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*PHOTOS BELOW
The Grapevine girls soccer team finally found that missing piece to the puzzle.
After five trips to state in the previous seven seasons and an 0-3 record in state title games, the Mustangs are UIL state soccer champions.
Baylor signee and senior forward Theresa McCullough’s penalty kick in the 59th minute was enough as Grapevine edged out a tough Frisco squad to beat the Raccoons 1-0 in the UIL Class 5A state championship game at Birkelbach Field in Georgetown.
McCullough was voted state champ MVP with the only goal in the final. She had both goals in Thursday’s semifinals, a 2-1 win in overtime over Smithson Valley. (STORY)
When head coach Steve McBride took over the Grapevine girls soccer team nearly a decade ago, the Mustangs were already an established program with seven straight district titles. However, they were missing a piece that would elevate them to the next level.
Came in McBride and including this season, Grapevine has made a state appearance six times in the past nine seasons. They also extended that district title streak to 16 years in a row. But now that final piece is in place and the program is bringing home the championship trophy.
The senior Class of 2023 has been through heartache.
As freshman, the Mustangs were 20-0-3 before COVID shut down the final week of the season and the entire playoffs. Grapevine lost to Frisco Wakeland 3-2 in a 2021 state semifinal and again to Wakeland 3-2 in overtime for the 5A title last season. However, those seniors would finish with a 93-9-8 overall record and 50-2-3 in district. During those four years, Grapevine scored 457 goals, surrendered 86 and posted 53 shutouts.
Although Frisco (23-3-2) had a few chances in the first half, Grapevine (26-3-2) appeared to have more possessions and opportunities across midfield and inside the box. Right away, McCullough hit a corner shot in the third minute that Frisco would pick up. She added a second corner in the fifth minute that went off senior Samantha Lumpkin’s head only to be saved by Frisco keeper Ariana Anderson.
A Frisco shot went high and wide in the 13th minute and another shot to the goal was poked out by senior Grapevine keeper Addison Williams in the 14th minute. McCullough would be fouled in the 17th minute and her free kick was touched by Anderson and bounced off the left corner post.
Senior Kori Ballard got a shot off for Frisco in the 21st minute, but Williams pushed it over the cross bar. Freshman London Young got another shot off in the 22nd minute and Williams was there for the stop.
Lumpkin had many throw-ins on the day and one in the 24th minute got into the box and was secured by Anderson. Jaidyn Gigowski got a ball in the box and hit a cross in the 26th minute, but her kick was a bit far and went out of bounds. Lumpkin had three more throws go inside the box and all three were caught or stopped by Anderson.
The second half started and Frisco started to apply the pressure. A shot in the 42nd minute was about 10 yards over the cross bar. Senior Luci Rodriguez got a ball in the box and went around a defender, but her attempt was soft and Grapevine’s second half keeper Cecilia Cerone made the stop. Perhaps Frisco’s best attempt on the day came in the 50th minute when a shot 40 yards away went inches over a leaping Cerone and the cross bar.
In the 59th minute, Frisco was called for a hand ball in the box and McCullough lined up the try.
She converted to give her team a 1-0 edge.
Frisco, which reached state for the first time in 2004 and in its first state title game, had a number of chances with the time winding down, but the Grapevine back line and Cerone in goal made a great effort to keep the Raccons off the board. Frisco came into the game averaging over three goals per and outscoring teams 10-3 in the playoffs. The Raccons beat Georgetown in its home stadium 1-0 in Thursday’s semifinal on a goal from senior Lexi Lee in the 14th minute. (STORY)
Anderson made three saves for Frisco and played all 80 minutes.
Williams had two saves and Cerone added three in double duty for Grapevine.
The Raccons out shot the Mustangs 4-3 in the first half and 6-1 in the second half. Young led all players with three shots on goal. Both teams attempt three corner kicks.
