Lady Scots Ready For Playoff Push
Earning the 600th win in program history is nice — so is defeating perennial TAPPS powerhouse Ursuline and winning a District 10-6A title in unbeaten fashion during its first season in the state’s top classification.
But the real focus for the Highland Park girls soccer team is on the postseason, and trying to add to its collection of four state titles with a roster that is as deep and talented as any in recent memory for the Lady Scots.
That quest will begin tonight, when the Lady Scots (19-0-2) will face Skyline (10-6-3) in the bi-district round at 6 p.m. at Lake Highlands.
Several seniors on this year’s HP squad were part of a group that won a 4A crown in 2012, and they want to return for another shot.
“That’s been a big focus for them, getting the opportunity to play in that championship game,” said HP head coach Stewart Brown. “Peaking at the right time is critical for us.”
The Lady Scots were unbeaten with two ties during a typically rigid nondistrict slate, then won all 14 games during league play, most of them by wide margins.
“It’s a very deep team,” Brown said. “We can shuffle people around and the level of our play doesn’t change, which is very unusual. It’s a very unselfish group and they’re playing for each other.”
The 6A playoffs could be a minefield of sorts, with Region II including such potential foes as Round Rock Westwood, Sachse, and Lake Travis. And that doesn’t even include the powerhouses in Region I such as Hebron, Coppell, and Keller.
Still, their success has the Lady Scots ranked in the top 10 nationally by Topdrawersoccer.com.
“We want to improve in the right areas, and with that the results will take care of themselves,” Brown said. “Ultimately, the girls are just working hard and playing really well.”
The Lady Scots have 5 State Championships, not 4. They won it all in 1994, 1996, 2000,2002 & 2012.