| Spartan Booster Club Girls' Varsity Soccer |
| 2010 Photo Album: click here |
Practice Calendars: Dec '09 Jan '10 Feb '10 Mar '10 2010 Varsity Schedule: Game schedule SBISD Tournament (Jan 7th - 9th): schedule GPISD Tournament (Jan 14th - 16th): schedule |
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| 2010 Varsity Roster (printable roster) Stephanie Marett - 1 Kara Manning - 2 Ellen Barth - 3 Kendall Jones - 4 Kelly Ann Craig - 5 Casey Coleman - 7 Alyssa Johnson - 8 Hannah Wilson - 9 Kristen Calhoun - 10 Emily Brickhouse (C)- 11 Ellen Wagner - 13 Emily Lynch - 14 Kellie Barranco - 15 Morgan Clinkscales - 16 Jennifer Morris - 17 Samantha Cuestas - 18 Misha Sharp (C)- 19 Ingrid Eckhoff (C)- 20 Heather Rovner - 21 Kathryn Wood - 22 Rihana Devany - Head Coach: Chris Matthews Asst. Coach: Erin Fuller C = Captain |
| To see last year's: 2009 Girls' Soccer Varsity Season |
March 8th update:
Friday, March 5th – vs. Spring Woods (District @ SHS)
The Lady Spartans were feeling “it” when they stepped on the field to take on the Spring Woods
Tigers, and were determined to shut them down early. Two minutes into the half, Heather Rovner
powered through a defender and shot from inside the 18-yard line to score the first goal of the
game. Shortly after Kellie Barranco had a nice cross to Ellen Barth who scored goal number two.
Ten minutes later, Kelly Ann Craig crossed it over to Kathryn Wood who cut it at a nice angle to
shoot to the back of the net past the goalie. With only fourteen minutes left in the half, a Spring
Woods forward broke past our defenders to put it into our net. Half ended with us up 3-1.
Six minutes into the second half, Kellie Barranco shot from wide left off a cross from Misha Sharp
to score goal number four. A “ping-pong” goal happened when Kellie crossed a ball to Ellen Barth
whose shot ricocheted off the keeper and into the goal. The last goal came off a chip up from
defender Samantha Cuestas to Kelly Ann who put it into the back of the net. Midfielders Alyssa
Johnson and Kendall Jones were firing on all cylinders to help keep the ball in the attacking third
while the Lady Spartan defenders insured no further scoring by the Tigers. The game ended with
a 6-1 win for the Lady Spartans. For the last fifteen minutes of the game and in celebration of
“Senior Night”, all the seniors were on the field playing except for injured defender Ingrid
Eckhoff…midfielders Emily Brickhouse, Stephanie Marett, and Misha Sharp, defenders Kristen
Calhoun and Casey Coleman, and keeper Emily Lynch. Good luck seniors with your future plans!
Current overall record is 16 wins, 3 losses, and one tie, and district standing is 8 wins and 3
losses. For our last district game we face off against Elsik on Tuesday, March 9th at Alief Auxiliary
Fields at 6:45 pm. We are hoping to issue a little payback, and this game will help determine
whether we take 2nd place in district or not. So come support your Lady Spartans before they head
into the playoffs!
Wednesday, March 3rd – vs. Northbrook (District @ Northbrook)
The Lady Spartans soccer team started off with a bang when they took on Northbrook this last
week. Less than a minute into the first half, defender Heather Rovner sent the ball up the field to
Kelly Ann Craig who booted it into the goal. Northbrook tightened up their defense in response and
made it tougher for our forwards to get through. Junior Kara Manning showed good hustle during
the half as did Ellen Wagner but unfortunately nothing got into the net. When a Northbrook forward
had a breakaway toward our net, senior defender Casey Coleman successfully shut her down. But
with only six seconds left in the half, Northbrook had a lucky shot which tied the score 1-1.
With the second half came numerous shots on goal, but still no actual goals for us. With sixteen
minutes left, midfielder Misha Sharp had a crisp cross to forward Kara Manning who shot it in for
goal number two. Northbrook got more aggressive then and we found ourselves in a battle of wills.
Goal number three came off a cross from midfielder Kellie Barranco to forward Ellen Barth who
centered it up for Misha Sharp. Misha took a shot from the 18-yard line that sailed into the back
corner of the net. Less than a minute later, Kathryn Wood sent a great ball over to a waiting Ellen
Barth who kicked it in past the keeper to score goal number four. Game ended with a final score
Lady Spartans 4 - Northbrook 1.
February 28th update:
February 26th
Stratford 5 Alief Hastings 0
The Lady Spartans and fans were surprised by a late “cold snap” with windy conditions and a 39
degree wind chill, but were not deterred in getting down to business against Hastings. As the
ladies sent balls toward the goal, they would hang in the air before falling to the ground, and it
made first half play into the wind more difficult. Although the entire first half was spent in the
attacking third, and the Spartans made several shots on goal, no goals were actually scored. With
the wind for us in the second half, the first goal came off a shot from defender Morgan Clinkscales
who pinged it off the left post and into the net. Soon Alyssa Johnson warded off a pesky defender
to successfully send in goal number two, after a cross from Ellen Barth. Goal three came when
Kelly Ann Craig had a beautiful shot into the net, which hit the back post. Minutes late a cross from
Misha Sharp to Kelly Ann provided a run and shoot for Kathryn Wood who scored goal number
four. The final goal of the game came off a shot from Samantha Cuestas that their defender
bobbled. The Lady Spartans defenders (seniors Casey Coleman & Kristin Calhoun, juniors
Morgan Clinkscales & Samantha Cuestas, sophomore Heather Rovner and freshman Rihanna
Devany) did an excellent job the entire game, and kept Alief Hastings scoreless. The game ended
with a 5-0 win for the Lady Spartans.
Current overall record is 14 wins, 3 losses, and one tie, and district standing is 6 wins and 3
losses. Our next games will be at Grob on Monday, March 1st as we face off against Northbrook,
and then Friday, March 5th against Spring Woods. If you haven’t had a chance to see the Lady
Spartans play, there are only three district games left, so come join the fun!
