At 69-0-2, BHS girls soccer grabs 3rd in a row at state
“But I didn’t really see it in the girls, and it worried me a little bit at halftime of that Houston game,” Radcliffe added. “... Some of them were even cracking jokes at halftime.”
With a huge edge in shots-on-goal in that game, Bearden rallied to win 2-1, then took much quicker control against Franklin in the state semifinals in a 3-1 triumph Thursday, Oct. 26.
Extending the program’s unbeaten streak to 71 games spanning three seasons (69-0-2), the Lady SoccerDawgs easily beat Ravenwood 4-0 in the title game to give the program its third straight state title, the latest coming Saturday, Oct. 28, in CHI Memorial Stadium. This season’s team finished 22-0-1.
“The senior class knows what it feels like to lose from our freshmen year (at state tourney), so understanding everything you work for ... it all pays off in the end,” said senior defender Rylie Lucas, tourney MVP who scored a free kick goal in the title game.
About going 69-0-2 over three seasons, “We’re extremely hard on ourselves,” Lucas said. “The expectations are so high at Bearden.”
“It’s amazing to make history in my last year here,” said senior forward Alivia Stott (three state tourney goals) who combined with Lucas, sophomore Jayla Blue (two tourney goals), senior Brenana Mendoza (a goal in the title game) to form a potent BHS attack.
“I couldn’t have imagined this, but it’s truly been one of the best opportunities of my life,” Mendoza said.
Being part of such a powerful program “is a blessing,” Radcliffe said.
About the mindset at halftime of the Houston game, “We knew we came out slow, so that put a little spark under us,” said yet another Bearden star, senior defender Nyla Blue, a UT Lady Vols commitment.
