It was a great weekend, results wise, for Humble ISD’s high school soccer teams as the playoffs move closer to the state tournament.
Kingwood Park soccer is leading the way as two of the four teams that qualified for the regional semifinals hail from K-Park.
The Lady Panthers reached the state tournament a year ago and are trying to get there again. They have faced some tough tests, but the Lady Panthers have conquered them all so far.
More specifically, Allie Byrd has refused to let K-Park lose.
Last Tuesday night against Cedar Park, the Lady Panthers had to go to overtime in the area round of the playoffs, but Byrd scored the winner as the Lady Panthers prevailed 2-1 to advance to the regional quarterfinals.
Then, last Friday night against College Station, K-Park found themselves in another dogfight, down one goal at halftime.
However, Byrd responded once again.
With just under 22 minutes to play, she equalized the game at two; it was her second equalizer of the night, the first coming a little more than midway through the first half.
Then, with 9:53 left, Byrd scored again, a hat-trick goal which proved to be the game winner as the Lady Panthers won 3-2 to advance to the regional semifinals at Turner Stadium.
The Panther boys, meanwhile, have needed no such heroics.
They, too, are in the regional semifinals to be held at Turner Stadium; their last three wins have all been decisive as they’ve outscored their opponents 14-4. Their most recent win was a 3-1 win over Pflugerville Connally.
This Friday, both Panther teams will be at Turner Stadium for the region semifinals; first, the Panther girls meet Port Neches-Groves Friday morning, and Friday night the K-Park boys face off with Goose Creek Memorial.
