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  • PHOTO BY STEPHEN SHEAD
    Texan co-captain Anna Olemdo and Liberty Hill captain Brock Briscoe tangle at midfield during last Saturday’s regional soccer tournament. Liberty Hill won 2-0 in a tough game for both teams and advanced to the 2019 state tournamen
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    PHOTO BY STEPHEN SHEAD In a scramble for possession, Wimberley midfielder Avery Biggers shields the ball from a Pleasanton player. The Texans won on penalty kicks and advanced to the regional title game against Liberty

Soccer season ends in Regional Finals

The Wimberley Texan girls’ soccer team took second in Region IV during last weekends’ tournament at Veterans’ Memorial Stadium in McAllen. The Texans tied Pleasanton 2 -2 in regulation time on Friday then won 3-0 on penalty kicks. The win advanced the Wimberley girls to the championship game against powerhouse Liberty Hill on Saturday.

Liberty Hill won 2-0 and will play in the UIL state tourney this coming weekend in Georgetown. The Texans ended their brilliant season with a record of 24-4-2 and the runner-up Region IV trophy.

In Friday’s game, Pleasanton scored first just seven minutes into the game as forward Madelyn Bird found a gap in the Wimberley defense, took a pass from the midfield up the left flank and shot to the left corner past Wimberley’s goalkeeper Casey Crawford. Pleasanton played with more confidence then, creating runs deeper into Lady Texan territory.

Wimberley steadily created scoring chances of their own before tying the game at the 19 minute mark when Texan striker Holly Harwood sent a low shot past the Pleasanton keeper (assist by Avery Biggers).

With under three minutes to play in the first half, Pleasanton converted a free kick from just outside the penalty area after a Texan defensive foul. The shot cleared the outstretched fingertips of keeper Casey Crawford to give Pleasanton a 2-1 halftime lead.

Senior striker Holly Harwood drew the Lady Texans level after Anna Olmedo’s pass into the goal area forced a dramatic collision with the charging Pleasanton 2 goalkeeper. The ball came loose then Harwood placed it neatly into the net from six yards out.

For the remainder of regulation time, the Lady Texans peppered the Eagles’ goal with shots, with many hitting the post or crossbar but the score remained 2-2. With under 10 seconds to go, a Pleasanton midfielder raced up the right flank and shot low, almost beating the Texan’s goalkeeper but Casey Crawford made the crucial save

As regulation time ended with the teams tied 2-2, the game moved to two ten minute overtimes. Exhausted, both teams created few opportunities to score which sent the game to a penalty kick shootout. August McDermid, Holly Harwood, and Avery Biggers all converted their shots, while three Pleasanton shooters hit the post, shot wide right and had one saved by Crawford.

With the win, the Texans advanced to the Regional Final to face the powerful Liberty Hill Panthers on Saturday morning. In the other semifinal game on Friday, Liberty Hill had crushed Beeville Jones 12-1 which set up the region title combatants.

Early in the game, Liberty Hill’s high-powered offense gave the Lady Texans all they could handle. But, the Texan defense absorbed waves of the Panthers’ strong attacks, with exceptional defending and goalkeeping to keep the score at 0-0 for most of the half. In a physical and fast game, both squads showed deep desire to gain a coveted spot in next week’s state final four.

Finally, Liberty Hill broke through the Wimberley defense, playing a ball from the left flank near the end line to an open forward who beat Crawford with a low close range shot.

In the second half, Wimberley mustered few attacks on the Liberty Hill goal as the Panther defense stifled every Wimberley attack.

Liberty Hill’s second goal came off a free kick from 30 yards out. Like a bullet, the shot hit the Texan’s crossbar, then bounced back to an onrushing Panther forward who deftly placed it into the Texans’ net. With the score at 2-0, the Lady Texans continued to fight and gave the Liberty Hill team a championship effort.

But the time ticked away and the dream season ended for Wimberley. For Liberty Hill, it meant another trip to Georgetown for the UIL State Soccer Tournament.

Wimberley View

P.O. Box 49
Wimberley, TX 78676
Phone: 512-847-2202
Fax: 512-847-9054