February 23rd
Stratford 0 Memorial 3
The Lady Spartans played with heart in their second match-up against undefeated district rival
Memorial. Although there was a lot of back and forth on the field, and the Lady Spartans never
gave up trying, Memorial was determined not to let our ladies score. During the first half,
defenders Rihanna Devany and Kristen Calhoun kept the Memorial forwards in lock-down. Kellie
Barranco sent several good balls up the field, and Alyssa Johnson applied good midfield
pressure, but unfortunately no shots were successful. With only 6 minutes remaining in the half,
Memorial’s midfielder broke away and zinged a goal in off a cross. Keeper Emily Lynch was able
to deflect 4 other shots on goal, and bring the half to a close with a 0-1 score. The second half
began with a more aggressive Mustang team, who quickly scored two more goals. The Lady
Spartans stepped up to the challenge, and determined to shut them down. Casey Coleman,
Kendall Jones and Rihanna provided great defense and kept clearing several of Memorial’s
passes. At one point the crowd went wild as Kendall crossed a shot to Kathryn Wood, who then
passed it to a waiting Kelly Ann Craig. She tried to get the ball into the goal, but it went wide.
Heather Rovner and Emily Brickhouse also attempted a pass and shoot, but the keeper came out
to meet them. Game ended with a final score Lady Spartans 0- Memorial 3.
Friday, February 19, 2010 – vs. Alief Taylor (District @ Alief Taylor)
Our second round of district play started this week against Alief Taylor. Taylor seemed ready for us
as their keeper aggressively tried to defend their goal. However, the Lady Spartans dominated the
field in both halves, and showed great passing and ball handling skills throughout the game.
Early on in the game Kellie Barranco, off a cross from Misha Sharp, kicked a nice ball to the goal
that led to a corner for our team. In a run up the field, Kristen Calhoun made a beautiful kick into
the goal but the keeper deflected it. Kelly Ann Craig had a breakaway and scored off a kick way
outside the 18-yard line for goal number one. In another nice cross from Misha, Kelly Ann tried to
head a ball in but it went wide. Ellen Barth, Emily Brickhouse, Ellen Wagner, and Heather Rovner
delivered other shots on goal. Half ended with a Spartan lead of 1-0.
Twenty minutes into the second half, Kelly Ann Craig successfully headed the ball into the net after
a cross from Ellen Barth for goal number two. Kellie Barranco, Samantha Cuestas, Kathryn Wood
and Hannah Wilson had other shots on goal, but Taylor’s keeper was always there. Defense
squarely did their job and kept Taylor scoreless. The game ended with a 2-0 score for the Lady
Spartans. Current overall record is 13 wins, two losses, and one tie, and district standing is 5
wins and 2 losses. One of the biggest games of the season will be this Tuesday, February 23rd
as we face off against Memorial again at Grob Stadium, 6:45 p.m. Wear green, be loud and come
help the Lady Spartans win one for the school!
Saturday, February 13, 2010 – vs. Elsik (District @ SHS)
Our final game of round one district play found us at the Strake Jesuit fields playing against Alief
Elsik. Our Friday game was cancelled due to the weather so it was a relief to have some sunshine
to play in. Unfortunately, the nice turf and sunny day didn’t help us win the game. During the first
half, the Lady Spartans had good possession advantage. Kellie Barranco along with Kelly Ann
Craig, Samantha Cuestas and Emily Brickhouse each had shots on goal. Several corner kicks
yielded no real opportunities for us to score either. Midfielders Alyssa Johnson, Kellie Barranco
and Emily Brickhouse put several crosses into the box, but the Elsik keeper was always there to
deflect them. Thanks to some solid defending throughout the game, Elsik was held scoreless
until the final seven minutes. Their forward broke away and scored with a lucky shot on goal.
Although the Lady Spartans dominated most of the game, we couldn’t seem to get any balls into
the net in spite of our forwards’ efforts. Game ended with 0-1 score for Elsik.
Current overall record for the season is 12 wins, two losses, and one tie, and district standing is 4
wins and 2 losses. Round two of district play starts next week as we face Alief Taylor again on
their home turf Friday, February 19th at 6:45 p.m. Wear green and come support your Lady
Spartans!
Tuesday, February 9, 2010 - vs. Spring Woods (District @ Spring Woods)
The Lady Spartan Varsity Soccer team met number three ranked Spring Woods in district play this
week, and the Tigers wanted our spot. It was a tough fought game with another scrappy team and
strong keeper who always seemed to be there when the balls came in. The first half saw a lot of
activity but nothing seemed to be working for our Lady Spartans. Under pressure, the game was
back and forth (more back than forth) across the field. We weathered four corner kicks in the
middle of the half, and the Tigers defense kept drawing off sides calls against us. Stratford was
more dominant in the last 20 minutes of the half, but still couldn’t score even with several shots on
goal by Kelly Ann Craig and Kellie Barranco. Fortunately our defenders held off Spring Woods and
the half ended 0-0.
The second half was livelier as the Spartans came out fighting. Within minutes, Kelly Ann had
received a yellow card, and the referees seemed to call things even tighter. Kara Manning took a
shot a goal but the goalie was there to catch it. Late in the half off a free kick from Misha Sharp,
Alyssa Johnson headed the ball toward the net but hit the post. Kellie Barranco ran up to shoot but
it was too wide, and another free kick still didn’t produce a goal. Clearly frustrated and tired, our
girls still kept trying. What seemed to turn the tide was the Tigers scoring with less than fourteen
minutes remaining in the half. It became evident that was the push the Lady Spartans needed to
turn up the heat. Less than a minute later in a breakaway run up the field, Kathryn Wood was able
to kick the ball into the back corner of the net past their keeper. With seven minutes left on the
clock, Kelly Ann Craig had another breakaway and sent a high ball sailing past their goalie’s head
and into the net. Defenders Rihana Devany, Casey Coleman and Morgan Clinkscales kept up the
pressure on Spring Woods and they failed to produce another goal. Game ended with a final
score for the Lady Spartans of 2-1.
Friday, February 5, 2010 – vs. Northbrook (District @ SHS)
Our fourth district game found us home playing against Northbrook in a contest of wills.
