Mar. 29—WAXAHACHIE — Corsicana’s Lady Tigers saw their season end Tuesday night at Waxahachie’s Lumpkin Stadium, where they came up short in a 4-1 loss to McKinney North in the 5A Bi-District round of the playoffs.
McKinney North scored three goals in the second half to break away from a 1-1 halftime tie and advance to the Area Round of the playoffs.
The 2024 Lady Tigers carved out their own legacy by reaching the playoffs for the second consecutive year, ending a 10-year playoff drought and making a huge statement as one of the top teams in Corsicana’s athletic program.
This team has come so far so fast over the past three seasons, it’s difficult to stand back and really appreciate what they have done, changing the direction of girls soccer at CHS.
When Coach Andrew Procell left the Tiger boys soccer program three years ago he took over a Lady Tiger team that had finished the previous season with a 1-18-1 record. Procell’s young ladies have not only won 26 games but have flipped the program upside down by reaching the playoffs in back-to-back seasons.
There’s more: The 2024 Lady Tigers won 10 games this season with a young team that has nowhere to go but up.
Sahara Gipson, a senior who has been the heart and soul of the change in the program, played her last game, but she left a lasting impression on the field and on the program.
Simply put, Sahara was a force from the minute she walked on the turf at Community National Bank & Trust Stadium and after scoring 17 goals this season and handing out a dozen assists, she leaves with more than 50 career goals and an unlimited list of highlight moments.
Procell has built a playoff team program and this year’s team has the brightest future of any Lady Tiger soccer team in more than a decade.
Kiana Lopez-Wilson led the Lady Tigers in scoring with 25 goals this season and 19 assists. She’s just a sophomore but she has scored 44 goals in two seasons, and flies by opponents with speed and finesse just like her mother, Navarro Coach Alicia Wilson, who was a star as a pro soccer player and a leader and star for the Jamaican National team.
Marche’ Belmontes, another fast and talented sophomore, scored 16 goals and delivered five assists.
Mya Jasso, a tough and talented junior, scored nine goals, including some classic finishes, and handed out four assists. Mya’s younger sister, Melanie, had a breakout year as a freshman, scoring seven goals.
Lexus Almanza (yes, another brilliant sophomore) had a strong season in goal and give Procell and the Lady Tigers a bright future as an elite goalkeeper.
Procell has done a remarkable job as a coach and mentor, and his players love and respect him — and believe in him and each other. Procell has brought talent that has emerged in front of everyone’s eyes and a growing confidence to a program that will surely soar in the future. He has changed the culture of girls soccer at CHS.
These Lady Tigers lost a tough playoff game, but walked off the field looking ahead to a future of endless potential.