a coach known for his quiet demeanor and his intense faith.

That would describe Vu perfectly.

Faith plays an important role in Vu's life, and his faith is his team (even when it was in the district cellar) was unwavering.

"I could tell the guys were pretty down," Vu said. "As a coach it's your job to believe in your players and let them know you think they can do great things."

"He came up with the name 'Comeback Cats'," sophomore midfielder Luke Guevara said.

Then the Central boys started living up to the nickname.

They rattled off seven consecutive victories to clinch a share of the district title.

They've won nine of their last 10.

It's a team that has transformed itself after the loss of 13 seniors from last year's team.

Sophomore Courtney Costello has moved up from the JV to become a major scoring threat.

Guevara was a reserve at the beginning of the season but has worked his way into a starting job.

Austin Hawk moved from defender last year to midfielder at the start of the season to a goal-scoring machine of a forward now.

The defense, with Ray, Benavides, Dillon Drost and goalie Marshall Doig, took shape.

It's all happened very quietly, very positively, just how Vu likes it.

"He's quiet. He's laid-back," Ray said. "The negatives are really soft-spoken. He's a good, positive coach."

"I can be pretty vocal," Vu said. "There are times at the end of the games I'm hardly able to talk, but I try to be positive and encourage my guys. I'm just a different type of coach. Everyone has a different way to motivate their players."

There's little motivation needed heading into today's game - and no confidence-boosting needed either.

"They are pretty confident in themselves now," Vu said. "Our district is pretty competitive and to win seven games in a row, the confidence built with each win.

"Playing in the regional quarterfinals lets them know we're one of the last 32 teams in 5A still playing soccer. That in itself shows a lot about these guys."

Mendoza to be agame-time decision

One of Central's most explosive offensive players, Julio Mendoza, was injured in the second half of Friday's game, and Vu said his status for today's contest may be a game-time decision today.

"He thinks he'll be good to go," Vu said. "He's definitely somebody we want out there, whether he's just 50 or 75 percent. The attention he can draw will help the whole team."

Mendoza, a senior, scored the go-ahead goal in Friday's area round game and assisted on the game-winning goal in Tuesday's bidistrict game.

If you go

• What: 5A regional quarterfinal boys soccer game.
• Who: Central vs. El Paso Bel Air.
• When: Noon today.
• Where: Ratliff Stadium, Odessa.
• Records: Bel Air is 25-1. Central is 16-8.
• Up next: Winner advances to regional semifinals to play Dallas Jesuit/Keller winner.