Update:
This story will be updated throughout the day as other matches go final.
Playoff girls soccer roundup: Frisco Wakeland, Highland Park girls moving on to regional finals
Flower Mound Marcus, Midlothian Heritage are also moving to the next round after a 2-0 win over Keller.
Highland Park 3, Frisco 2 (SO)
CARROLLTON — Beginning in September, every Highland Park girls soccer workout ends with shootout practice.
It came in handy when eight shootout rounds were required before Highland Park was able to advance 7-6 over Frisco in a Class 5A Region II semifinal that ended in a 2-2 deadlock after regulation and overtime Friday at Standridge Stadium.
“It is very nerve-wracking,’’ said Elise Borders, the third Highland Park shooter, “but we work on it a lot and I always feel confident.’’
Highland Park (23-0-3), No. 2 in the Texas Girls Coaches Association state poll, will face Frisco Wakeland at 10 a.m. Saturday at Standridge Stadium in the Region II title match needing a victory to reach the state tournament for the 14th time.
“I’m so proud of the way the girls stepped up,’’ said Highland Park coach Aaron McGough after her team converted on 7-of-8 shootout attempts. “It is not an easy place, especially in this wind. A shootout is an exciting way to win but a horrible way to lose. Frisco is a really talented team and it is a shame we had to play each other so soon.’’
Frisco (19-1-5), in a regional tournament for the first time since 2016, fell behind early in the shootout then rallied for leads of 5-4 and 6-5 but each time Highland Park converted to force another round.
Borders, a Dallas Baptist signee, scored twice from distance in the first half to give Highland Park a 2-1 halftime lead.
The senior midfielder’s first goal in the eighth minute pulled the Lady Scots level when it trickled out of the keeper’s hands just beyond the goal line. Midway in the half Borders’ 45-yard free kick from the left sideline found the net.
Frisco opened the scoring in the third minute on a curling shot inside the far post by Alex Terrell. Time ran out in the half before Frisco could attempt a free kick just outside the penalty area.
Junior midfielder Luci Rodriguez’ curling corner kick eight minutes into the second half tied the score. Frisco had an advantage in scoring chances for the remainder of regulation and overtime.
Wakeland 1, Midlothian 0
CARROLLTON — Constant second-half pressure finally paid off in a Katy Gregson goal, sending Frisco Wakeland to a 1-0 victory over Midlothian in a Class 5A Region II semifinal Friday morning at Standridge Stadium.
“We didn’t want to go home,’’ said the junior, one of five returning starters from Wakeland’s 2021 team that lost in the state final a year ago. “I saw room at the far post and shot it there.’’
A pass from Bella James set up Gregson’s goal with 14:49 remaining. Wakeland played the final half with the strong wind at its back.
“We’ve struggled to score all year but we seem to get it done,’’ said Wakeland coach Jimmie Lankford.
Frisco Wakeland (21-1-4), No. 7 in the Texas Girls Coaches Association Class 5A state poll, advances to the Region II final set for 10 a.m. Saturday against the Frisco-Highland Park semifinal winner.
Midlothian (18-8-1), tied for 10th in the state poll, had the better scoring chances in the first half. Freshman Natalie Wagner with a shot off the crossbar from distance and a minute later on a free kick from 21yards.
Three minutes after Wakeland scored, Midlothian’s Addison Ball almost equalized but Wakeland keeper Drew Stover, a Wisconsin signee, got a hand on the hard shot and deflected it off the crossbar.
“We played hard in difficult conditions,’’ said Midlothian coach Austin Guest. “It was a super season. The seniors did a great job of leading and we have some talented young players coming back.’’
— Randy Jennings
Midlothian Heritage 1, Stephenville 0
JUSTIN — Rose Giambruno-Fuge scored a goal on a Penalty Kick 1:38 into the match as defending state champion Midlothian Heritage made that hold for a 1-0 4A Region I semifinal victory over previously-unbeaten Stephenville on a very windy Friday morning at Northwest ISD Stadium.
No. 4 in MaxPreps recent state 4A rankings, Midlothian Heritage -- which will be moving up to 5A next season, again got a stellar performance in Goal from Sophomore Tanner Sorenson, who has not allowed a score in four playoff victories.
Midlothian Heritage (20-3-3) and Stephenville (21-1-2) have won the last four 4A state championships -- two apiece -- with the former claiming titles a year ago and in 2018, while the latter capturing the crown in 2019 and 2017. There was no state tourney in 2020 due to Covid-19.
Stephenville, No. 9 in that same poll, had posted 19 shutouts in its 21 victories and had allowed just one goal each in four of its matches prior to the regional semifinal.
Midlothian Heritage had defeated Stephenville with a pair of 2-1 regional semifinal decisions in both its 2021 and 2018 title runs.
In advancing to this year’s regional final, Midlothian Heritage will face Argyle, which posted a 5-1 win over San Elizario in the other regional semifinal.
The regional final will be a rematch of last year’s contest in which Midlothian Heritage prevailed 1-0.
— Mike Waters
Flower Mound Marcus 2, Keller 0
MCKINNEY — Bella Campos scored a pair of header goals off Caroline Castans passes in a span of less than two minutes as Marcus pulled away from Keller in a Class 6A Region I semifinal at McKinney ISD Stadium. Campos scored the game’s first goal with 11:34 remaining from eight yards out off a short Castans pass. The second goal was with 9:39 left from 10 yards out off a Castans’ from 40 yards away.
