By Brian Gosset
X – @gosset41
X – @gmsportsmedia1
Coming off a historic end to her high school soccer career, Celina senior midfielder Ryleigh Stifflemire announced her commitment to play at Lamar University on Tuesday morning.
“Thank you everyone who has supported me in this journey. I’m so excited for my next chapter,” Stifflemire wrote on Twitter.
The Bobcats finished with a 26-1-1 record earlier in April following a 2-1 victory against Salado in the Class 4A D1 title game in Georgetown. It was the program’s 5th straight state title, becoming the first boys or girls soccer team in the state to achieve that feat.
Stifflemire was voted state champ game MVP for the second straight year.
Stifflemire helped lead Celina to a comeback win over Salado. After a scoreless tie at the intermission, Salado took a 1-0 lead in the 42nd minute.
Celina tied it at 1-1 in the 50th minute when Stifflemire beat a Salado player for the ball and booted a try from about 30 yards away that scored in the upper left corner.
The Bobcats kept attacking and got a bit of luck in the 68th minute.
Stifflemire pushed the possession with the ball on the right side of the box when she sent a cross to the middle of the goal. Salado senior Kinsey Yawn was about 10 feet from the goal line when the ball went off her and into the back of the net for a Celina 2-1 lead.
Stifflemire made history with her MVP award, becoming the only boys or girls soccer player in UIL history to win back-to-back MVP honors.
She ends her career as a 4-time state champ while Celina boosted a 109-3-3 record.
