OKLAHOMA CITY — The Lady Mustangs are on a roll.
History was made Friday night as Oologah cruised to victory, winning the first state title in girls soccer history. In the Class 4A state championship at Taft Stadium in Oklahoma City, the Lady Mustangs defeated Weatherford 2-1 with a great performance led by two goals from Laney Morini and numerous saves from Jazmine Powell. I won.
This monumental accomplishment not only earned the school its first state title in girls soccer, but also marked its first team sport championship since softball reigned supreme in 2012.
“It feels great,” Oologah coach Sam Bowers said. “…I'm so proud of our kids. They deserve all the credit. They sacrifice and play hard. It wasn't pretty by any means, but they won the state championship. Winning is more beautiful than you can imagine. I'm really happy for Oologah and the community.”
Here are the key takeaways from the intense battle between the Lady Mustangs and Lady Eagles.
Game players: Lainey Morini. Her efforts at Texas Tech once again proved why she is considered a future NCAA Division I athlete. She rose to the occasion as she had done all season, burying Oologa's two goals and securing a historic victory for her team.
Morini's influence was felt early in the game, reacting quickly to Weatherford's opening goal.
Just over seven minutes after Avery Hearn gave Weatherford the lead during a scramble after a corner kick, the junior midfielder seized the moment with an accurate free kick from about 30 yards out, deftly converting the ball. It landed over the goalie's head and behind the goalie. He found the net with 20 minutes and 52 seconds left in the first half.
“I've struggled all year with taking free kicks,” Morini said. “I only hit one other shot. Coach Bowers and I definitely have a love-hate relationship. It can be a little frustrating when he's mad at me for missing them because I'm mad at myself. I score a goal and I say, 'Bowers, you took the free kick. How do you feel about that?' I think that was probably my favorite part of all of this. It was a great way to end the season for me because it showed that we improved on the things we wanted to improve on.
“That was definitely something I needed to improve on. When the big moments came, I was able to step up and hit. I think that's the most important thing.”
Her ability to make big plays from anywhere on the field was on full display throughout the game.
Her winning goal epitomized her skill and athleticism, as most of the Lady Eagles players stepped forward for a corner kick, but teammate Kylie Seaba stole the ball on a fast break. Because he took advantage of the opportunity.
Morini received a long pass from Siba near midfield, ran into the penalty area, deftly evaded defenders and fired a powerful blow with his left foot, which found the back of the net at 25:10 of the second half.
“Honestly, the defense did a really good job of shutting down my shots. I noticed it in the first half,” Morini said. “I took a lot of shots, but a lot of them were blocked. So I was just trying to create as much space as possible. And because everyone was so far back, I thought I had some time to take shots. (I just kept running) until I found the right area.”
Morini had six shots on goal and constantly threatened Weatherford's defense, keeping the pressure on her opponent and forcing the Lady Eagle goaltender to make several crucial saves. Her relentless attacking spirit and dynamic playmaking ability kept defenses on their toes throughout the game.
Brinley Sweet also had three near makes.
Key moments: With less than five minutes left in the game and Oologah holding a narrow lead, Weatherford forward Braley Epp charged toward the goal in a one-on-one situation with a golden opportunity to tie the score.
As Epp neared the basket, Lady Mustangs goaltender Jazmyn Powell felt an enormous amount of pressure on her shoulders. She was the last line of defense between the opponent and the potentially game-deciding goal.
Powell implored himself to be determined and focused to protect his team's lead and secure the state championship title.
“What goes through my head is, 'For the love of everything, stop the ball,'” Powell said. “I was hoping that God would be on my side that day.”
There he was.
When Epp took the shot, Powell stood firm and sat in perfect position, denying her attempts to find the back of the net. With 4:05 left, the ball went straight into Powell's hands and she immediately fell to the ground, gripping the ball tightly to stop the Lady Eagles' final attack.
“I was hoping that I would get in her way and she would hit me or attack me, and she did just that,” Powell said. .
The game-saving save marked a fitting end to Powell's career as the Lady Mustangs' senior goaltender. Powell made six saves throughout the game, but none were as decisive as the one he made in the final minutes of the championship game.
Despite facing unfamiliar adversity in the semifinals and final, Powell's veteran experience and confidence never wavered.
Up until the final two games against Oklahoma Christian School and Weatherford, she had allowed just four points during Oologah's 11-game winning streak at the time, for a season total of 11 points. However, those two of her opponents managed to outrun her by a total of three balls.
But Powell remained calm under pressure and ultimately made the crucial save, giving Oologah its biggest win in school history.
“(What gave me confidence) was knowing there was still time and there was still time to make up for the mistakes that let the ball go in,” Powell said. “The thought process is that if we're behind or a goal is scored, there's still time left.”
As the final whistle sounded, Powell's heroics in goal were praised by teammates and fans alike, cementing her legacy as a standout performer and leader in Lady Mustangs women's soccer. It became.
Her game-clinching save will be remembered as the defining moment on the team's run to the state championship, and will forever engrave her name in Oologah sports history.
“It feels very surreal,” Powell said. “I feel like I'm dreaming and I hope I never wake up. This is a better end to this year than I could have hoped for.”
