SportzBuzz - February 2025 | The Buzz Magazines

By Todd Freed, Staff writer | January 27, 2025

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STANDOUT SPARTAN Led by the return of Auburn University signee Allison Goodwin as well as other key starters from last year’s team, the Stratford Spartans are again one of the area’s top UIL 6A girls soccer programs.

With the graduation of only one starter from last year's third-round playoff team, it has all the makings of another outstanding season for the Stratford Spartans girls soccer team. “We started the year with victories over great programs like Pearland and The Woodlands and have a lot of talented players back from last year’s team so we’re definitely excited about the season ahead,” said Spartans head coach David Walters.

Creating much of that excitement for the Spartans is the return of a standout trio of seniors in midfielder Ryann Weber, forward Allison Goodwin, and midfielder Mary-Charlotte Paul. “Those girls are all tremendous,” said Walters. “Ryann is an amazing midfielder who will play college soccer at Samford University while Allison has signed with Auburn University. Mary is a bell-cow for our team who, along with Ryann, really runs a lot of things for us.”

The Spartans will also be looking to build on a sensational string of successes over the last three seasons, having advanced to two straight UIL 6A Regional finals and then last year's regional quarterfinals while winning a lofty 60 games against only nine defeats and 11 ties during that span.

“It's just really a terrific class of kids that have played here in recent years,” said Walters. “The girls have been dedicated and worked extremely hard to be successful. Plus, many of them play high-level club soccer and that helps tremendously. We've been fortunate to have a consistently strong stream of kids come through our program and, now that we’ve been successful over the last six years or so, that's also permeated down through the lower grades that feed into Stratford.”

In the wake of back-to-back undefeated district championships, the Lamar Texans girls soccer team has its sights set on a three-peat of district titles. “We played well in our early preseason scrimmages and the girls have also worked hard on an off-season fitness program to get ready for the season,” said Texans first-year head coach Azeez Shifatu.

Among the key players back from last year's district championship team, according to coach Shifatu, is junior defender Marley Reese, who was last season’s District 18-6A Co-Defensive Player of the Year and a first-team All-District selection. In addition, junior defender Linnea Scheet is a first-team All-District selection and sophomore midfielder Maddie Meisenbach earned second-team All-District honors in just her freshman season. “Madison is very mature for her age and extremely talented,” added Shifatu.

Offensively, the Texans lineup is bolstered by the return of District 18-6A Offensive Player of the Year Nahomy Portillo. The junior forward scored 11 goals and eight assists in only seven district games and also competed in the CONCACAF U-17 Championships. Another high-scoring first-team All-District pick for the Texans is sophomore Delaney Perry, who finished last season with eight goals and two assists in district.

In addition, Lamar welcomes back sophomore second-team All-District players Lillie Fleming and Blanca Guillen. Fleming finished last season with four goals and three assists in district action while Guillen scored seven goals and six assists in district play.

SUPER SAVER The Episcopal Knights boys soccer lineup was bolstered by the addition of transfer goalkeeper Jared Pineda. In the fall, Pineda was a standout place kicker for the Episcopal football team. (Photo courtesy of Episcopal High School)

In boys soccer, the Episcopal Knights are in pursuit of a third straight Southwest Preparatory Conference championship. “We have a lot of guys returning who were integral parts of the last two SPC titles including much of the starting lineup of last year's team, so we definitely have some great championship type experience,” said Knights head soccer coach Travis Smith.

The Knights lineup includes the return of SPC All-Conference defender Lorenzo Juarez, All-Conference midfielder Geronimo Barroso, and Houston Chronicle Freshman of the Year Sebastian Guerra. Plus, coach Smith says transfer goalkeeper Jared Pineda is a great addition to the team. Pineda was the kicker for the Knights football team this past season. “Even though we won the title last year, we were in a lot of close games. We are hopeful that all our returning experience will serve us especially well this coming season,” added Smith.

As it stands, a championship for the Knights would give Episcopal a most impressive seven SPC boys soccer championships in the last 10 seasons. “We're in a place where we never want to be rebuilding,” said Smith. “We have a great young nucleus of players that supports our upper classmen, so we’re never too tilted to one side in regards to experience. The other great thing is that our starting 11 are typically all honor-roll students.”

Editor’s note: Todd Freed is the host and executive producer of H-Town High School Sports, which airs Saturday at 10:30 p.m. on CW39 and Monday-Thursday on AT&T SportsNet SW. To submit high school sports news for possible inclusion in SportzBuzz, please email [email protected].