The Wylie girls’ soccer team made history this season, but fell just short of its ultimate goal – a trip to the state tournament.
The girls reached the regional finals for the first time in the history of Wylie soccer, but that is where their remarkable season would come to an end. The Lady Bulldogs fell 4-0 to Kennedale – the defending state champions, who knocked Wylie out of the playoffs last year in the regional semifinals.
The Wylie girls finished the season with a 22-5 overall record, and they went 5-1 in district play.
Wylie started the season hot, going 9-0 in their first nine games and winning two tournament championships along the way. The team faced some stiff competition as it prepared for district play, and then went undefeated in the first half of the district schedule. Stephenville, however, got a victory against Wylie when the two teams met for the second time, and Wylie finished as the second seed heading into the playoffs.
The Lady Bulldogs had little trouble in their first three playoff games. They beat Springtown 9-0, San Elizario 3-1, and Mineral Wells 9-1 to advance to the regional tournament for the second consecutive year.
Last year, the team lost in the regional semifinals, which was the farthest it had ever gone. This year, Wylie faced a tough Melissa team, but Randie Dennison scored two goals and the Wylie defense stood firm, to send the Lad Bulldogs to their first regional finals. Randie dominated in the playoffs scoring 13 goals in the first four playoff games.
That set up the game against Kennedale, which had beat Wylie 5-0 earlier in the season and beat Stephenville 7-1 in the other regional semifinal game.
The defending state champions proved too much once again. The game was the final one for three Wylie seniors: Goal keeper Laura Faz, midfielder Morgan McAdams and defender Leah Guerrero. All three had played on the varsity for four years.
Other members of the girls’ soccer team were Avery Steakley, Gracie McCaslin, Peyton Cunningham, Brooke Dulin, Abbey Miller, Blayre O’Donald, Randie Dennison, Alaina Lewis, Hayley Winter, Jessica Boldenow, Jenna Morris, Rebekah Heidema and Kaleigh Wilson. The coach is Manuel Cordova.
Congratulations Lady Bulldogs on an awesome season.