Northbrook was fired up, and not willing to give up any goals easily. Kelly Ann Craig took a penalty
kick for a handball in the box but the goalie was there to catch it. Our first scoring opportunity came
off a corner kick by Misha Sharp. Kellie Barranco kicked it in to the center and Kelly Ann Craig was
there to shoot it into the net. Five minutes later off another corner by Misha, Alyssa Johnson was
able to head the ball toward the net and Emily Brickhouse kicked it in for goal number two. The
half ended 2-0.
It was clear that Northbrook came to play as their goalie successfully deflected nine shots on goal
during the game by several Lady Spartans including Stephanie Marett, and Kathryn Wood. Our third
goal came off another penalty kick for a handball in the box. Alyssa Johnson took the kick and sent
it straight to the back of the net. Nice passing from midfielders Ellen Wagner and Kendall Jones
provided shooting opportunities for our forwards, while defenders Rihana Devany, Kristen Calhoun
and Morgan Clinkscales provided solid defense to hold Northbrook scoreless. After Northbrook’s
keeper bobbled a shot on goal by Kelly Ann, Alyssa was there for the rebound and shot it in for
Stratford’s fourth goal. Game ended with a final score of 4-0 for the Lady Spartans.
Current overall record for the season stands at 11 wins, one loss, and one tie, and district
standing is 3 wins and 1 loss. District play continues as we face Spring Woods on Tuesday at
Grob Stadium, and then Elsik on Friday at 5:00pm at MHS. Come see your Lady Spartans in action!
Tuesday, February 2, 2010 - vs. Alief Hastings (District @ Hastings)
The Lady Spartan Varsity Soccer team continued district play this week against Alief Hastings. It
was a slow start on yet another cold night with Hastings on the defense from the get-go. Playing
with eleven players back, the first half was packed into the attacking third of the field. Their goalie
helped open up the game for us by bobbling a kick made by Kara Manning. Goal number two
came with six minutes left in the half off a free kick by Misha Sharp. Midfielder Alyssa Johnson was
there to pop it into the back of the net. Forward Ellen Barth had nice shot on goal, but their keeper
deflected it. The Spartans’ third goal came after a corner kick by Misha and with only 22 seconds
left in the half. After several touches in front of the goal, Emily Brickhouse was able to shoot it in.
Fifteen minutes into the second half, Alyssa Johnson crossed the ball to Kellie Barranco who then
passed the ball to forward Kelly Ann Craig for a fourth goal. Within minutes forward Kathryn Wood
crossed the ball to the center, and Kelly Ann was able to shoot a high ball into the net from just
outside the 18-yard line. Casey Coleman subbed in as our keeper with twenty minutes left in the
game, allowing Emily Lynch to help on the field. The final goal came when Misha crossed a ball
from wide right, and Kathryn Wood was able to punch it in. Thanks to the Lady Spartans awesome
defense and midfield most of the game was played in the attacking third with no real threats from
Alief Hastings. Game ended with a final score for the Lady Spartans of 6-0.
Friday, January 29, 2010 – vs. Memorial (District @ Memorial)
It was a tale of “two halves”- it was the best of times, and it was the worst of times. The first half
saw our Lady Spartans wielding great ball possession and dominance, and the second
unfortunately allowing the Mustangs to kick up some dust. Within minutes of the start, Memorial
scored and then the Spartans answered with a goal of their own. Off a pass from Kellie Barranco,
forward Kelly Ann Craig “juked” past a defender to put the ball in the net. During the next twenty
minutes and despite cold and windy conditions, the Lady Spartans showed they came to play.
Seniors Emily Brickhouse and Stephanie Marett along with Alyssa Johnson provided good midfield
support, as did sophomore defender Heather Rovner, who made several beautiful passes up to
them. With her varsity debut, Freshman Rihana Devany proved to be a solid add for the defense
with several header returns back up the field. The team shut down much of the Mustangs’ offense
and clearly dominated the rest of the half with the help of defenders Morgan Clinkscales and
Jennifer Morris. With 11 minutes left in the half, Kelly Ann kicked a beautiful ball straight into the
net past their keeper off a corner kick from senior midfielder Misha Sharp for goal number two.
The second half the “Ponies” came out with fire in their eyes! But Stratford was not deterred, and
within the first two minutes of the half, scored a third goal. Off a free kick by Misha Sharp,
midfielder Kellie Barranco was able to kick another ball into the net. After this goal, Memorial
ramped up the pressure and came back by scoring two more goals to tie up the game. Despite
the pressure, keeper Emily Lynch had an outstanding game as she deflected twelve (12) shots on
goal from them. Our Lady Spartans fought hard and proved that they could hold their own, but
unfortunately it was not enough to produce a win. With less than two minutes left in the game,
Memorial scored a fourth time. The game ended with the Lady Spartans first loss of the season,
and a final score of 3-4.
Current overall record for the season stands at 9 wins, one loss, and one tie, and district standing
is 1 win and 1 loss. District play continues as we face Alief Hastings on Tuesday at 6:45, and
Northbrook on Friday at 5:00pm in Grob Stadium. Thanks for your continued support of the 2010
Lady Spartan Varsity Soccer Team!
Tuesday, January 26, 2010 - vs. Alief Taylor (District @ SHS)
The Lady Spartan Varsity Soccer team opened district play this week in a game against Alief
Taylor. Although the first half of the game was scoreless, it was not for lack of shooting by the Lady
Spartans. Sophomore Alyssa Johnson was fired up with eight shots on goal, and also showed
fantastic ball-handling skills throughout the game. Freshman Kelly Ann Craig, back after a toe
injury, made several attempts to get the ball in the net, but their goalie was able to deflect each
one. Sophomores Kellie Barranco and Ellen Barth were also in the mix trying to score. One
particular shot by Alyssa hit the cross bar, and Kellie tried to score off the rebound, but their goalie
dove for the save. Freshman Jennifer Morris, and senior Kristen Calhoun cleared out the backfield
and kept Alief Taylor’s shots to a minimum during the half.
Three minutes into the second half, Kelly Ann had a break away and ran the ball in for the first goal
of the game. Ten minutes later, sophomore Kathryn Wood kicked a high ball into the net that the
goalie caught, and then dropped. Kelly Ann was there for the rebound kick and scored goal
number two. Goal number three came from a well placed cross from Alyssa Johnson to Ellen
Barth. Midfielders Ellen Wagner and Misha Sharp also had shots on goal but their goalie was
there to catch them. The fourth and final goal of the game came when the goalie bobbled a kick
from Kelly Ann Craig…giving her a “Hat Trick” for the night! The Lady Spartan’s midfield and
defense controlled the ball for most of the game allowing Alief Taylor only three (3) shots on goal.
