Texas HS Girls – Stratford vs. Memorial

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The high school season is going at full pace in the state of Texas and thousands of teams are getting on the field each week to compete for the much-coveted spots in the playoffs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Prep Soccer will be following the action closely, covering as many matches as possible every week and providing reports featuring the players that had remarkable performances in those encounters. On Tuesday, we went to the Memorial area in Houston to follow the highly-anticipated rivalry match between the Stratford Spartans and the Memorial Mustangs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Stratford 5 - 1 Memorial</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The top two teams in the UIL's Division 6A - Region 3, District 17, Stratford and Memorial faced each other for the second time in district play and, as it happened in the first duel, the Spartans left the field with an emphatic victory.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The hosts controlled the match from the starting whistle and found the back of the net for the first time within the opening 12 minutes, with forward [player_tooltip player_id='26433' first='Allison' last='Goodwin'] getting a pass behind Memorial's backline and finishing out of the reach of goalkeeper Madison Ramke. A few minutes later, Goodwin got her second in the night, this time getting a loose ball inside the penalty box after a corner kick and sending it home with a one-touch finish.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://x.com/grtorres/status/1633282271007449088?s=20","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"twitter","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://x.com/grtorres/status/1633282271007449088?s=20 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Spartans would still find a third goal before the halftime break, with midfielder [player_tooltip player_id='26936' first='Kristin' last='Geczik'] converting a free kick earned by fellow midfielder Mary Paul on the edge of the penalty box.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Stratford didn't slow down at the start of the second half and got two more in just a few minutes. Both were scored in a similar fashion, with Goodwin making good runs on the right and feeding striker [player_tooltip player_id='54870' first='Ryann' last='Weber'] inside the penalty box for an easy finish.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Memorial got its only goal in the final portion of the second half, with midfielder Logan Patterson finding Indya Dotson behind Stratford's backline and the forward beating goalkeeper Allison Zilafro. The goal reinvigorated the Mustangs, who kept pushing for a second one, but couldn't find the back of the net again.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://x.com/grtorres/status/1633299817861447681?s=20","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"twitter","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://x.com/grtorres/status/1633299817861447681?s=20 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Both teams are guaranteed in the playoffs, but Stratford have now secured first place in the district as they remain undefeated with 13 wins and have only one more match to play. The Mustangs are second with ten wins, two losses and one tie.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Players of the Match</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"[player_tooltip player_id='26433' first='Allison' last='Goodwin']","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2025","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"null","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"103","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Stratford","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"Albion Hurricanes FC","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Stratford's forward was on fire all night and created all sorts of problems for Memorial's backline. She spent most of the match on the right, where she found acres of space to play and took full advantage of it, using her pace and dribbling ability to get in good spots. Goodwin was very aggressive in possession, pushing the ball forward every time she had it. After scoring twice, the second of which benefiting from her good positioning inside the penalty box, she wasn't selfish and fed Weber for both of her goals.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-64080fc46db6b"} /--> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://x.com/grtorres/status/1633278997344792576?s=20","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"twitter","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://x.com/grtorres/status/1633278997344792576?s=20 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"[player_tooltip player_id='54870' first='Ryann' last='Weber']","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2024","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"null","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"103","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Stratford","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"Albion Hurricanes FC","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Weber's never-ending movement was too much for Memorial's backline as she was a constant threat during the match. She made some good combination plays with her teammates through the middle but was even more dangerous when chasing long passes on both flanks and beating defenders with her pace. Her great positioning inside the penalty box and her excellent chemistry with Goodwin were rewarded with two tap ins in the second half. Another positive aspect of Weber's performance was that she was able to maintain her intensity from start to finish.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-64080fc46dc18"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["26936"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Geczik was part of a strong midfield trio with Mary Paul and Lizzie Emerson that had a huge influence on Stratford's victory. She was very active on both sides of the ball and helped her team dismantle several Memorial attempts through the middle with her strong presence there. Geczik was also very solid in possession, making intelligent decisions with the ball, connecting good passes and making very few mistakes. She scored the Spartans' third goal in a surgical free-kick shot from the edge of the penalty box.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-64080fc46dc7b"} /--> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://x.com/grtorres/status/1633284261913538560?s=20","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"twitter","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://x.com/grtorres/status/1633284261913538560?s=20 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Mary Paul","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2025","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'2u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"102","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Stratford","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"Albion Hurricanes FC","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Mary 'MC' Paul, Stratford's diminutive midfielder was the team's engine, covering a lot of ground in midfield and working as an offensive hub when the team was in possession. Very dynamic, she was everywhere on the field and made strong plays on both sides of the ball, regaining possession on several occasions with her hard work. Very quick and technical on the ball, Paul connected some very good passes with her talented left foot and had good instincts to make runs off the ball inside the penalty box to finish plays.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-64080fc46dd1a"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["26383"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Memorial's athletic forward was the only player in her team to threaten Stratford's defense during the entire match with some dangerous runs and by drawing fouls in the attacking half. Ghonda had some physical battles with center back Ellie Stephenson and created some good chances from these plays. She circulated everywhere on Memorial's final third, playing up top, on both flanks and even on a deeper position as she attempted to find alternatives to the team's offensive struggles. She was unlucky to have one of her shots hit the crossbar during the first half.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-64080fc46dd78"} /--> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://x.com/grtorres/status/1633293275804082176?s=20","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"twitter","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://x.com/grtorres/status/1633293275804082176?s=20 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed -->