Siloam Springs soccer player Edwin Ramirez knows the Panthers have work to do defensively if they want to get back to the 6A state title game.
After allowing 15 goals in the first 12 games of the season, Siloam Springs has allowed 14 goals in its last three games combined.
Included in that three-game stretch -- all losses -- was an embarrassing 8-0 mercy rule loss at home on senior night to Little Rock Catholic.
"Yeah we've kind of lost it," said Ramirez, a senior center back. "Our communication is not that strong anymore. We don't talk as much. We need to fix a lot of things. We're better than that."
The good news for Ramirez and the Panthers (8-6-1) is that they've got time to get things straightened out before playing at noon Friday in the Class 6A state boys soccer tournament in Searcy.
Siloam Springs, despite losing its final three conference games, is the No. 1 seed out of the 7A/6A-Central after going 2-2 against 6A competition. The Panthers will play the winner of Thursday's game between South No. 4 Little Rock Parkview and East No. 3 Mountain Home.
And Ramirez, a four-year varsity player for Siloam Springs, is one whom the Panthers will turn to to help get the team going in the right direction.
"Edwin has just been solid for us for the last couple of years," said Siloam Springs head coach Chuck Jones. "To see him take over the back line and really provide leadership for them has been big for us. We have taken a couple of hard knocks the last few games, but we've also played really good teams. I feel like Edwin is that kid who just keeps plugging away, and he leads by example of his work ethic."
Just a few weeks ago, the Panthers were enjoying an eight-game winning streak after an 0-3-1 start. Siloam Springs had one-goal losses to 7A schools Springdale (2-1), Fort Smith Southside (2-1) and Bryant (1-0) along with a tie against longtime rival Harrison (1-1).
Then the Panthers picked up steam, beginning in the Harrison Remax Cup with a 7-1 win against Huntsville and then beating Harrison 5-3 in the championship game. The Panthers then beat Greenwood 3-1 in a 6A conference game on April 7 and edged 7A Van Buren 2-1 in another league game on April 10.
Ramirez scored his only goal of the season on a set piece as Siloam Springs beat Russellville 2-1 in its second 6A conference game on April 14. The Panthers then beat Conway 2-0 on April 17 and Van Buren again 3-1 in a nonconference game on April 21. Siloam Springs' last win came 4-0 against Harrison in a nonconference game on April 23.
The Panthers lost at Greenwood 3-2 on May 1 and then at Russellville 3-2 on May 5 before losing to Catholic last Friday.
"I guess everybody's getting too confident," Ramirez said of the Panthers' current skid. "We've got to fight for a championship. It's not going to come easy. We're in a good spot but we've got to fight for it."
Ramirez was a part of Siloam Springs' last state title team as a freshman in 2012 and the state runner-up team in 2013. Last year, Siloam Springs made a quick exit from the state tournament after losing to Mountain Home in penalty kicks in the first round.
That first-round loss last year still stings, Ramirez said.
"It was one of the worst feelings losing in the first round last year," he said.
If the Panthers can bow up defensively here at the end, Jones said, the team has the potential for a playoff run this year.
"We've kind of searched for help in the back and we've made a few changes lately that I think are going to benefit us," Jones said. "We've got this week to regroup and just focus and lot of times it's just mental breakdowns. It's not as much fundamentals as it is mental breakdowns. If we get those things fixed I like our chances."
Sports on 05/13/2015