Senior keeper Emily Lynch saved each one, and kept Alief Taylor scoreless. Game ended with a
final score for the Lady Spartans of 4-0.
Lady Spartans 2 Montgomery 0
1/19/2010
The Lady Spartan Varsity Soccer team continued their success on the soccer field with another
non-district game against the Montgomery High School “Lady Bears”. Although the Bears were a
scrappy team and took several shots on goal, they found they were ill-equipped against our
Spartans. A muddy field and some aggressive playing kept the game even more interesting.
The first half was scoreless for the first 25 minutes although there were a few shots on goal by our
forwards Ellen Barth and Kathryn Wood. After their keeper knocked a free kick out of the box,
midfielder Misha Sharp cut past their defender to put the ball in the right back post of the net, and
score a goal for the Lady Spartans. With only 5 minutes left in the half, Misha kicked a ball to the
center off a corner kick and Kathryn Wood was able to put it in the net for a second goal. Stephanie
Marett provided good midfield support as did Kellie Barranco, and Heather Rovner provided
several nice headers and throw-ins.
The second half the “Bears” came out growling, and were determined to get even! An incredible
save by Casey Coleman after just a few minutes on the field frustrated them even further. Misha,
Kellie and Alyssa Johnson all had shots on goal, but their goalkeeper was able to deflect every
shot. Solid defending by keeper Casey Coleman, and defenders Morgan Clinkscales, Jennifer
Morris and Hannah Wilson helped keep the Bears scoreless. Game ended with a Lady Spartans
victory and final score of 2-0.
Current overall record for season stands at 8 wins, no losses, one tie. District Play begins this
week and our Friday night game is up against Memorial High School Friday night at Grob Stadium
at 5:00pm…the Mustangs want to defend their title so we need all our fans to be there and show
our Spartan pride!
January 20th update:
The Lady Spartan Varsity Soccer team are off and running this season. They warmed up with two
pre-season scrimmages against Lamar Consolidated and Cy-Falls. Although The SBISD
Tournament was cancelled due to the freezing temperatures, the team played a consolation match
against Channelview and won handily with a 7-0 victory.
The team opened their season with a non-district game against La Porte High School. Stratford
was on the board first with a solid goal scored by left forward Ellen Barth midway thru the first half.
This was followed shortly thereafter with a goal driven in high off a free kick by right midfielder
Misha Sharp. La Porte continued to fight, testing the entire backline and goalkeeper Emily Lynch
with 3 shots on goal in the first half, one finding it’s way thru for a 2-1 Stratford lead at the half. The
flow of the game in the second favored La Porte and after several great defensive struggles, they
managed to get another goal late in the second half for a 2-2 finish. Good contributions were
made by freshmen forward Kelly Ann Craig and defender Jennifer Morris. All in all the Lady
Spartans showed a lot of depth and skill with solid ball movement and composure in the defensive
third.
The Lady Spartan Varsity Soccer girls put on an impressive show winning the Galena Park ISD
Tournament with an overall record of 5-0, 29 goals scored and no goals let. Game 1 on Thursday
night versus Lee High School yielded a 7-0 finish with 2 goals from forward Ellen Barth (one
assisted by Kathryn Wood), 2 from forward Casey Coleman (one assisted by Samantha Cuestas),
and 1 each from midfielders Alyssa Johnson (assisted by Misha Sharp), Ellen Wagner, and Misha
Sharp (assisted by Kathryn Wood) - way to spread the joy ladies!
The Friday games were played in the rain and cold. Game 2 versus Furr High School again
yielded a 7-0 result with 2 goals from Ellen Barth (assisted by Kathryn Wood, then Alyssa
Johnson), 1 from Alyssa Johnson (assisted by Kathryn), 1 from midfielder Kellie Barranco
(assisted by Ellen Wagner), 1 from Misha Sharp, 1 from defender Heather Rovner, and 1 from
Kathryn (assisted by Ellen Barth). Stephanie Marett gave solid midfield support while Morgan
Clinkscales and Kristen Calhoun provided good defense for our second win of the tournament.
Game 3 was played later in the day versus Galena Park. This game was played entirely in the
“attacking third” with a final score of 6-0. Ellen Barth scored first off a rebound from a goal kick, and
was quickly followed by Alyssa who scored right after the kick-off with a solid shot into the goal.
Casey Coleman sent a ball to Kathryn Wood who put it in the net for a 3rd goal. Following a corner
from Misha Sharp, Kellie Barranco was able to put another ball in past the keeper for goal number
four. Ellen Wagner took it up the middle for goal number 5, and soon followed with a cross to
Kathryn who rebounds after a goal kick from the keeper and lands a second shot in for goal
number 6. These wins positioned the Lady Spartans to move on to the Semi-Finals on Saturday.
Game 4 versus Northshore was another rout with a final score of 7-0. In the first half, our first goal
came off a cross from Ellen Barth that they helped into the net, quickly followed by a shot on goal by
Heather Rovner that rebounded off the keeper. Kathryn Wood was there to score our 2nd goal.
Misha Sharp sent a through ball up to Ellen Barth who took it in for a 3rd goal. Kathryn had a break
away and beat their goalkeeper to the net to provide goal number 4. Just minutes before the end
of the first half, Casey Coleman dribbled up the field, cut back on a defender and shot into the
corner of the net for the 5th goal. In the second half, a penalty kick was given for a foul in the box -
Samantha Cuestas took the shot for goal number 6. The final goal came off a goal kick from their
keeper. Kathryn Wood was there to shoot it back in, and got a “hat trick” for the day! The Lady
Spartans moved onto the Finals.
The fifth game versus Pasadena Memorial proved to be the most challenging of the tournament,
and the Lady Spartans did not disappoint. The first half was a nail-biter until Kellie Barranco
scored on a cross from Misha Sharp with a beautiful shot that dropped in over the goalkeeper.
