Buffs end historic season in playoff battle

May 2—From the moment they stepped onto the field, the Buffs etched their names in McAlester history.

McAlester traveled to Tulsa to face Will Rogers in the opening round of the Oklahoma Secondary Schools Activities Association on Tuesday, where the Buffs battled but fell 5-1 to the Ropers to end their unprecedented season.

Coach Ra'Shaud Buie looked on his team with pride as they hugged one another and walked off the field, and said the milestone journey this season was one to remember.

"I think we exceeded expectations, when you look at how this program has been the 11 years it has been here," Buie said. "I think we exceeded everyone's expectations, caught a lot of teams off guard. They didn't expect us to be as good as we were, and we were a very good soccer team."

The program made its postseason premiere with the tilt against the Ropers, and the excitement infected players and fans alike. Although the final result of the first round battle wasn't what he and his team wanted, Buie said the Buffs have plenty of reasons to keep their heads held high.

"I know they're all upset, but it was still a very good season," he said.

The Buffs jumped out on the attack at the opening whistle, attempting an early shot at the goal that sailed just over the crossbar.

Will Rogers responded with an attack of their own on the other end of the field. The first shot attempt was deflected by keeper Brandon McDaniel, but the Ropers gathered the ricochet to put the ball into net and take an early 1-0 lead.

The Ropers attempted another attack down the field, but this time McDaniel slid across the goal for the save. The Buffs looked to return the favor and found Cameron Giacomo — who booted a beautiful arcing shot over the keeper and into the goal to equalize for the Buffs.

Defensive efforts took hold for most of the remainder of the half, with the Buffs holding off the Ropers while putting together shot attempts of their own.

But Will Rogers used a downhill breakaway run to just get past the McAlester defense, booting a goal to take a 2-1 lead at the half.

"We felt confident that we could come out here and could win. That's what we saw in the first half, it was a very tight game," Buie said.

In the second half, the Ropers scored early to open the final forty minutes. McAlester looked to equalize once more, with smooth passing down the field leading to an opportunity for Jaime Fernandez that just missed on the right side.

Ronaldo Martinez later got his own look at the goal and sent the ball sailing, but it would go just over the goal.

The Buffs kept battling to the end, but the Ropers scored twice more to seal away the game.

McAlester's historic season ends with a record of 11-5, a fourth-place district finish with a district record of 4-3, and the program's first playoff appearance in school history. Buie thanked his two seniors, and credited the entire team with coming together this season.

"They were leaders on and off the field, and they were a big reason we were able to get where we were," he said. "Along with my other upperclassmen. It took all of us...it was everyone, whether they played one minute or forty minutes, it was everyone together."

The Buffs are team that played not for themselves, but for each other. Buie attributed their closeness with the culture the team has cultivated at McAlester.

"I know we do a lot together, and we're a very family-oriented culture," he said. "We have the best foundation within a program."

The Buffs will be as strong as ever, returning nearly every player next season. Buie said that's a good situation to be in, and is excited to build off of what McAlester forged this spring to carry them into the future.

"Going into next year, we have a lot of momentum," he said. "I'm basically returning my entire starting 11...we have a lot of momentum to build in the offseason. Our main goal is just being consistent."

Buie thanked all the fans, the parents, and community for coming together around McAlester. And after everything, he allowed a smile to cross his face as he walked off the field for one final time in 2023.

"It was a great year," Buie said. "I'm not disappointed. I know (the team is), but it was a fantastic year for us."