‘Unfinished business’: Colleyville Heritage advances to 5A D1 state championship
Unfinished business.
That feeling has fueled the Colleyville Heritage Panthers girls’ soccer team ever since it endured a heartbreaking 3-2 loss to Frisco Wakeland in last year’s 5A state championship match.
Sophomore sensation Addison Shimmick ensured Heritage would have a chance for redemption, recording a hat trick in a 4-0 dominating performance over the Midlothian Panthers in the 5A Division I state semifinal on a windy, chilly evening at Vernon Newsom Stadium.
It did not take long for Shimmick to get rolling, scoring a tap-in goal from about five-yards out, just under four minutes into the match, on an assist from fellow standout sophomore Ashlyn Bringedahl. The goal was significant in that Midlothian had not allowed a goal in its last nine matches.
“Start fast,” said Shimmick. “That was our mindset coming in. Put the pressure on them.”
“We wanted to come out aggressively,” said Colleyville Heritage head coach Monte Pace. “We had an attacking game-plan, utilize our speed and get off to a quick start.”
The early goal stood as Heritage, No. 5 in the current Texas Girls Coaches Association (TGCA) 5A Division I rankings, held a 1-0 advantage at intermission.
Shimmick came out blazing after halftime, splitting two Midlothian defenders and punching in a short-range goal less than two minutes after the break. Then, about eight minutes later, Shimmick beat the Midlothian Goalkeeper to the ball from around 15 yards out, finding the net to complete her hat trick and giving Heritage a 3-0 cushion.
“I thought the goal coming right out of halftime was big for us,” said Pace. “That put the pressure on Midlothian to take some chances and play catch up, and we took advantage of scoring opportunities.”
Bringedahl rounded out the scoring just over 17 minutes remaining in the match, with a well-placed kick from around 25 yards away that sailed over the Midlothian Goalkeeper’s head and nestled in the upper corner of the net from the left side.
“One of the best games we have played this season,” said Bringedahl. “Great job by everybody.”
“Total team effort,” said Coach Pace, who has led the Heritage girls’ soccer program since the 2016 season after being hired in July 2015. “Our offense set the tone. Our defense was lights out. Great job in Goal. Complete team win.”
The stifling Heritage defense contained Midlothian standout Zayla Reagan, a Southern Mississippi signee, who came in having scored a team-leading 37 goals.
Midlothian (23-2-1) was making its first state tourney appearance since 1985 and had won 20 straight matches.
These two teams have met each other in the playoffs for the last three years. Heritage had eliminated Midlothian, 3-2, in the 2024 regional quarterfinal en route to its state runner-up finish. Midlothian had ousted Heritage in the 2023 bi-district playoff round.
This is the inaugural season of split-division soccer, and now Colleyville Heritage (17-2-1), riding a nine-game win streak, advances to the 5A Division I championship match, squaring off against top-ranked College Station A&M Consolidated (25-0-1), 4 pm Friday, April 11, at Birkelbach Field in Georgetown.
A&M Consolidated ousted No. 7 Spring Branch Smithson Valley, 5-4 on penalty kicks after regulation and a 20-minute overtime produced a 1-1 deadlock, in the other semifinal.
Bringedahl and Shimmick have registered 24 and 17 goals, respectively, to lead Heritage against Consolidated in the championship matchup. Shimmick tallied both Heritage goals in last year’s 3-2 state title setback to Wakeland, when the Panthers were making their first state appearance since 2001.
Heritage will be seeking its first state crown since 1999 when it won the 4A title with a 2-0 win over Friendswood.
Coach Pace feels his team gained valuable experience in reaching the title match last season. “We started six freshmen in the title game last year,” said Coach Pace. “They are now sophomores. They play like seasoned veterans.”
“I know that A&M Consolidated is a tremendous team,” said Coach Poe. “We will enjoy this semifinal win tonight, then get ready for the title game as we all feel we have some unfinished business. We look forward to the challenge. I feel that if we play our game, we can beat anyone in the state.”
Shimmick echoed her coach’s sentiments.
“Excited to get back to the state title game,” said Shimmick. “Definitely some unfinished business.”
Just one victory away from erasing last year’s memory. And Heritage is determined to finish this time around.
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