Defending Champs

Lady Lions to face returning state champion J.J. Pearce
March 25, 2011

By David Claybourn
Herald-Banner Sports Editor

Ordinarily when a first place team meets up with a fourth place team in the first round of the soccer playoffs, the district champion is the big favorite.

Such may not be the case for the 15-5 District 13-4A champion Greenville Lady Lions as they open the Class 4A girls playoffs today against Richardson Pearce, the fourth seed from District 20-4A. Their bi-district playoff is set for 5 p.m. at McKinney Boyd High School.

J.J. Pearce is not your ordinary fourth place team. The Lady Mustangs have won the last two 4A state championships, beating Boerne Champion 3-0 in the 2010 finals and Friendswood 1-0 in the 2009 state title game.

But this Pearce team isn't as strong as its two predecessors and slipped to fourth in 20-4A behind Carrollton Creekview, Highland Park and The Colony. That finish also doesn't mean that Pearce is a bad team. The Colony won the 4A state title in 2007. Creekview was a 5A state champion in 2007. Highland Park won the 4A title in 2002.

"All those teams are good," said Lady Lions coach Ryan Dunlevy.

Dunlevy, who's watched Pearce play, said this Lady Mustang team has some weaknesses.

"They're not scoring very much," he said, "but they're not giving up very much either."

At one point in the season the Lady Mustangs were averaging 1.6 goals per game but their scoring allowance was near zero.

The Lady Lions average 3.1 goals per game for season while allowing only 0.67 but their district isn't nearly as strong as 20-4A.

Sophomore Maddy Crabtree leads the Lady Lions for the season with 21 goals. Julia Hernandez is next at 13 goals, followed by Priscilla Carrillo at nine and Katelynn Twilley at eight.

Emmaline Hollingsworth tops the Lady Lions in assists with 12. Twilley has eight assists, Bailey Phillips has six and Crabtree has four assists.

The Lady Lions warmed up for the playoffs with a 2-0 loss to Lucas Lovejoy on Monday. Lovejoy finished second in District 21-4A.

"It showed us where we were weak," said Dunlevy. "We responded this week with three good practices."

Dunlevy said the Lady Lions "know what to do and how to do it."

"The girls are very excited," he said. "We really feel like we can pull this off if we work together and play well. We'll have to play one of our best games of the season to win."