Aided by a strong northern wind, Marcus (23-1-3) – ranked No. 3 in The Dallas Morning News’ Class 6A area poll – had a 13-0 advantage in shots on goal in the second half. Marcus goalie Bry Russell made five first-half saves for the clean sheet, helped by a defense led by Chloe Adams. Marcus advances to the region-final round for the sixth time since 2012 to face Southlake Carroll at 10 a.m. Saturday at McKinney ISD Stadium.
Sydney Fuller made 13 saves in goal for No. 7-ranked Keller (16-2-5), helped by a strong game by defender Tavyn Baffa, who was injured during Campos’ second goal. Keller had a quality scoring chance on a 25-yard shot by Rachel Venables. Keller has lost in the region-semifinal round five times since 2013.
— Rick Kretzschmar
Southlake Carroll 1, Allen 0
MCKINNEY — A Kennedy Fuller goal from 17 yards out off a pass from fellow freshman Zoe Matthews would be the game’s lone goal as Carroll advanced past Allen in a Class 6A Region I semifinal at McKinney ISD Stadium. Carroll (19-1-4) took control of the game in the second half with a 6-1 edge in shots on goal and had a 9-4 edge for the game.
A good chance for Allen came in the 27th minute, but a shot by Northwestern State signee Taylor Spitzer was denied by a low save by Carroll goalie Olivia Geller. Geller has four saves for the shutout, aided by defenders such as Parker Wilkerson. Matthews had a hard shot in the 44th minute stopped by Allen goalie Robbi Curry, who had five second-half saves.
Carroll, ranked No. 2 in The Dallas Morning News’ Class 6A area rankings, advances to the region-final round for the sixth time since 2013. No. 5-ranked Allen (21-3-3) was denied its third region-final berth since 2018.
— Rick Kretzschmar
Argyle 5, San Elizario 1
JUSTIN — Emma Sheehan and Kaitlyn Niemever tallied two goals each as Argyle rolled past San Elizario in a Class 4A Region I semifinal at Northwest ISD Stadium.
Just 2:14 into the match Sheehan banged home a close-range goal to the right side of the net, then added another -- from the left side about 12 yards out with 19:35 left before halftime. Niemever knocked in a goal from the left side from around 10 yards away with 6:06 left as Argyle took a 3-0 advantage at intermission.
After San Elizario’s Idaly Valenzuela punched in a goal just over six minutes into the second half, Niemever responded seven minutes later, drilling in a long-range goal from about 30 yards out. Stella Helm rounded out the Argyle scoring with a goal just under seven minutes remaining in the contest.
Sheehan, a Seton Hall signee, has recorded 12 goals in four playoff wins. Winning its 22nd consecutive match, Argyle – moving to Class 5A next year – has allowed just one goal apiece in five matches during that stretch, posting 17 shutouts. Argyle is one victory shy of making its first-ever state tournament appearance.
Rockwall 2, Tomball Memorial 0: Avery Shipman had a goal and an assist while Faith Graves had a shutout in goal as Rockwall blanked Memorial in a Class 6A Region II semifinal at the Reeves Athletic Complex in Austin.
Mia Nunez also had a goal while Madelyn Weir had an assist for Rockwall (20-3-2), which will play Klein in the Region II final at 11 a.m. Saturday at the Reeves Athletic Complex. Rockwall will attempt to qualify for the state tournament for the first time.
Klein 1, Mansfield 0: Mansfield fell in a Class 6A Region II semifinal at the Reeves Athletic Complex in Austin. Mansfield ends its season at 23-3-0.
Colleyville Heritage 3, Lubbock Coronado 1: Ryleigh Adams scored two goals as Colleyville Heritage pulled away in a Class 5A Region I semifinal at Memorial Stadium in Wichita Falls, setting up an all-Grapevine-Colleyville ISD region final. Colleyville Heritage out-scored Coronado 2-0 in the second half to advance to the Region I final against Grapevine at 10 a.m. Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
Allie Love added a goal for Colleyville Heritage (20-3-2), which split two District 6-5A games with Grapevine this season. Grapevine won 3-0 on Jan. 25, Colleyville Heritage won 1-0 in Feb. 22.
Grapevine 6, Lubbock Cooper 1: Grapevine routed Cooper in a Class 5A Region I semifinal at Memorial Stadium in Wichita Falls. Grapevine (19-2-1) will be going for its third state tournament berth since 2018 on Saturday.
Celina 3, Henderson 0: Taylor Zdrojewski had two goals and an assist as Celina blanked Henderson in a Class 4A Region II semifinal at Rose Stadium in Tyler. Lexi Tuite added a goal for while Madi Vana and Moa Appelqvist added an assist.
Kaitlyn Gustafson made two saves in goal for the clean sheet for Celina (26-1-1), which will face Melissa in the Region II final at 1 p.m. Saturday at Rose Stadium. Celina will attempt to repeat as region champions.
Melissa 1, Kilgore 0: Melissa edged Kilgore in a Region II semifinal at Rose Stadium in Tyler to advance to Saturday’s Region II final against District 11-4A rival Celina. Melissa (21-3-0) was 0-2 against Celina this season, losing 5-1 on Feb. 15 and 4-0 on March 19. Melissa will attempt to make it to the state tournament for the second time, advancing previously in 2019.
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See Highland Park defeat Frisco to advance to the Class 5A Region II girls soccer finals
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