Wakeland Holds Off Lady Scots in Rematch

By Sam Weiger / Contributor

The first blemish on Highland Park’s district record came Friday with a 2-1 loss to defending Class 5A state champion Frisco Wakeland in girls soccer action at Highlander Stadium.

After the two teams played to a thrilling 3-3 draw earlier this season, the Wolverines took the rematch between perennial powerhouses and District 12-5A title contenders.

“When you’re playing a good team, you have to take your moments,” said HP head coach Chad Hobbs. “I think we had a few moments where we were unfortunate not to take our chances, but this team is the defending state champion for a reason.”

From the opening minutes, Wakeland’s Audrey Gilbert was the game’s most influential player, consistently delivering accurate shots and setting up teammates for scoring chances.

Midway through the first half, Gilbert converted a corner kick clearance into a breakaway opportunity, using her speed to outrun the HP defense. She fired a shot past the goalkeeper to give the Wolverines a 1-0 lead.

Following the score, the Lady Scots increased their attacking pressure. Late in the first half, HP freshman Lauren Dyer delivered a powerful shot that Wakeland’s goalkeeper denied with a diving save.

In the closing seconds before the break, Dyer nearly orchestrated a goal by slicing through the defense, but Wakeland managed a last-second clearance.

At the start of the second half, Wakeland reclaimed control of the game, and a swift counter-attack resulted in Gilbert setting up Dilan Pistorius for a clinical one-time finish, giving Wakeland a 2-0 advantage.

The Wolverines (16-0-1, 10-0-1) controlled the game for the next 20 minutes, winning physical battles and maintaining possession. But with roughly 15 minutes left in the game, HP began to play with a sense of urgency.

The Lady Scots (13-3-2, 8-1-2) increased their physical pressure, which led to a penalty kick with 13 minutes remaining. Dyer confidently converted with an uncontested strike, cutting the Wakeland lead in half.

Resilient defense kept the Lady Scots competitive, effectively shutting down Wakeland after the penalty kick. In response, the Wolverines strategically shifted to a possession-focused approach, skillfully running down the clock.

“Defensively, we were super organized,” Hobbs said. “We wanted to make it difficult for them to build, so we stayed structured in our block. We just needed to hold possession a little bit more.”

In the final three minutes, the Lady Scots found scoring opportunities with a header and a corner kick, but Wakeland’s defense held them off to secure the victory.

“The fight in our group, the resilience, I’m super proud of them,” Hobbs said. “To play the defending champions to the wire is all you can ask. We’re going to take this momentum and belief and ride this into the playoffs.”