Shots on goal were taken by Emily Brickhouse, Hannah Wilson, and Kathryn Wood but
unfortunately were not able to penetrate the net. About twenty minutes into the second half, Misha
took a corner kick that Ellen Barth then headed into the net to give us a little more breathing room.
A solid defense provided by keeper Emily Lynch and defenders Samantha Cuestas, Morgan
Clinkscales, and Kristen Calhoun helped keep the other team scoreless. Final score was 2-0,
and the Lady Spartans were victorious. As a result we won the tournament and took home the
team trophy! Current overall record for season stands at 6 wins, no losses, one tie.
District Play starts next Tuesday against Alief-Taylor at Memorial High School…come support your
Lady Spartans!
Friday, March 5th – vs. Spring Woods (District @ SHS)
The Lady Spartans were feeling “it” when they stepped on the field to take on the Spring Woods
Tigers, and were determined to shut them down early. Two minutes into the half, Heather Rovner
powered through a defender and shot from inside the 18-yard line to score the first goal of the
game. Shortly after Kellie Barranco had a nice cross to Ellen Barth who scored goal number two.
Ten minutes later, Kelly Ann Craig crossed it over to Kathryn Wood who cut it at a nice angle to
shoot to the back of the net past the goalie. With only fourteen minutes left in the half, a Spring
Woods forward broke past our defenders to put it into our net. Half ended with us up 3-1.
Six minutes into the second half, Kellie Barranco shot from wide left off a cross from Misha Sharp
to score goal number four. A “ping-pong” goal happened when Kellie crossed a ball to Ellen Barth
whose shot ricocheted off the keeper and into the goal. The last goal came off a chip up from
defender Samantha Cuestas to Kelly Ann who put it into the back of the net. Midfielders Alyssa
Johnson and Kendall Jones were firing on all cylinders to help keep the ball in the attacking third
while the Lady Spartan defenders insured no further scoring by the Tigers. The game ended with
a 6-1 win for the Lady Spartans. For the last fifteen minutes of the game and in celebration of
“Senior Night”, all the seniors were on the field playing except for injured defender Ingrid
Eckhoff…midfielders Emily Brickhouse, Stephanie Marett, and Misha Sharp, defenders Kristen
Calhoun and Casey Coleman, and keeper Emily Lynch. Good luck seniors with your future plans!
Current overall record is 16 wins, 3 losses, and one tie, and district standing is 8 wins and 3
losses. For our last district game we face off against Elsik on Tuesday, March 9th at Alief Auxiliary
Fields at 6:45 pm. We are hoping to issue a little payback, and this game will help determine
whether we take 2nd place in district or not. So come support your Lady Spartans before they head
into the playoffs!
Wednesday, March 3rd – vs. Northbrook (District @ Northbrook)
The Lady Spartans soccer team started off with a bang when they took on Northbrook this last
week. Less than a minute into the first half, defender Heather Rovner sent the ball up the field to
Kelly Ann Craig who booted it into the goal. Northbrook tightened up their defense in response and
made it tougher for our forwards to get through. Junior Kara Manning showed good hustle during
the half as did Ellen Wagner but unfortunately nothing got into the net. When a Northbrook forward
had a breakaway toward our net, senior defender Casey Coleman successfully shut her down. But
with only six seconds left in the half, Northbrook had a lucky shot which tied the score 1-1.
With the second half came numerous shots on goal, but still no actual goals for us. With sixteen
minutes left, midfielder Misha Sharp had a crisp cross to forward Kara Manning who shot it in for
goal number two. Northbrook got more aggressive then and we found ourselves in a battle of wills.
Goal number three came off a cross from midfielder Kellie Barranco to forward Ellen Barth who
centered it up for Misha Sharp. Misha took a shot from the 18-yard line that sailed into the back
corner of the net. Less than a minute later, Kathryn Wood sent a great ball over to a waiting Ellen
Barth who kicked it in past the keeper to score goal number four. Game ended with a final score
Lady Spartans 4 - Northbrook 1.
February 28th update:
February 26th
Stratford 5 Alief Hastings 0
The Lady Spartans and fans were surprised by a late “cold snap” with windy conditions and a 39
degree wind chill, but were not deterred in getting down to business against Hastings. As the
ladies sent balls toward the goal, they would hang in the air before falling to the ground, and it
made first half play into the wind more difficult. Although the entire first half was spent in the
attacking third, and the Spartans made several shots on goal, no goals were actually scored. With
the wind for us in the second half, the first goal came off a shot from defender Morgan Clinkscales
who pinged it off the left post and into the net. Soon Alyssa Johnson warded off a pesky defender
to successfully send in goal number two, after a cross from Ellen Barth. Goal three came when
Kelly Ann Craig had a beautiful shot into the net, which hit the back post. Minutes late a cross from
Misha Sharp to Kelly Ann provided a run and shoot for Kathryn Wood who scored goal number
four. The final goal of the game came off a shot from Samantha Cuestas that their defender
bobbled. The Lady Spartans defenders (seniors Casey Coleman & Kristin Calhoun, juniors
Morgan Clinkscales & Samantha Cuestas, sophomore Heather Rovner and freshman Rihanna
Devany) did an excellent job the entire game, and kept Alief Hastings scoreless. The game ended
with a 5-0 win for the Lady Spartans.
Current overall record is 14 wins, 3 losses, and one tie, and district standing is 6 wins and 3
losses. Our next games will be at Grob on Monday, March 1st as we face off against Northbrook,
and then Friday, March 5th against Spring Woods. If you haven’t had a chance to see the Lady
Spartans play, there are only three district games left, so come join the fun!
February 23rd
Stratford 0 Memorial 3
The Lady Spartans played with heart in their second match-up against undefeated district rival
Memorial. Although there was a lot of back and forth on the field, and the Lady Spartans never
gave up trying, Memorial was determined not to let our ladies score. During the first half,
defenders Rihanna Devany and Kristen Calhoun kept the Memorial forwards in lock-down. Kellie
Barranco sent several good balls up the field, and Alyssa Johnson applied good midfield
pressure, but unfortunately no shots were successful. With only 6 minutes remaining in the half,
Memorial’s midfielder broke away and zinged a goal in off a cross. Keeper Emily Lynch was able
to deflect 4 other shots on goal, and bring the half to a close with a 0-1 score. The second half
began with a more aggressive Mustang team, who quickly scored two more goals. The Lady
Spartans stepped up to the challenge, and determined to shut them down. Casey Coleman,
Kendall Jones and Rihanna provided great defense and kept clearing several of Memorial’s
passes. At one point the crowd went wild as Kendall crossed a shot to Kathryn Wood, who then
passed it to a waiting Kelly Ann Craig. She tried to get the ball into the goal, but it went wide.
