GEORGETOWN — Vandegrift goaltender Charlie Reid flew toward the ball as it drifted into the box. But when he missed the punch, Flower Mound senior midfielder Alex Tabor shoved a finish into the empty net.
For the second time Friday night, Jaguars senior defender Carter Simpson's long throw caused chaos in Vandegrift's box, which senior forward Jack White called a “game changer.”
“He can line drive the ball, he can throw it to the back post, sometimes he'll look for a flick, sometimes he'll look all the way to the end,” head coach David Doyle said. Told. “It's a good weapon to have. I'd rather have it than protect it.”
Jack White took advantage of the confusion in the first half. Tabor's marker in the second half clinched Flower Mound (23-2-2) a trip to the state finals for the second time in its history. The Jaguars needed just four strokes to defeat Vandegrift (22-3-2) 2-0 in the Class 6A state semifinals at Birkelbach Field.
They faced a brief upset and are scheduled to face reigning state champion Katy Seven Lakes (24-1-2) in the state championship game Saturday at 6:30 p.m. At last week's regional tournament, Flower Mound finished in the semifinals. A game was played at the same time (just before 9:30 p.m.) and they had to compete in the regional finals at noon the next day.
“That's six hours more than last week,” Doyle said. “Then it's okay.”
Flower Mound is seeking its second state championship after winning the 6A title in 2019.
“I'm excited, but it's not over yet,” White said. “One more game. That's the mindset.”
White put Flower Mound on the board first. Simpson's long throw bounced off the heads of several players before landing on White's boots. He hit a low shot at the far post and fell short of the lead.
White's goal, scored 9 minutes, 52 seconds into the game, was the second-fastest goal of this year's UIL state tournament up to that point.
Aside from White's finish, neither team created many threatening chances in an eventful first 40 minutes. They combined three shots.
“Defensively, we had a good rotation and didn't lose to the opponent's best player,” Doyle said.
Vandegrift tested Flower Mound goaltender Morgan English twice late in the first half, but he easily got past each time. Moments later, the Jaguars nearly doubled their lead with a cross across the face of the goalmouth, but no one could connect it to the goal.
Tabor found Flower Mound's second breakthrough just over three minutes into the second half when Reed missed a clearance on a long throw from Simpson. Reed stopped the Jaguars' third goal midway through the second frame, diving to the ground and blocking Luis Garcia's shot along the turf.
English stopped two shots and kept Flower Mound's fourth clean sheet of the postseason. The Jaguars have allowed three runs in six playoff games so far.
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