Wakeland Blanks Hillcrest in Playoffs
By Randy Jennings / Contributor
LEWISVILLE — The Hillcrest girls soccer team took its official slogan for the 2023 season, “Refuse to Lose,’’ very seriously, dropping only one of its 22 games coming into Tuesday’s Class 5A Region II area round playoff matchup.
That’s when Frisco Wakeland, the defending Class 5A state champion, ended one of the best seasons in program history with a 5-0 victory at Goldsmith Stadium.
“All season long the girls tried hard and worked hard,” said Hillcrest head coach Jorge Acosta, in his seventh season at the school. “They definitely didn’t give up tonight. They have nothing to be ashamed of.”
The Panthers (21-2-0) earned their first playoff berth since 2018 and captured the District 11-5A title along the way. The Wolverines (17-7-2) have won nine consecutive postseason games.
It took Wakeland just three minutes to grab the lead on a 12-yard Dayleigh Bos shot from directly in front of the goal. The lead grew to 2-0 about 13 minutes later, when Emma Sapp lofted an 18-yard shot over the outstretched hand of goalkeeper Suzette Orta. Later in the half, Orta made a superb reaction save off a header from point-blank range.
Hillcrest, playing into the wind in the opening half, had two good scoring chances in the final 12 minutes. Yiselle Bernal forced Wakeland keeper Brooklyn Freeman to make a diving save. Leslie Razo’s clever centering pass found Alexandra Walker left of the goal but her strong shot went narrowly wide of the right post.
“If one of those had gone in, it would have been a completely different game,” said Acosta.
Wakeland added a third goal 14 minutes into the second half, set up by a run from the back by defender Sofia Rodriguez. Orta blocked the original shot but was shaken up and went to the ground. The carom fell to Wakeland freshman Audrey Gilbert and she made no mistake on a wide-open look from nine yards.
Bos made it 4-0 at the midpoint of the second half with a perfectly weighted dying quail shot for her second goal after taking a centering pass from Ava Yocum. Ana Carrera, a junior midfielder, concluded the scoring for Wakeland in the 61st minute.
“Hillcrest has some really nice players,” said Wakeland head coach Jimmie Lankford. “They play the game the way it should be played.”
Looking ahead to next season, Hillcrest will return five starters from a team that outscored its opponents by more than 100 goals combined.
Said Acosta: “Our team earned respect by the way it played hard and had fun.”
PHOTOS: Chris McGathey