Heather Rovner and Emily Brickhouse also attempted a pass and shoot, but the keeper came out
to meet them. Game ended with a final score Lady Spartans 0- Memorial 3.
Friday, February 19, 2010 – vs. Alief Taylor (District @ Alief Taylor)
Our second round of district play started this week against Alief Taylor. Taylor seemed ready for us
as their keeper aggressively tried to defend their goal. However, the Lady Spartans dominated the
field in both halves, and showed great passing and ball handling skills throughout the game.
Early on in the game Kellie Barranco, off a cross from Misha Sharp, kicked a nice ball to the goal
that led to a corner for our team. In a run up the field, Kristen Calhoun made a beautiful kick into
the goal but the keeper deflected it. Kelly Ann Craig had a breakaway and scored off a kick way
outside the 18-yard line for goal number one. In another nice cross from Misha, Kelly Ann tried to
head a ball in but it went wide. Ellen Barth, Emily Brickhouse, Ellen Wagner, and Heather Rovner
delivered other shots on goal. Half ended with a Spartan lead of 1-0.
Twenty minutes into the second half, Kelly Ann Craig successfully headed the ball into the net after
a cross from Ellen Barth for goal number two. Kellie Barranco, Samantha Cuestas, Kathryn Wood
and Hannah Wilson had other shots on goal, but Taylor’s keeper was always there. Defense
squarely did their job and kept Taylor scoreless. The game ended with a 2-0 score for the Lady
Spartans. Current overall record is 13 wins, two losses, and one tie, and district standing is 5
wins and 2 losses. One of the biggest games of the season will be this Tuesday, February 23rd
as we face off against Memorial again at Grob Stadium, 6:45 p.m. Wear green, be loud and come
help the Lady Spartans win one for the school!
Saturday, February 13, 2010 – vs. Elsik (District @ SHS)
Our final game of round one district play found us at the Strake Jesuit fields playing against Alief
Elsik. Our Friday game was cancelled due to the weather so it was a relief to have some sunshine
to play in. Unfortunately, the nice turf and sunny day didn’t help us win the game. During the first
half, the Lady Spartans had good possession advantage. Kellie Barranco along with Kelly Ann
Craig, Samantha Cuestas and Emily Brickhouse each had shots on goal. Several corner kicks
yielded no real opportunities for us to score either. Midfielders Alyssa Johnson, Kellie Barranco
and Emily Brickhouse put several crosses into the box, but the Elsik keeper was always there to
deflect them. Thanks to some solid defending throughout the game, Elsik was held scoreless
until the final seven minutes. Their forward broke away and scored with a lucky shot on goal.
Although the Lady Spartans dominated most of the game, we couldn’t seem to get any balls into
the net in spite of our forwards’ efforts. Game ended with 0-1 score for Elsik.
Current overall record for the season is 12 wins, two losses, and one tie, and district standing is 4
wins and 2 losses. Round two of district play starts next week as we face Alief Taylor again on
their home turf Friday, February 19th at 6:45 p.m. Wear green and come support your Lady
Spartans!
Tuesday, February 9, 2010 - vs. Spring Woods (District @ Spring Woods)
The Lady Spartan Varsity Soccer team met number three ranked Spring Woods in district play this
week, and the Tigers wanted our spot. It was a tough fought game with another scrappy team and
strong keeper who always seemed to be there when the balls came in. The first half saw a lot of
activity but nothing seemed to be working for our Lady Spartans. Under pressure, the game was
back and forth (more back than forth) across the field. We weathered four corner kicks in the
middle of the half, and the Tigers defense kept drawing off sides calls against us. Stratford was
more dominant in the last 20 minutes of the half, but still couldn’t score even with several shots on
goal by Kelly Ann Craig and Kellie Barranco. Fortunately our defenders held off Spring Woods and
the half ended 0-0.
The second half was livelier as the Spartans came out fighting. Within minutes, Kelly Ann had
received a yellow card, and the referees seemed to call things even tighter. Kara Manning took a
shot a goal but the goalie was there to catch it. Late in the half off a free kick from Misha Sharp,
Alyssa Johnson headed the ball toward the net but hit the post. Kellie Barranco ran up to shoot but
it was too wide, and another free kick still didn’t produce a goal. Clearly frustrated and tired, our
girls still kept trying. What seemed to turn the tide was the Tigers scoring with less than fourteen
minutes remaining in the half. It became evident that was the push the Lady Spartans needed to
turn up the heat. Less than a minute later in a breakaway run up the field, Kathryn Wood was able
to kick the ball into the back corner of the net past their keeper. With seven minutes left on the
clock, Kelly Ann Craig had another breakaway and sent a high ball sailing past their goalie’s head
and into the net. Defenders Rihana Devany, Casey Coleman and Morgan Clinkscales kept up the
pressure on Spring Woods and they failed to produce another goal. Game ended with a final
score for the Lady Spartans of 2-1.
Friday, February 5, 2010 – vs. Northbrook (District @ SHS)
Our fourth district game found us home playing against Northbrook in a contest of wills.
Northbrook was fired up, and not willing to give up any goals easily. Kelly Ann Craig took a penalty
kick for a handball in the box but the goalie was there to catch it. Our first scoring opportunity came
off a corner kick by Misha Sharp. Kellie Barranco kicked it in to the center and Kelly Ann Craig was
there to shoot it into the net. Five minutes later off another corner by Misha, Alyssa Johnson was
able to head the ball toward the net and Emily Brickhouse kicked it in for goal number two. The
half ended 2-0.
