Sports Update
Horn girls soccer team aims for seventh straight playoff berth
By DEVIN HASSON, dhasson@starlocalnews.com
Last season was an unconventional one for the Horn girls soccer team.
Three players were lost for the year before the season even kicked off and nearly every starter missed some time with injury.
Outside circumstances also affected the coaching staff, where head coach Steffani Moore was relegated to more of an observing role when she left on maternity leave, while assistant Brooke Collier took over the day-to-day routine.
The only thing that remained the same for Horn was its success on the field, as they posted a 17-8 record and made the playoffs for the sixth consecutive year.
This year, they are hoping for more stability, as Collier as taken over the head coaching duties fulltime and the lineup, when healthy, is shaping up to be a good one.
"(We want to) make the playoffs, it is a tough new district," Collier said. "We'd like to make it past the first round (of the playoffs) and hopefully more."
Horn graduated several contributors, but has a good returning group.
Center midfielder Brooke Hill, who has verbally committed to Texas Women's Univeristy, is the team's leading returning scorer and was a first-team all-district selection last season.
The Jaguars have experience in the midfield with Liz Campos, a second-teamer last year, and Haley Hicks another second-teamer who has also caught the eye of several colleges.
Courtney King returns provide an offensive spark from her forward position. Robin Lee, a Sam Houston State commitment, and Jocelyn Garcia are back to shore up the defense in front of sophomore goalkeeper Bayleah Hill, who was the 11-5A newcomer of the year last season.
There will be several new faces being worked into the rotation, as well, including midfielder Jordan Kondikoff and defender Isabel Gracia.
The Jaguars certainly started off on the right foot, finishing in first place at the Waxahachie Highway 287 Tournament two weeks ago.
Horn competed at the Mansfield Tournament last week.
After dropping a 3-0 decision to Flower Mound in the opener on Thursday, the Jaguars battled Midlothian to a scoreless draw on Friday.
Horn got back on the winning track against Arlington Martin, as King scored off an assist from Gracia for a 1-0 victory. The Jaguars ended up in fifth place after outlasting Ft. Worth Paschal in a 1-0 win in penalty kicks, with Campos, Hicks, Kondikoff and Gracia providing the scores.
On Tuesday, the Jaguars improved to 5-1-3 on the season with a 2-0 victory over Rowlett. King scored in the 28th minute with an assist from Hicks to take the early lead. Hill then scored in the 39th minute off a set piece to provide the final margin.
Horn will continue non-district play on the road at Berkner on Friday before taking on Garland on Tuesday at Berry Middle School.
Three players were lost for the year before the season even kicked off and nearly every starter missed some time with injury.
Outside circumstances also affected the coaching staff, where head coach Steffani Moore was relegated to more of an observing role when she left on maternity leave, while assistant Brooke Collier took over the day-to-day routine.
The only thing that remained the same for Horn was its success on the field, as they posted a 17-8 record and made the playoffs for the sixth consecutive year.
This year, they are hoping for more stability, as Collier as taken over the head coaching duties fulltime and the lineup, when healthy, is shaping up to be a good one.
"(We want to) make the playoffs, it is a tough new district," Collier said. "We'd like to make it past the first round (of the playoffs) and hopefully more."
Horn graduated several contributors, but has a good returning group.
Center midfielder Brooke Hill, who has verbally committed to Texas Women's Univeristy, is the team's leading returning scorer and was a first-team all-district selection last season.
The Jaguars have experience in the midfield with Liz Campos, a second-teamer last year, and Haley Hicks another second-teamer who has also caught the eye of several colleges.
Courtney King returns provide an offensive spark from her forward position. Robin Lee, a Sam Houston State commitment, and Jocelyn Garcia are back to shore up the defense in front of sophomore goalkeeper Bayleah Hill, who was the 11-5A newcomer of the year last season.
There will be several new faces being worked into the rotation, as well, including midfielder Jordan Kondikoff and defender Isabel Gracia.
The Jaguars certainly started off on the right foot, finishing in first place at the Waxahachie Highway 287 Tournament two weeks ago.
Horn competed at the Mansfield Tournament last week.
After dropping a 3-0 decision to Flower Mound in the opener on Thursday, the Jaguars battled Midlothian to a scoreless draw on Friday.
Horn got back on the winning track against Arlington Martin, as King scored off an assist from Gracia for a 1-0 victory. The Jaguars ended up in fifth place after outlasting Ft. Worth Paschal in a 1-0 win in penalty kicks, with Campos, Hicks, Kondikoff and Gracia providing the scores.
On Tuesday, the Jaguars improved to 5-1-3 on the season with a 2-0 victory over Rowlett. King scored in the 28th minute with an assist from Hicks to take the early lead. Hill then scored in the 39th minute off a set piece to provide the final margin.
Horn will continue non-district play on the road at Berkner on Friday before taking on Garland on Tuesday at Berry Middle School.
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