vs. Cy Ridge High School – 3.4.2025

On Tuesday, March 4, 2025, the Varsity Girls Soccer Team hosted the Cy Ridge Rams in their second-to-last District game of the season. Right from the start of the game, the Rams made it very clear that they were going to do everything possible to keep the Spartans from scoring – which included playing 8-9 girls in a defensive formation in front of the goal. However, even with that game plan in place it was going to be tough to limit the Spartans' high-powered offense from their average of nearly 8 goals a game in District. In the 7th minute, Senior – Allison Goodwin sent a pass across the front of the goal that Junior – Sydney Valentine was able to re-direct into the back of the net for a quick 1-0 advantage. At the 14-minute mark, it again was Goodwin who dribbled just inside the box and blistered an untouchable shot between the goalie and the right post for the second SHS goal of the evening, 2-0. With 13 minutes left in the opening half of play, Junior – Sara Benton secured possession of a CRHS goal kick and fired a nearly 25-yard shot in the bottom left corner of the net to increase the lead to 3-0. In the 29th minute of play, the Spartans worked the ball all around the front of the Rams goal, where ultimately, Junior – Avery Rushing found Goodwin unmarked and with a wide-open lane to the goal --- with a quick touch and shot she would notch her second goal to put the green and white ahead, 4-0. With five minutes to play before intermission, Senior – Mary Charlotte Paul dribbled to the goal and fired to the far right side while the goalie froze and watched it hit the back of the net to close out the first 40 minutes of play, 5-0.

About 12 minutes into the re-start, Valentine would win a loose ball at the Cy Ridge end of the field and fight her way through two defenders and the goalie for her second goal and the sixth for SHS. Two minutes later at the 55-minute mark, Freshman – Ava Gibson sent a ball across the top of the box that found its way to Sophomore - Audrey Brendel, who squeezed a shot inside the left post to increase the lead to 7-0. With 10 minutes remaining in regulation, Sophomore – Juliana Molinas drove the ball down to the right corner where she sent a pass to Gibson, who was streaking toward the goal. After an attempt by the goalie to secure the ball, Gibson was not going to lose that battle and sent the ball into the back of the net for the eighth goal of the match to give the Spartans another mercy rule victory, 8-0.

With this victory, the Spartans have locked up their fourth District championship in a row with one more game to be played. A big congratulations goes out to the Lady Spartans for this rare feat and especially to the five seniors who have led this team to those four championships since they were freshmen – Whitney Bui, Allison Goodwin, Mary Charlotte Paul, Hannah Ryan, and Ryann Weber.

at Memorial High School – 3.7.2025

Although the Spartans had already clinched their fourth consecutive District Championship on Tuesday night at home vs. Cy Ridge, this Stratford team was determined to send another message to Memorial before heading into the playoffs. The Spartans would control the action early, sending chance after chance forward but would be turned away in the early action. It was the Mustangs in the 20th minute who would be awarded a free kick from 40 yards out. Stratford center back, Sophomore – Zoe Lawless headed the ball to Senior – Ryann Weber, who sent it onto Freshman – Hannah Hewitt. She would connect again to Junior – Sydney Valentine, who earned a corner for Stratford. Junior – Sara Benton would send the corner to the far post, finding the head of Weber, who redirected the ball on frame, but the shot would be blocked by a defender.

Just five minutes later, Goodwin intercepted a Mustang pass and immediately sent the ball out wide to Valentine, who cut central and sent it back to Goodwin. Goodwin beat two defenders before firing on frame, but the Memorial keeper made a diving save to keep the game scoreless. The Mustangs deployed their long-throwing specialist to send a throw-in deep into the Spartans' defensive zone, but Senior – Whitney Bui shielded the attacking player, enabling GK Sophomore – Addie Greenway to grab the ball. Memorial would be awarded another free kick just 25 yards out and would send a ball directly on-goal, but Greenway was able to be the first to it, punching the ball wide, where Senior – Hannah Ryan was able to clear it from danger. As time was winding down in the first half, Ryan would get the next opportunity for the Spartans started with a throw-in to Valentine. She was able to turn around the defender and drive to the end line, forcing the goalkeeper and backline defenders to commit before she slotted a ball back to the center of the box to Paul. Paul was able to one-touch the pass inside the near post, just under the hands of the diving keeper, to give Stratford a 1-0 lead. Another great shot by Benton on frame would come just a few minutes later, but the Memorial keeper was able to make a great save and keep the score at 1-0 going into halftime.

As the second half got underway, Stratford would be looking to extend the lead. Only a few minutes in, Benton sent the ball to Weber, who was unmarked in the center of the field at the top of the Memorial box. Weber immediately fired a shot just over the crossbar. Valentine would also fire on frame a few minutes later, but the keeper was able to make another save to keep the lead at one in a competitive game. Memorial would have the next opportunity when a free kick was awarded just 25 yards from the Stratford goal. A great shot by the Mustangs would be sent in, but Senior – Olivia Harbison would make a save and deny the chance.

In the final 15 minutes of the match, the action would swing back in Stratford’s favor. Junior – Avery Rushing would cross a dangerous ball into the box to an on-running Sophomore – Audrey Brendel, whose redirection was deflected out for a corner. The corner was defended well by Memorial, but in the action that followed, Goodwin intercepted a Memorial pass and sent the ball forward between three players to Valentine. Valentine was able to juke the first defender and drive forward. With a defender on her back, she was able to get a no-doubter off that found the back of the net at the near post. With only a few minutes remaining in the game, Benton, Valentine, and Goodwin would execute a flawless sequence of give-and-gos before Goodwin sent a ball forward to Rushing. She was able to slide a pass across the box to Paul, who tapped in another for Stratford. The match would end with a final score of Stratford 3, Memorial 0. A special shout-out goes to all of the Stratford defenders, including Weber, Bui, Ryan, Harbison, Sophomore – Juliana Molinas, Lawless, Brendel, Greenway, and Hewitt for keeping Memorial scoreless for another 80 minutes!

The Varsity Spartans will now head into the 2025 soccer playoffs as the District Champions for District 17 and will compete in the 6A Division II playoff bracket, which will begin the week after Spring Break.