It was clear that Northbrook came to play as their goalie successfully deflected nine shots on goal
during the game by several Lady Spartans including Stephanie Marett, and Kathryn Wood. Our third
goal came off another penalty kick for a handball in the box. Alyssa Johnson took the kick and sent
it straight to the back of the net. Nice passing from midfielders Ellen Wagner and Kendall Jones
provided shooting opportunities for our forwards, while defenders Rihana Devany, Kristen Calhoun
and Morgan Clinkscales provided solid defense to hold Northbrook scoreless. After Northbrook’s
keeper bobbled a shot on goal by Kelly Ann, Alyssa was there for the rebound and shot it in for
Stratford’s fourth goal. Game ended with a final score of 4-0 for the Lady Spartans.
Current overall record for the season stands at 11 wins, one loss, and one tie, and district
standing is 3 wins and 1 loss. District play continues as we face Spring Woods on Tuesday at
Grob Stadium, and then Elsik on Friday at 5:00pm at MHS. Come see your Lady Spartans in action!
Tuesday, February 2, 2010 - vs. Alief Hastings (District @ Hastings)
The Lady Spartan Varsity Soccer team continued district play this week against Alief Hastings. It
was a slow start on yet another cold night with Hastings on the defense from the get-go. Playing
with eleven players back, the first half was packed into the attacking third of the field. Their goalie
helped open up the game for us by bobbling a kick made by Kara Manning. Goal number two
came with six minutes left in the half off a free kick by Misha Sharp. Midfielder Alyssa Johnson was
there to pop it into the back of the net. Forward Ellen Barth had nice shot on goal, but their keeper
deflected it. The Spartans’ third goal came after a corner kick by Misha and with only 22 seconds
left in the half. After several touches in front of the goal, Emily Brickhouse was able to shoot it in.
Fifteen minutes into the second half, Alyssa Johnson crossed the ball to Kellie Barranco who then
passed the ball to forward Kelly Ann Craig for a fourth goal. Within minutes forward Kathryn Wood
crossed the ball to the center, and Kelly Ann was able to shoot a high ball into the net from just
outside the 18-yard line. Casey Coleman subbed in as our keeper with twenty minutes left in the
game, allowing Emily Lynch to help on the field. The final goal came when Misha crossed a ball
from wide right, and Kathryn Wood was able to punch it in. Thanks to the Lady Spartans awesome
defense and midfield most of the game was played in the attacking third with no real threats from
Alief Hastings. Game ended with a final score for the Lady Spartans of 6-0.
Friday, January 29, 2010 – vs. Memorial (District @ Memorial)
It was a tale of “two halves”- it was the best of times, and it was the worst of times. The first half
saw our Lady Spartans wielding great ball possession and dominance, and the second
unfortunately allowing the Mustangs to kick up some dust. Within minutes of the start, Memorial
scored and then the Spartans answered with a goal of their own. Off a pass from Kellie Barranco,
forward Kelly Ann Craig “juked” past a defender to put the ball in the net. During the next twenty
minutes and despite cold and windy conditions, the Lady Spartans showed they came to play.
Seniors Emily Brickhouse and Stephanie Marett along with Alyssa Johnson provided good midfield
support, as did sophomore defender Heather Rovner, who made several beautiful passes up to
them. With her varsity debut, Freshman Rihana Devany proved to be a solid add for the defense
with several header returns back up the field. The team shut down much of the Mustangs’ offense
and clearly dominated the rest of the half with the help of defenders Morgan Clinkscales and
Jennifer Morris. With 11 minutes left in the half, Kelly Ann kicked a beautiful ball straight into the
net past their keeper off a corner kick from senior midfielder Misha Sharp for goal number two.
The second half the “Ponies” came out with fire in their eyes! But Stratford was not deterred, and
within the first two minutes of the half, scored a third goal. Off a free kick by Misha Sharp,
midfielder Kellie Barranco was able to kick another ball into the net. After this goal, Memorial
ramped up the pressure and came back by scoring two more goals to tie up the game. Despite
the pressure, keeper Emily Lynch had an outstanding game as she deflected twelve (12) shots on
goal from them. Our Lady Spartans fought hard and proved that they could hold their own, but
unfortunately it was not enough to produce a win. With less than two minutes left in the game,
Memorial scored a fourth time. The game ended with the Lady Spartans first loss of the season,
and a final score of 3-4.
Current overall record for the season stands at 9 wins, one loss, and one tie, and district standing
is 1 win and 1 loss. District play continues as we face Alief Hastings on Tuesday at 6:45, and
Northbrook on Friday at 5:00pm in Grob Stadium. Thanks for your continued support of the 2010
Lady Spartan Varsity Soccer Team!
Tuesday, January 26, 2010 - vs. Alief Taylor (District @ SHS)
The Lady Spartan Varsity Soccer team opened district play this week in a game against Alief
Taylor. Although the first half of the game was scoreless, it was not for lack of shooting by the Lady
Spartans. Sophomore Alyssa Johnson was fired up with eight shots on goal, and also showed
fantastic ball-handling skills throughout the game. Freshman Kelly Ann Craig, back after a toe
injury, made several attempts to get the ball in the net, but their goalie was able to deflect each
one. Sophomores Kellie Barranco and Ellen Barth were also in the mix trying to score. One
particular shot by Alyssa hit the cross bar, and Kellie tried to score off the rebound, but their goalie
dove for the save. Freshman Jennifer Morris, and senior Kristen Calhoun cleared out the backfield
and kept Alief Taylor’s shots to a minimum during the half.
Three minutes into the second half, Kelly Ann had a break away and ran the ball in for the first goal
of the game. Ten minutes later, sophomore Kathryn Wood kicked a high ball into the net that the
goalie caught, and then dropped. Kelly Ann was there for the rebound kick and scored goal
number two. Goal number three came from a well placed cross from Alyssa Johnson to Ellen
Barth. Midfielders Ellen Wagner and Misha Sharp also had shots on goal but their goalie was
there to catch them. The fourth and final goal of the game came when the goalie bobbled a kick
from Kelly Ann Craig…giving her a “Hat Trick” for the night! The Lady Spartan’s midfield and
defense controlled the ball for most of the game allowing Alief Taylor only three (3) shots on goal.
Senior keeper Emily Lynch saved each one, and kept Alief Taylor scoreless. Game ended with a
final score for the Lady Spartans of 4-0.
