Stratford vs. Katy Jordan High School – Round 2 6A DII Playoffs on 3.25.2025

Stratford would host the Jordan Warriors out of Katy ISD at home on Tuesday night. It was a significant step for your Spartans as the Warriors were the team that knocked out Stratford in penalty kicks in the third round of the 2024 soccer playoffs. It was clear right from the kickoff that the Jordan Warriors were going to do their best to knock off Stratford for the second year in a row. Only nine minutes into the match, Jordan would be the first to get a shot on goal, but goalkeeper Senior – Liv Harbison was up to the task making the save. Jordan would continue to control possession and opportunities early before Senior - Whitney Bui intercepted a Jordan pass. Bui passed the ball to Sophomore - Zoe Lawless, who sent the ball up the field to Junior – Sydney Valentine, who would drive the ball up the field before finding Senior – Allison Goodwin, who played the ball to Senior – Mary Charlotte Paul, who would fire the Spartans first shot of the game. Although the Spartans did not score on this play, the combination between five Spartans from the back of the field to the top of the box would be a sign of things to come. With 13 minutes left in the half, it would be a Jordan player who would win the ball in midfield and find a sprinting winger running down the far sideline, ultimately driving and shooting upper 90 on the far post to give the Warriors a 1-0 lead. Jordan would threaten again only a few minutes later shooting on frame, but Harbison comes up big, making the save. The Spartans would find their footing the last 10 minutes of the first half, controlling possession and stringing together opportunities, but the Spartans would go into the half down 0-1.

As the second half got underway, it was clear that Stratford would be dictating the action. Just two minutes into the second half, Lawless would intercept a Jordan pass and find Valentine on a long outlet pass. She would send it onto Senior – Ryann Weber, who would fire on goal from 30 yards out. The Warrior keeper would ultimately make a difficult save and end the chance for Stratford, but the tone was set for the balance of the match. With 12 minutes left in the match, a combination play between Weber, Goodwin, Paul, Junior – Avery Rushing and then back to Goodwin would result in the equalizer for the Spartans. Goodwin would battle on the far side of the field against a Jordan defender before firing a no-doubter into the upper 90 of the near-side net, bringing the match to 1-1. Stratford would threaten a few more times in regulation but couldn’t find the back of the net.

As the first of two ten-minute overtime periods started, Stratford would find itself heading into a stiff south wind in the first overtime period. Despite the disadvantage, the Spartans would continue to control the action. Only a minute into the overtime period, Sophomore - Audrey Brendel would intercept a Jordan pass and send the ball to Junior - Sara Benton, who would play the ball forward to Goodwin. Goodwin would find Sophomore – Juliana Molinas, who didn’t hesitate and fired on goal from the top of the box, beating the goalkeeper and giving the Spartans their first lead of the match. Only a few minutes later, the Warriors would be called for a handball in the box, but the Spartans would miss just wide, keeping the score at 2-1. Stratford would keep the pressure on the Warriors, as Goodwin would dribble into the box and beat the Jordan defense. Once beaten, a Jordan defender would take down Goodwin in the box and be called for another penalty kick. Weber would step up to take it, burying it inside the far post to extend the lead for Stratford. With the wind at their backs in the second overtime, Stratford was able to control possession and drain the remaining time on the clock to seal the 3-1 victory over Katy Jordan, avenging their loss from the 2024 playoffs.

Stratford vs. Kingwood Mustangs – Round 3 6A DII Playoffs on 3.27.2025

Your Varsity Girls Soccer Team traveled to Pearland, a neutral site, on Thursday to meet the 20-3-2 Kingwood Mustangs in the Regional Semi-Finals of the 6A D2 State Championship. On a breezy evening with rain threatening all around the area, the Mustangs came out quick, immediately putting pressure on the SHS defense. The green and white would pretty quickly tighten up and drive Kingwood back to mid-field. Through the first 30 minutes of play, neither side was looking like they were going to break or allow any penetration near either goal. However, at the 31-minute mark the Spartans would strike first. Off of a throw-in from Sophomore – Audrey Brendel deep in the Mustang end of the field, she would find Senior – Allison Goodwin near the sideline. Goodwin somehow found a way to slot a ball through a triple-team to Senior – Mary Charlotte Paul, who fired in the upper left 90 and through the KHS Keeper’s fingertips to put Stratford up 1-0 in a very tough match-up. That would be the one and only goal of the opening 40 minutes and would take SHS to halftime with the lead and confidence they needed to close out this match.

The second half was much like the first in that both teams were fighting with everything they had to find the other team’s goal. Senior Goalkeeper – Liv Harbison played an excellent game and defended everything the Mustangs could muster for a chance to even the score. With seven minutes left to play, it was looking like SHS would be able to hold the slim lead, but an additional goal would give them (and the crowd) the breathing room to be sure about advancing to the next round. In the 73rd minute, Senior – Hannah Ryan found Goodwin at the midfield line with a long throw-in that put the ball behind several defenders. Goodwin took this opportunity to make a run up the middle of the field, drawing the remainder of the defenders to her, and then passed the ball up the left sideline to Junior – Sydney Valentine, who was streaking to the Kingwood goal, and from 18 yards out, fired to right side off the far post to increase the score to a crucial 2-0 advantage. Quickly after this, with less than three minutes left in regulation, the green & white would earn a corner kick from the right side of the field that was taken by Paul. Paul’s kick would sail across the front of the goal, just catching the tip of the Keeper’s gloves, and bouncing to the feet of Senior – Ryann Weber on the far side of the goal. Weber took one touch to steady the ball and then fired under the crossbar to lock up the Regional Semi-Finals with a 3-0 victory.

With this win, the Varsity Lady Spartans advance to the Regional Finals against the Katy Tompkins Falcons (21-2-1). The game will take place at Tully Stadium on Tuesday, April 1st at 7:30 pm. Come out and support these incredible student athletes as they take one step closer to the State Championship!