Friday was the last night many Bulldogs would play at Chris Hotop Field.

Mexico vs Crocker Senior Night Photo Gallery

So they made sure that night was special as Mexico scored a season-high to defeat Class 1 No. 13 Crocker 9-2, having seven of its nine goals scored by seniors on Senior Night at Chris Hotop Field. The Bulldogs hadn’t scored that much since a 10-0 victory over Fulton in 2017.

Head coach Bill Gleeson said Mexico (7-12) was able to have such a dominant night that didn’t cease after the Bulldogs had a 4-0 halftime lead. Mexico sent 32 shots Crocker’s way, displaying a relentless strategy.

“That was our strategy: to go all out,” Gleeson said. “It’s the last home game and Senior Night. We were just going to go for it. Keep going and pressure them. The film that we watched on them, they hustled after the ball and things like that. I said we’re going to have to be quick, and we’re going to have to move.”

Leading scorer and senior Gage Walker had a hat trick earlier in the season in a 3-2 overtime win over Fulton, but it only took him one half to earn his hat trick. In fact, Walker didn’t stop there as he finished with a varsity career-high four goals. 

Walker was, of course, happy after scoring each of his goals and could have even gone higher since he scored his final goal in the 43rd minute but was also happy how all of his senior teammates were involved in the scoring. Alfredo Lopez-Sanchez pushed a goal on a slide into the keeper, Nathan Rodriguez booted one off a Crocker outstretched leg and in the net, and Marcos Matuz showed an even bigger leg by blasting a free kick from almost midfield.

“It felt great, doing it on Senior Night especially with all the boys,” Walker said about his hat trick. “I’ve been playing with these guys forever, especially Marcos growing up playing. I felt really special playing right by him for Senior Night.”

Walker wasn’t surprised when Matuz scored from a far distance but just excited for his “best friend” and teammate of 13 years. Matuz has found the back of the net with his powerful leg in the past for Mexico and growing up.

“He’s so good at that,” Walker said about Matuz’s goal. “It was a banger. I was so excited, especially for him to get one on Senior Night means a lot. He always has (had a good leg). That was our strategy when we were little too: boot it up to me and score like that.”

Gleeson said Crocker (15-6) has a smaller field so even though the Lions had an energetic playstyle, he thought Mexico’s expansive turf field could wear them out. Two of Walker’s goals in the first half were a familiar sight of the Bulldogs passing over the top to set up a speedy Walker on the breakaway. The efforts of Jesus Garcia and Rodriguez allowed Walker to go off to the races on those goals.

“We knew we were faster so we would kick it over and try to get it past their defense to go and score,” Gleeson said.

Non-seniors Alex Matuz-Sanchez and Oscar Alvarez-Zapot scored goals of their own late in the second half, but Gleeson is happy that a lot of seniors were involved in the scoring efforts.

“We tried to get everybody a goal,” Gleeson said. “Even at the end, I played one of my defensive guys up and had him try to score.”

Mexico had one more regular season game Monday before beginning districts this week at Southern Boone in Ashland. The Bulldogs have the No. 5 seed and will face No. 4 seed Winfield (13-8) at 10 a.m. Saturday.

Gleeson said Mexico “matches up pretty well” with Winfield based on film, record and schedule. That isn’t the only reason Gleeson likes the chances for victory as the two games where Mexico scored five in a 5-2 win over district foe Wright City and nine against Crocker showed the offense was clicking late in the season. During a seven-game losing streak before that, Mexico only scored two goals.

“We’re getting ready to go into districts so it’s good to be able to start rolling on this offensive machine,” Gleeson said. “We have been lacking a little bit in that in the last several games. To be able to step it up and click like that was really good.”