Lady Spartans 2 Montgomery 0
1/19/2010
The Lady Spartan Varsity Soccer team continued their success on the soccer field with another
non-district game against the Montgomery High School “Lady Bears”. Although the Bears were a
scrappy team and took several shots on goal, they found they were ill-equipped against our
Spartans. A muddy field and some aggressive playing kept the game even more interesting.
The first half was scoreless for the first 25 minutes although there were a few shots on goal by our
forwards Ellen Barth and Kathryn Wood. After their keeper knocked a free kick out of the box,
midfielder Misha Sharp cut past their defender to put the ball in the right back post of the net, and
score a goal for the Lady Spartans. With only 5 minutes left in the half, Misha kicked a ball to the
center off a corner kick and Kathryn Wood was able to put it in the net for a second goal. Stephanie
Marett provided good midfield support as did Kellie Barranco, and Heather Rovner provided
several nice headers and throw-ins.
The second half the “Bears” came out growling, and were determined to get even! An incredible
save by Casey Coleman after just a few minutes on the field frustrated them even further. Misha,
Kellie and Alyssa Johnson all had shots on goal, but their goalkeeper was able to deflect every
shot. Solid defending by keeper Casey Coleman, and defenders Morgan Clinkscales, Jennifer
Morris and Hannah Wilson helped keep the Bears scoreless. Game ended with a Lady Spartans
victory and final score of 2-0.
Current overall record for season stands at 8 wins, no losses, one tie. District Play begins this
week and our Friday night game is up against Memorial High School Friday night at Grob Stadium
at 5:00pm…the Mustangs want to defend their title so we need all our fans to be there and show
our Spartan pride!
January 20th update:
The Lady Spartan Varsity Soccer team are off and running this season. They warmed up with two
pre-season scrimmages against Lamar Consolidated and Cy-Falls. Although The SBISD
Tournament was cancelled due to the freezing temperatures, the team played a consolation match
against Channelview and won handily with a 7-0 victory.
The team opened their season with a non-district game against La Porte High School. Stratford
was on the board first with a solid goal scored by left forward Ellen Barth midway thru the first half.
This was followed shortly thereafter with a goal driven in high off a free kick by right midfielder
Misha Sharp. La Porte continued to fight, testing the entire backline and goalkeeper Emily Lynch
with 3 shots on goal in the first half, one finding it’s way thru for a 2-1 Stratford lead at the half. The
flow of the game in the second favored La Porte and after several great defensive struggles, they
managed to get another goal late in the second half for a 2-2 finish. Good contributions were
made by freshmen forward Kelly Ann Craig and defender Jennifer Morris. All in all the Lady
Spartans showed a lot of depth and skill with solid ball movement and composure in the defensive
third.
The Lady Spartan Varsity Soccer girls put on an impressive show winning the Galena Park ISD
Tournament with an overall record of 5-0, 29 goals scored and no goals let. Game 1 on Thursday
night versus Lee High School yielded a 7-0 finish with 2 goals from forward Ellen Barth (one
assisted by Kathryn Wood), 2 from forward Casey Coleman (one assisted by Samantha Cuestas),
and 1 each from midfielders Alyssa Johnson (assisted by Misha Sharp), Ellen Wagner, and Misha
Sharp (assisted by Kathryn Wood) - way to spread the joy ladies!
The Friday games were played in the rain and cold. Game 2 versus Furr High School again
yielded a 7-0 result with 2 goals from Ellen Barth (assisted by Kathryn Wood, then Alyssa
Johnson), 1 from Alyssa Johnson (assisted by Kathryn), 1 from midfielder Kellie Barranco
(assisted by Ellen Wagner), 1 from Misha Sharp, 1 from defender Heather Rovner, and 1 from
Kathryn (assisted by Ellen Barth). Stephanie Marett gave solid midfield support while Morgan
Clinkscales and Kristen Calhoun provided good defense for our second win of the tournament.
Game 3 was played later in the day versus Galena Park. This game was played entirely in the
“attacking third” with a final score of 6-0. Ellen Barth scored first off a rebound from a goal kick, and
was quickly followed by Alyssa who scored right after the kick-off with a solid shot into the goal.
Casey Coleman sent a ball to Kathryn Wood who put it in the net for a 3rd goal. Following a corner
from Misha Sharp, Kellie Barranco was able to put another ball in past the keeper for goal number
four. Ellen Wagner took it up the middle for goal number 5, and soon followed with a cross to
Kathryn who rebounds after a goal kick from the keeper and lands a second shot in for goal
number 6. These wins positioned the Lady Spartans to move on to the Semi-Finals on Saturday.
Game 4 versus Northshore was another rout with a final score of 7-0. In the first half, our first goal
came off a cross from Ellen Barth that they helped into the net, quickly followed by a shot on goal by
Heather Rovner that rebounded off the keeper. Kathryn Wood was there to score our 2nd goal.
Misha Sharp sent a through ball up to Ellen Barth who took it in for a 3rd goal. Kathryn had a break
away and beat their goalkeeper to the net to provide goal number 4. Just minutes before the end
of the first half, Casey Coleman dribbled up the field, cut back on a defender and shot into the
corner of the net for the 5th goal. In the second half, a penalty kick was given for a foul in the box -
Samantha Cuestas took the shot for goal number 6. The final goal came off a goal kick from their
keeper. Kathryn Wood was there to shoot it back in, and got a “hat trick” for the day! The Lady
Spartans moved onto the Finals.
The fifth game versus Pasadena Memorial proved to be the most challenging of the tournament,
and the Lady Spartans did not disappoint. The first half was a nail-biter until Kellie Barranco
scored on a cross from Misha Sharp with a beautiful shot that dropped in over the goalkeeper.
Shots on goal were taken by Emily Brickhouse, Hannah Wilson, and Kathryn Wood but
unfortunately were not able to penetrate the net. About twenty minutes into the second half, Misha
took a corner kick that Ellen Barth then headed into the net to give us a little more breathing room.
A solid defense provided by keeper Emily Lynch and defenders Samantha Cuestas, Morgan
Clinkscales, and Kristen Calhoun helped keep the other team scoreless. Final score was 2-0,
and the Lady Spartans were victorious. As a result we won the tournament and took home the
team trophy! Current overall record for season stands at 6 wins, no losses, one tie.
District Play starts next Tuesday against Alief-Taylor at Memorial High School…come support your
Lady Spartans!
