NACOGDOCHES — Junior forward Luis Flores scored a hat trick to help Lufkin High School’s varsity soccer team beat its longtime rival in a district game Tuesday night.

Flores scored on a breakaway early to give the Panthers a 1-0 lead in the first half. Nacogdoches tied the match early in the second half, but Flores scored again on a penalty kick and then got free for another breakaway goal.

“We played well as a team,” Lufkin sophomore midfielder Estevan Guerrero said. “We wanted it more than them, so that’s why we came out with the win.”

The junior varsity teams tied 1-1. Lufkin scored in the first half, but Nacogdoches got a free kick in the last minute and scored the equalizer.

“We controlled the game, but we could have done better,” junior midfielder Isaac Olivares said. “Being a little more physical and controlling the ball more could have helped a lot.”

The Panthers return home to play Hallsville in another big district game Friday night. The JV game is scheduled to start at 4, followed by the varsity match at 6 p.m.