NEW CANEY — When Julie Johnson had to have her seniors step up and be counted, Lauren Washburn and Amanda LeDoux had their true colors come shining through.

  Washburn and LeDoux teamed up on the game-winning goal with 10 minutes to play as Nederland outlasted Magnolia West, 4-3, Tuesday night in the 4A girls area-round soccer playoffs at Don Ford Stadium.

  Disappointed to become the District 38-4A runner-up, Nederland (18-3-1) battled from behind to enter this weekend’s 4A sectional playoff round against Lumberton, a 2-1 area-round winner over Montgomery.

  Officials from both schools were to meet today to finalize their plans probably for a Friday game. The 19th-year Nederland head coach, Johnson was hoping the new Lamar soccer stadium in Beaumont could serve as the site.

  Washburn missed last year’s playoffs to undergo arthroscopic knee surgery. She has delivered a MVP caliber senior year as a defensive standout (predominantly at sweeper) as well as an offensive threat (in the midfield) when necessity has called.

  Necessity called Tuesday night after Magnolia West tied the game 3-3 with 16 minutes to play on Angie Guillory’s third goal of the game.

  Washburn dribbled through the midfield around the 10-minute mark and delivered a square pass to her right with LeDoux controlling the ball near the six-yard box. Washburn beautifully set it up and LeDoux finished it off, giving Nederland its ultimate lead. Both are seniors.

  “Washburn’s misdirection froze their keeper,” Johnson said. “Lauren played the majority of the game at sweeper and we tried to put her in the middle at about the 20-minute mark. She’s a great playmaker and I’m proud of her. I’m really proud of all our seniors. They obviously wanted to win and they really stepped up.”

  Nederland led in shots on goal, 17-8, and claimed a 3-2 halftime edge but Guillory tied the game with her final goal. Magnolia scored in the first two minutes and Nederland answered four minutes later as LeDoux scored off an assist from Layken Richard. The Lady Dogs led for the first time with 24 minutes left in the half thanks to Richard’s unassisted goal. Richard set up Lindsey Bombek, who gave NHS a 3-1 edge with 18 minutes left in the half.

  Goalkeeper Bianca Garza delivered some critical saves in the final five minutes as Magnolia West tried to catch up.

 

4A girls: Port Neches-Groves 4, Huntsville 1

  CROSBY — A much more satisfying display in round two caused Aimee Bates to delight in Port Neches-Groves’ 4-1 triumph over Huntsville at the Crosby ISD stadium.

  District 38-4A champion PN-G (21-5) advanced into the 4A sectional round this weekend. Bates was awaiting the winner of the Brenham/Little Cypress-Mauriceville area-round game at press time.

  Senior goalkeeper Tatum Crochet produced eight saves and PN-G delivered a sharper focus in the second-round affair than in its bidistrict victory over Vidor.

  “This was a total team effort,” Bates said. “We came out tough and physical. We played smart and moved off the ball real well.”

  Junior state 4A scoring leader Chloe Chiasson had a goal in each half. Fellow junior Natalie Hager was superb again, scoring once in the early minutes of the second half and setting up Chiasson on the game’s opening goal.

  Chiasson scored five minutes into the game and Huntsville tied the game six minutes later. Senior Katherine Hardy received a switch from Megan Elam and lifted PN-G back ahead 2-1 in the 23rd minute.

  Hager fired home a volley eight minutes into the second half for a 3-1 edge. Chiasson added the final goal in the 32nd minute. The Lady Indians led in shots, 14-8.

 

5A girls: Deer Park 7, Port Arthur Memorial 0

  DEER PARK — To virtually nobody’s surprise, Deer Park made Memorial’s playoff soccer debut extremely short-lived.

  The home-standing and District 22-5A champions scored four times in the opening half and three more in the second half for a 7-0 victory over the Lady Titans on Tuesday night.

  Reaching the post-season for the first time ever in school history, the Port Arthurans completed their season at 10-8-2.

  A veteran of many soccer playoff games, Memorial head coach Phil Mattingly paid tribute to Deer Park (20-3-3) and refused to blame his team’s short-handed status as a reason for losing the playoff opener.

