Lady Chaps keep soccer playoffs rolling
The Aubrey Lady Chaparrals made program history, with their 4-2 over the Athens Lady Hornets in the 4A Division II Regional Semifinals on March 28.
The win marks the Lady Chaps’ eighth victory in a row and is the longest post season run in the program’s three-year history.
“It was an entire team win from front to back,” Aubrey head girls soccer coach Kelli Baker said. “Our underclassmen really leaned on our upperclassmen and the upperclassmen did what they're supposed to do, lead the team. Our young backline line, which has two freshmen and two sophomores starting, struggled in the beginning, but they pick it up in the second half. We also picked up an injury there, and we had to move some peo- ple around but everyone who went on the field stepped up and played great in the second half.”
Aubrey struck first after co-captain Macy Childers connected with freshman Daniella Dominic-Etuk for the game’s first goal.
Athens responded with a goal of its own on a breakaway, tying the score at 1.
Lady Chaps’ midfielder Kali Madden helped spark Aubrey’s offense, forcing a turnover and finding co-captain Brynnlee Bohannon, who would go on to score off a corner kick after being fouled during the possession.
A few minutes later, Bohannon would find the back of the net for the second time with the assist from Childers, sending the two teams into half-time with Aubrey leading 3-1.
The Lady Hornets refused to go away, scoring a on an early counterattack to open the second half and cutting the Lady Chaps’ lead to 1.
That would be the final point Athens would score this season, with Aubrey’s defense led by goalkeeper Lexis Jones putting the clamps on the Lady Hornets’ offense for the remainder of the game.
Bohannon would add the pièce de resistance for the Lady Chaps, with her third goal of the night coming off another assist from Childers and sealing the win for Aubrey 4-2.
“I love being able to help the team, but I couldn’t do any of this without them,” Bohannon said. “… It was incredible how everybody kept working and pushed through the hard times. When they scored right away in the second half, we picked it up and went back at them, which was great. Everybody worked hard, and that's all we can ask for.”
Jones said communication was the driving force behind the Lady Chaps’ strong defensive performance in the second half.
“Every time I gave my defenders [instructions], they did it,” she said. “It's shocking because some of the teams that I've played with in the past didn’t respond the same way, and that causes goals, but with this team they listen to what I have to say. They trust me, and that's what helps us play well.”
Baker spoke highly of his team’s success and said the win was a product of the special connection the Lady Chaps have with each other and their coaching staff.
“The program is young and to get to the fourth round in just your second year of playing UIL is a testament to how hard these girls have worked, how much effort they put in and how much trust they put in me and my assistant, Coach [Ian] Mc-Carthy,” he said. “Our theme all year is trust and our game day shirts say, ‘Trust me, trust us,’ and that's what they've done from the beginning of the season, no matter what adversity we’ve faced. They have worked their tails off, they trust each other, and they all have stepped up when they’ve needed to.”
Aubrey followed up the win over Athens with a 3-0 win over the 20-1 Bullard Lady Panthers in the 4A Regional Finals and earning a spot in the Final Four of the postseason brackets.
The Lady Chaps will meet the Canyon Randall Lady Raiders at 5 p.m. Friday at Bulldog Stadium in Burkburnett for a spot in the 4A Division II State Championship game.
