Grapevine girls soak up atmosphere before 5A soccer final

With an off-day before the UIL Class 5A girls championship match, Grapevine soccer coach Steve McBride let his team revel in Friday’s sights and sounds of the state tournament at the Georgetown ISD Athletic Complex.

“They’re making the memories right now,” said McBride, whose Mustangs (20-6-3) meet Frisco Centennial (21-2-2) in today’s final at 11 a.m. “This is a festive environment. You have to stay connected to the tournament; I want them to be comfortable stepping out on the field.”

The team used a side field at Georgetown High School on Friday morning for a light recovery session.

“Our work is done. It’s all about getting them back physically and getting them ready to go on Saturday morning,” McBride said. “Recovery fluids, getting the right foods, big thing is letting the kids enjoy this.”

Which included Friday’s 6A girls semifinal where Flower Mound rallied from a 4-2 deficit for a 5-4 overtime win against Katy Cinco Ranch. Jaguars defender Alex Augustyn scored the game-winner with 27 seconds left.

Grapevine made its first trip to state last year, but lost in the semifinals to eventual champion Wylie East. This year’s team has shown more tenacity.

“We had two losses last year, six this time. We’ve struggled,” McBride said. “It just shows our growth.

“They’re where no other Grapevine team has been, and they did it with their backs against the wall,” he added. “They’ve had a massive target on their back. There were times that we didn’t know, and here we are. That’s a testament to them. I’m unbelievably proud of them, but our mission is not over.”

This story was originally published April 15, 2016 at 8:04 PM with the headline "Grapevine girls soak up atmosphere before 5A soccer final."