  “I would say Deer Park is comparable in our district to (Baytown) Sterling or (Beaumont) West Brook,” the Lady Titans head coach said.

  Mattingly hardly ever had a senior hit the playing field as his lineup was filled almost exclusively with juniors and sophomores as well as a few freshmen.

  “These girls got some experience and some good attention and they know what it tastes like now,” Mattingly continued. “You’ve got to take little steps in your program at first and we’re turning the corner now.”

  Deer Park will meet League City Clear Springs this weekend in the 5A girls area round. Beaumont West Brook also lost its bidistrict girls outing, 2-1 to La Porte.

  Seven different players scored for Deer Park — leading scorer Kelli Camp, Joselle Riojas, Alisha Jackson, Jordan Jenkins, Angela Melendez, Haleigh Cave, and Brooke Erdmann.

 

4A boys: Port Neches-Groves 2, Montgomery 1

  CROSBY — Montgomery dominated this one and Port Neches-Groves gladly accepted that part because the Indians returned home with the 4A area-round championship and 2-1 victory.

  The more dominant Bears (10-5-2) scored 1:30 into the game and owned a 22-12 advantage in shots on goal.

  “Montgomery controlled probably the majority of the game and they banked three (shots) off the (goal) post,” Indians chief Don Sandell said. “I wouldn’t say they were better but we just rolled our sleeves and hung in there.”

  Excellent goal work from sophomore keeper Micah Murdock mattered plenty in turning away the Bears’ attack throughout a scoreless second half.

  PN-G (23-1-3) will meet Waller in the 4A sectional round this weekend. Coaches will meet on Wednesday to determine the arrangements for the next round.

  Montgomery’s scoring leader James Winkler opened the scoring with his season’s eighth goal in the second minute. A well-placed cross from Greg Flores positioned Kenric Martinez to tie the game on a header just outside the six-yard box with 27 minutes left in the half.

  PN-G scored the eventual decisive goal with 13 minutes remaining in the opening half. Elver Uriostegui shot a free kick into the box. Montgomery’s goalkeeper momentarily mishandled the ball and junior Brady Martin quickly booted home the rebound.

  Sandell commended the midfield efforts of Peter Zimmerman, Edwin Guerrero, Uriostegui and Flores.

 

4A boys: Huntsville 1, Nederland 0

  HUMBLE — An own goal midway in the first half provided Huntsville’s victory margin as the Hornets knocked Nederland from the 4A area playoffs, 1-0, Tuesday night.

  A bit of carelessness on a shanked Nederland free kick enabled Huntsville to unexpectedly go on the attack against Bulldogs senior goalkeeper Tanner Adams.

  An errant crossing pass caused a player from each side to dive for a loose ball. The Nederland defender accidentally kicked it in.

  Huntsville owned a 25-10 dominance in shots on goal at the Kingwood Park soccer complex.

  “Huntsville was as good as any team we had seen all year,” NHS coach Jason Butler said. “They were real quick and fast. I was proud of how hard that our team battled.”

  The District 38-4A co-champions, Nederland completed its season at 20-3-1.

 

4A boys: Brenham 3, Beaumont Central 0

  TOMBALL — Tyler Pieper scored a pair of goals and Cody Anderson punched in the first tally of the game as Brenham qualified for the Class 4A sectional round for the 10th year in a row, defeating Central 3-0.

  Making their 15th consecutive playoff appearance, the Cubs of coach Erik Lane improved to 15-5-6.

  Defensively, the Cubs were strong, as goalkeeper Drew Clanahan recorded eight saves on his way to his season’s 13th shutout.

PREP SOCCER PLAYOFFS

4A Girls Area Round

  Nederland 4, Magnolia West 3

  Port Neches-Groves 4, Huntsville 1

  Lumberton 2, Montgomery 1

  Little Cypress-Mauriceville vs. Brenham

5A Girls Bidistrict Round

  Deer Park 7, Port Arthur Memorial 0

4A Boys Area Round

  Brenham 3, Beaumont Central 0 (Monday)

  Waller 5, Hamshire-Fannett 0

  Huntsville 1, Nederland 0

  Port Neches-Groves 2, Montgomery 1