vs. The Woodlands @ Stratford – 12.30.24

With 2024 winding down, the Spartans hosted one final home game before year-end against The Woodlands High School on Monday afternoon (The Lady Highlanders are considered to be one of the top teams in the greater Houston area and are ranked 7th in the entire Girls 6A – Region 2 area).

The game started off on a bright and sunny afternoon, with the match beginning with a rare 3:00 pm kickoff. The Green & White started off on fire with a corner kick just 30 seconds into play. Not long after that, at the 2’ minute mark, Senior – Ryann Weber played a perfect ball upfield to Senior – Allison Goodwin, who then worked the ball up the right side past the Woodlands defense and centered the ball to the middle of the box, where Junior – Sydney Valentine was waiting to fire a shot left-side to give the Spartans the early 1-0 lead. SHS would continue to control the ball much of the first half, but a little after midway through the opening period, the Lady Highlanders would tie things up with a tough shot to the upper right 90 to even the score at 1-1 in the 24th minute. Valentine and Senior – Mary Charlotte Paul both had shots just sail over the crossbar in the final 10 minutes, but neither would find their mark, and the match would stay even going into halftime.

The Spartans started the second half much like the first, with several corner kicks that were close but just couldn't find their mark. At the 53rd-minute mark, things would change … on a ball out of bounds by TWHS, Sophomore – Audrey Brendel took the throw-in and found Junior – Sara Benton, who took a quick touch and fired right-side just over the glove of the leaping goalie, to increase the lead to 2-1. At the 62-minute mark it would again be the duo of Goodwin and Valentine, when Goodwin worked the ball up the right side and played a great ball upfield, where Valentine outran the remaining three defenders and then fired past the charging goalie to the far-right corner to give the Spartans some breathing room and ultimately lock up a 3-1 victory against a very good Woodlands High School team.

It was an impressive defensive performance by all involved for the Spartans, with outstanding goalkeeping from both Senior – Liv Harbison and Sophomore – Addie Greenway.

THE NATIONAL ELITE PREP SHOWCASE

The Stratford Varsity Girls Soccer Team boarded a chartered coach bus on Thursday morning to make their way to North Texas for a three-game tournament against some of the best teams in the state. They headed to the Dallas area to do battle against three of the top 13 teams in Girls 6A – Region 1 (Coppell - #2, Flower Mound Marcus - #5, and Keller - #13) in the National Elite Prep Showcase.

vs. Keller High School - 1.2.2025

Up first for your Lady Spartans was a 7:00 pm kickoff against the Keller High School Indians. The Lady Spartans maintained position and controlled the ball for the first 10 minutes of play, dominating with offensive pressure. At the 25-minute mark, Senior – Ryann Weber made a nice drive up the middle of the field and found Senior – Allison Goodwin, who fired a great shot, but the KHS goalie made a great play on the ball. In the latter third of the first half, Senior – Mary Charlotte Paul fired off several shots that looked good off the foot but couldn’t find their mark. In the last five minutes of the opening half, Goodwin made a great pass across the top of the box to Sophomore – Sophia Beviacqua, who fired a laser shot just over the crossbar, narrowly missing. From there, the first half ticked down to all zeroes on the clock, and we were still knotted at 0-0. It was a great first half by the Green & White, but they just couldn’t convert those opportunities into goals.

The second half was very similar to the first forty minutes with several shots on goal by both Paul and Goodwin, but none of them could find their mark. As hard as the Lady Indians were working to keep Stratford off the board, the SHS defense was matching their opponent’s effort at every turn. The Spartans had outstanding goalkeeping from both Senior – Liv Harbison and Sophomore – Addie Greenway. Additionally, the defensive combo of Freshman – Hannah Hewitt, Sophomores – Audrey Brendel, Juliana Molinas, and Zoe Lawless, Junior - Madison Gallerano, and Seniors – Hannah Ryan, Hannah Haygood, and Whitney Bui kept the Lady Indians from finding anything close to a goal. In a great defensive battle, the match ended all square at 0-0, with the Spartans looking forward to converting their shot-taking into several goals over the next two matches.

vs. Coppell High School – 1.3.2025

Stratford would take the field for game 2 of the National Elite Prep Showcase at Southlake Carroll’s Dragon Stadium to take on the Coppell Cowgirls, currently the 3rd-ranked team in Texas 6A girls' soccer. The Cowgirls would come out aggressively and put the Spartans on their heels from the opening kick. The pressure in the opening minutes paid off for the Cowgirls as they were able to find the back of the net just two minutes into the match. The Cowgirls would have another great chance just a few minutes later as a Coppell winger would make a run down the far sideline, but Junior – Madison Gallerano forced the player over the end line for a goal kick. In the 14th minute, the Cowgirls would be knocking at the door again, but Stratford goalkeeper, Senior – Olivia Harbison made a diving save on a strike at the far post to keep the deficit just one.

