UIL State Soccer Roundup, Day 2: Celina routs Stephenville in girls Class 4A title game

The Celina girls soccer team completed its quest to win back-to-back state titles as the Bobcats scored five first-half goals en route to an 8-1 win over Stephenville in the Class 4A state championship game on Thursday at Birkelbach Field.

Lexi Tuite, who has signed with Northern Colorado, scored five goals, four in the first half, to set a state record for all classes in any tournament game. Tuite also tied an all classes record for the most goals in a series with six after scoring once in the semifinals.

Tuite scored seven goals in her career at the state tournament to tie two others. The senior was named the 4A championship game Most Valuable Player.

Tuite’s first two goals came in the 5th and 8th minutes and were both assisted by Brielle Buchanan. Tuite added goals in the 15th, 27th and 73rd minutes.

Buchanan made it 4-0 for the Bobcats in the 21st minute with a goal off of an assist by Mia Norman.

Norman scored goals in the 74th and 79th minutes, both on shots from close to 45 yards out. Buchanan got her third assist of the game on the first Norman goal to tie a 4A record for most assists in a tournament game.

Stephenville’s lone goal came in the 46th minute off the foot of Ansley Meza from 15 yards out to cut the lead to 5-1.

This was the second trip to the state tournament for Celina who finished 29-0-0.

Stephenville (25-1-1) was looking for its third championship in as many appearances. The Honeybees won championships in 2017 and 2019.

CLASS 5A GIRLS STATE SEMIFINALS

Frisco 1, Georgetown 0

Frisco’s Lexi Lee headed in a goal from 10 yards out in the 13th minute off an assist from Maddie Khanhkham and the Raccoons made it stand up in a 1-0 win over Georgetown in a girls Class 5A state semifinal.

Frisco (23-2-2) will attempt to win its first state title when they play Grapevine (25-3-2) for the 5A crown at 11 a.m. on Saturday. It’s the deepest playoff run for the Raccoons who lost in the state semis in 2004.

Grapevine defeated Spring Branch Smithson Valley 2-1 in overtime in the first semifinal.

Georgetown (25-1-4) tasted defeat for the first time this season and while playing on its home field at Birkelbach Field. Classes were let out at Georgetown High School to allow students to come across the parking lot to watch the game.

Despite the home field advantage, Frisco dominated play out shooting the Eagles 12-4.

Georgetown was making its first trip to the state tournament. The Eagles had never advanced past the regional semifinals in five previous tries.

CLASS 5A BOYS STATE SEMIFINALS

El Paso Bel Air 4, Mission Sharyland 1

El Paso Bel Air’s Ruben Esparza scored two goals and assisted on another as the Highlanders defeated Mission Sharyland 4-1 in a Class 5A state semifinal on Thursday at Birkelbach Field.

Bel Air (28-0-1) will play for its second state title in as many tournament appearances against Frisco Lone Star (23-1-2) at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday. Lone Star defeated Pfugerville Connally in the second semifinal.

The Highlanders were the 2019 5A champions.

Sharyland (19-6-3) took a 1-0 lead in the first minute when the Rattlers were fouled in the box and Jose Sanchez converted the penalty kick.

Esparza tied the game five minutes later with a 20-yard blast from the top of the box from Ryan Rodriguez. The game remained tied until the 27th minute when Esparza set up Dilan Amezcua who tucked a shot just inside the left post from 15 yards out.

Oscar Ibarra gave the Highlanders some cushion, 3-1, in the 53rd minute when he gathered in a loose ball and put away a 15-yard shot with the Sharyland keeper out of position. Esparza capped the scoring with a goal in the 64th minute.

Frisco Lone Star 3, Pflugerville Connally 0

Frisco Lone Star came alive in the second half with three unanswered goals to down Pflugerville Connally 3-0 in a Class 5A state semifinal on Thursday.

Lone Star (23-1-2), making its first state tournament appearance, will play for the 5A championship against El Paso Bel Air (28-0-1) at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday.

Connally (23-3-4) was making its second appearance in the state tournament and has yet to reach a title game. The Cougars lost in the same round in 2016.

The Rangers got things rolling just after halftime when Tucker Eason headed in a free kick from 45 yards out by Maddox Thomas in the 44th minute.

Bartek Zabek made it 2-0 Lone Star when his free kick from 22 yards out made it through the wall put up by Connally.

Matt Trouy was credited with the shutout in goal for the Rangers. Trouy stopped four shots on goal by Connally (23-3-4) which out shot Lone Star 6-3 in the first half and 11-10 overall.

Adam Azizi put the game away in the 76th minute with a one timer from Zabek.

This story was originally published April 13, 2023 at 5:50 PM.