Stratford vs. Kingwood Mustangs – Friday, April 7th – Playoff Game #4

Your Varsity Girls Soccer Team rolled into the Regional Semi-Finals on Friday after dominating shutout performances in the three previous playoff games. In round 4, they would face the Kingwood High School Mustangs (20-5-0, District Champs). The game began with overcast skies in the mid-50s, with lots of mist in the air and heavy rain threatening the area. Your Spartans started the match defending the north goal, but Senior Goalie Allison Zilafro would not see much action in the first half. In fact, the Lady Spartans would have three shots on goal in the first 9 minutes and would maintain offensive control throughout the first 40 minutes. At the 15-minute mark, Sophomore Whitney Bui would send a lofted pass to Senior Kristin Geczik, who would head it just into the bottom of the crossbar, which would be enough to keep the ball out of the net, but also enough that the goalie bobbled the ball and gave Geczik a second chance to finish it and send the ball into the back of the net, to give the Spartans an early 1-0 lead. Not two minutes later though, at 17’ – it was again Bui with a great throw-in from the right sideline to Senior Lauren Ahearn, who trapped the ball and held onto it just long enough and then made a nice touch pass to Junior Lizzie Emerson, who hammered the ball into the top left corner to put SHS up 2-0. As the first half was winding down, the Spartans would have a few more opportunities to increase the lead. At 34’, Sophomore Hannah Ryan would take a long shot from 25 yards out that hit the crossbar and then at 36’, Sophomore Allison Goodwin would make a great pass to Senior Liz Pretzantzin, who would find the back of the net, but the goal was waived off after a very close offsides call. Finally, at 39’ Sophomore Mary Paul would take a powerful shot from the top of the box, but a diving save by the Mustangs goalie would keep the score at 2-0 going into halftime.

After going 2 for 14 in shots on goal in the first half, the Spartans were ready to put another on the board and they wouldn’t have to wait long. At 46’, Ahearn would dribble up the left side and find Goodwin open at the top of the box, who in turn would make a great touch pass to a charging Geczik – who fired top left corner – never giving the KHS goalie a chance, and putting the Spartans on top 3-0. Stratford would continue to dominate offensive control for the remainder of the game and keep Kingwood away from the SHS goal. As the game wrapped up, the Spartans would finish with 20 shots on goal to the Mustangs 4, and a 3-0 victory sending them back to the Regional Finals for a second straight year and a rematch from the 2022 game vs. Ridgepoint.

Stratford vs Ridgepoint High School Panthers – Saturday, April 8th – Playoff Game #5

The Spartans were back at the Regional Finals for a second straight year looking to get a win in a rematch of the 2022 Regional Final game vs. the Ridgepoint Panthers (22-0-5, District Champs). The crowd wouldn’t have to wait long as the game heated up right away. The Panthers would have their first opportunity at 2’ off of a SHS handball just outside the box. Ridgepoint would fire from point blank range but missed left to keep the score at 0-0. About halfway through the first half, at 18’, the ball would find its way deep in the SHS corner where it was cleared, but a Ridgepoint midfielder was able to get an uncontested shot just under the crossbar to take a 1-0 lead over SHS. The first half saw a lot of back-and-forth and was proving to be a great game, as both teams were equally matched. SHS had a few direct kick opportunities from the Ridgepoint side of the field, including one that drew a yellow card when a Panther player pulled a Stratford midfielder down by her hair. All that said, the Spartans would need to regroup at halftime and find a way to even the score.

As the second half got underway, the official made a questionable foul call on SHS at midfield. The free kick ended up in the Stratford right corner and it got centered to a waiting Panther player, who found the back of the net to go up 2-0. To try and manufacture more scoring opportunities, SHS moved to a back line of three defenders to add an additional offensive player. While that change in strategy did create more opportunities for the Spartans, they just couldn't convert. Ridgepoint would add a third and final goal to end the game 3-0. The Panthers got the best of the Spartans on Saturday, but the Varsity Girls Soccer Team should be very proud of everything they accomplished in back-to-back years. They will return six starters for the 2023-24 season and will certainly make another run next year. Congratulations on back-to-back District Championships and a 20-win season that included 15 shutouts.