By Brian Gosset
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Waxahachie Life girls take down Decatur again
Waxahachie Life erased an early deficit to beat Decatur 2-1 in overtime during a Class 4A Division 1 regional semifinal match on Friday night at Saginaw High School.
The Mustangs (27-0-1) will play in the regional final for the third straight season. Life beat Stephenville in last year’s regional final before losing to Celina in the state semifinals.
Life had the overwhelming advantage in possessions and shot attempts.
Despite going into winds nearing 20 miles per hour in the first half, Life had 7 shots with 3 on goal compared to Decatur’s 3 shots with 1 on goal. However, the one on goal by Decatur was the biggest before the intermission as Braelyn Meador sent a one-timer from 20 yards over the keeper to give the Eagles a 1-0 lead in the 16th minute.
The Mustangs kept attacking, but Decatur’s defense held strong. Goalkeeper Kendal McDonnell made several stops to keep the Eagles in front for the first 50 minutes.
But Life finally got one to go in the 51st minute after Aria Nylund scored the equalizer.
Gianna Hurtado finished off a corner kick in the 83rd minute to give Life the game-winning goal and 2-1 lead.
The Mustangs finished with 18 shot attempts and 9 on goal. The Eagles, who had trouble possessing the ball across midfield, only managed their three shots that came in the first half.
Decatur ends 12-8 after making back-to-back appearances in the regional semifinal round for the first time. The Eagles were knocked out by Life in the regional semis last season 4-0.
Another win after regulation for OD Wyatt boys
For the third time in as many games this postseason, Fort Worth OD Wyatt went past regulation to pick up a win and advance in the Class 5A D2 bracket.
The Chaparrals took down El Paso Hanks 4-2 in a shootout during a 5A D2 regional semifinal on Friday night. Wyatt and Hanks were tied 2-2 after the overtime periods.
Wyatt (17-7-1) will play in the regional final against El Paso Burges, which took out sibling school FW Trimble Tech 1-0 on Friday.
In the first round against Mansfield Summit, Wyatt scored four goals after regulation to win 7-3. In the second round on Tuesday against Grapevine, the Chaps edged out the Mustangs 2-1 in overtime.
Wyatt won its first playoff game in program history during the 2021 season. Five years later and the Chaparrals are in the regional final and making their deepest run all-time.
Burleson Centennial girls edge out Tascosa
Hannah Furney finished off an assist from Bella Marquez and that’s all Burleson Centennial needed to beat Amarillo Tascosa 1-0 during a Class 5A D1 regional semifinal game on Friday in Wichita Falls.
Centennial was in the third round for the first time since 2022.
The Spartans (18-1-4) will play in the regional final against Colleyville Heritage (16-3-2), which advanced past Amarillo 2-1 on Friday.
Heritage beat Centennial last season during an epic match that lasted over two rounds of PKs.
Marquez was the MVP in Tuesday’s area round championship against Birdville, scoring three times to help the Spartans to a come from behind 4-3 victory in overtime.
The regional final appearance will be their first since the 2019 season. The last time Centennial made Round 4 came in 2021.
Decatur boys make history over Waxahachie Life
Decatur scored two goals in three minutes during the second half to beat Waxahachie Life 2-0 in a Class 4A D1 regional semifinal match on Friday night in Saginaw.
The Eagles (17-1-2) advance to the regional final for the first time in program history and will face Lake Dallas, which beat El Paso Ysleta on Friday.
Scoreless after the first half, Decatur scored goals in the 55th and 57th minutes.
Exequiel Caldera shot one just over the keeper from about 10 yards away – an absolute rocket for a 1-nil lead. Calvyn Kemp had a very similar goal from the opposite side that gave the Eagles a 2-0 advantage.
Southlake Carroll girls get by Prosper
Southlake Carroll got a goal from Maci Colvin in the 48th minute as the Dragons downed Prosper 1-0 in a Class 6A D2 regional semifinal on Friday at McKinney ISD Stadium.
The Dragons (25-0-1), one of six girls teams in the state without a loss, moves on to the regional final to face Denton Guyer (20-3-1).
Guyer defeated Midland 5-2 on Friday.