The Spartans withstood the opening onslaught from Coppell out of the gates, settling into the match and creating opportunities of their own. In the 18th minute, Senior - Allison Goodwin would make a run up the middle of the field and find Senior - Mary Charlotte Paul on the right side. Paul would send a dangerous ball over the top of the Coppell defense to a streaking Junior – Sydney Valentine, who was in a foot race with the goalkeeper for the ball. Valentine deflected the keeper’s attempted clearance back on goal, but the deflection went just wide of the near post. Just three minutes later, Goodwin would pass the ball to Sophomore – Audrey Brendel. Brendel was able to fend off a couple of defenders and get off a shot from the top of the Coppell box that would find the top corner of the goal to tie it up for Stratford. In the 29th minute, Weber would find Goodwin from the midfield, and Goodwin drove the ball to the end line before slotting a ball across the goal to a streaking Paul, who was able to score just inside the far post to put the Spartans up 2-1.

In the second half, it would be Coppell that would find the equalizer just 6 minutes into the half on a great shot from distance. In the 60th minute, Sophomore – Sara Benton was able to create space for herself at the top of the Coppell box firing on goal, but a diving save by the Coppell keeper kept the match level. Benton was fouled just a few minutes later near midfield, and Sophomore – Zoe Lawless would take the free kick, sending a beautiful ball into a crowded box, but Coppell was able to clear it. With ten minutes left in the match, Coppell would send another dangerous shot from distance at the Stratford goal, but Sophomore – Addie Greenway was able to punch the ball just over the crossbar to keep the game tied. The match would end in a 2-2 tie. It was a great showing by your Spartans against an extremely talented Coppell team.

vs. Flower Mound Marcus High School – 1.4.2025

In their final game at the National Elite Prep Showcase, Stratford would take on DFW powerhouse and 2023 6A State Champion, Flower Mound Marcus High School. The Marauders would control the action early. Just two minutes in, a Marcus attacker was driving toward the Stratford goal, but Sophomore – Addie Greenway decisively rushed out to grab the ball and stop the chance for Marcus.

The Spartans found their footing in the 10th minute when Sophomore – Juliana Molinas stole the ball from a Marcus defender and switched the field to Junior – Sydney Valentine, who drew multiple defenders before laying the ball off to a charging Senior – Mary Charlotte Paul. Paul was able to get a shot on goal, but the Marcus keeper was up to the task. In the 29th minute, Sophomore - Ella Bui, seeing her first action with the Varsity team, intercepted a Marcus pass and was able to find Junior – Sara Benton, who fired on the Marcus goal, but the goalkeeper was able to make the save. The half would end 0-0, despite a number of chances for both teams.

In the 52nd minute of the match, Marcus would find the game’s first goal when a Marauder attacker was able to slide a ball just inside the far post for the first goal of the match. The Spartans would fight back in the 60th minute when Sophomore - Audrey Brendel beat a Marcus player and sent a long ball over the Marcus defense to a streaking Senior – Ryann Weber, who was able to chip a ball over the goalkeeper and find the back of the net to level the match at 1-1. A few minutes later, Senior - Olivia Harbison punched an incoming Marcus corner, and teammate Senior – Whitney Bui was able to clear the ball from danger, finding Senior - Allison Goodwin. Goodwin then found Valentine, who was leading the counterattack against two Marcus defenders, holding her run up slightly to allow Goodwin to rejoin in the attack. Valentine found a full-speed Goodwin just outside the box, but the Marcus goalie stepped aggressively, causing Goodwin’s shot to go just wide of the far post.

In the 62nd minute of the match, a Marcus attacker was on a breakaway but Senior – Olivia Harbison was up to the challenge, getting her fingertips on a great shot by Marcus, pushing the ball just outside the far post. Unfortunately, in the final 15 minutes of the match, Marcus would find two additional goals, handing the Spartans their first loss of the season. Despite the loss, it was an extremely successful weekend for the Spartans against some elite competition.

A special thanks to the Spartan Athletic Booster Club for assisting with the travel expenses so that the Spartans could participate in this invitation-only event. The Varsity Girls Soccer Team will next be in action on January 9th - 11th in Katy ISD’s I-10  Shootout.