MCKINNEY
The Flower Mound Marcus girls soccer team benefited from an own goal by No. 1 Southlake Carroll in the 41st minute, but that was enough.
The Marauders ousted the previously undefeated and defending Class 6A state champions 1-0 in the 6A Region I final on Saturday at McKinney ISD Stadium.
Marcus (24-1-1) will be making its seventh trip to the state tournament and the first since 2018. The Marauders will play at either 9:30 a.m. or noon on Friday in Georgetown.
Marcus won the state title in 2005.
Marcus’ Bella Campos started the own goal play with a feed to Madi Pattterson who got a clean shot off from 10 yards out on the right side, but Carroll’s Oliva Geller came up with the save.
The ball rebounded from the right side to right in front of the goal where
Abby Mills and Marley Naughton both tied to clear it for the Dragons, but the two collided and the ball trickled past the goal line.
“I was just talking to our center backs. I’d rather them be going after that ball than have them both just be standing there,” said Carroll coach Matt Colvin. “That’s the bounce it gets. I thought defensively that we were outstanding today, but it’s just an unlucky event.”
The game was pretty even for the first twenty minutes with both teams feeling the other out, but only three shots were taken between the two squads.
Marcus had the most legitimate chances in the scoreless first half. Caroline Castans got free in the 23rd minute for the Marauders, but her shot from 10 yards out was just deflected over the top of the net.
The Marauders ended the first half with a flurry. Maddie Hayes’ shot from 5 yards away was saved by Geller in the 37th minute. Campos gathered the rebound and pounded it off the right post from 8 yards out.
“I thought defensively we did a great job,” said Colvin. “I think we were unable to get in behind them like we’d hoped and they did a great job defensively too.”
After the own goal Southlake Carroll (29-1-0) increased its offensive pressure, just as they did in the semifinals on Friday. But Marcus goalkeeper Bry Russell was up to the task.
The Dragons had a handfull of good chances around the 50-minute mark, but couldn’t punch it in.
Russell made two nice saves on Maddie Khan in the 48th and 50th minutes. The latter was rebounded by Lexi Khan, Maddie’s sister, and her shot was saved again by Russell.
Later in the 50th minute, Lexi Khan was open in front of the goal with Russell out of position for the save, but Caroline Castans was there to block the shot and save a goal.
“Their keeper came up with one or two really big saves and that’s the game,” said Colvin. “It was a fantastic year for us. Our seniors did an awesome job leading this group.
“It hurts, but that’s a good opponent that’s going to represent Region I well.”
The Dragons were without two of their best scorers in Kennedy Fuller (55 goals, 26 assists) and Zoe Matthews (22, 26) who are both in France with the U>S. 16-U National Team.
Another top player for the Dragons was also not at 100% in Kamdyn Fuller who was hurt in the semifinals, but came back in later to play.
It was the first loss and first shutout loss for the Dragons since Carroll dropped a 3-0 decision to Austin Lake Travis on January 20, 2022, a 50-game streak where the Dragons went 48-0-2.
The Dragons played to a 0-0 tie with Keller on Feb. 22, 2022.
Carroll’s last shutout loss in the playoffs was also 3-0 to Allen in the 2018 regional quarterfinals.
“I just think that the players really rallied together,” said Colvin of his squad. “It would have been easy to make excuses and say I’m hurt or so and so is not here or what not, but they never did that. They really rallied together and we gave it our best effort.”
Grapevine wins 4A Region I
Grapevine 4, Wichita Falls Rider 0
The Grapevine girls soccer team will be making its sixth appearance at the state tournament and third in a row after downing Wichita Falls Rider 4-0 in the Class 4A Region I final on Saturday at Memorial Stadium in Wichita Falls.
Grapevine (24-3-2) will play at either 9:30 a.m. or noon on Thursday in the state semifinals. The Mustangs have reached the championship game three times without a title.
Rider’s season ends at 26-4-2.
Theresa McCullough had a hat trick for the Mustangs with goals in the 33rd, 44th and 77th minutes.
McCullough, a Baylor commit, assisted on a Sammie Lumpkin headed in goal on a corner kick in the 76th minute.
This story was originally published April 08, 2023 3:40 PM.