Another state championship has now been added to the Indianola Academy folklore.
For last Saturday at Jackson Prep, the Indianola Academy Lady Colonels soccer team used a 1-0 win over Laurel Christian School to claim the Division III State Championship.
This was the first time since 2014 that an IA Lady Colonels soccer team brought home the state championship.
“This team deserves all the praise,” lauded Head Coach Alex Deason. “Every single player on the team contributed to the end result this season. Every player brings a different aspect to the team and they all served the team well. From the beginning they didn’t know me nor did I know them. There was to be trust established and a foundation set. We shared laughs and frustrations but every single player learned more about the game and more importantly how to be a leader, deal with difficult situations, and win with class. There is no doubt that there are very memorable moments and learning experiences from every player and parent, but these are just an observation from a single person looking after 20 girls.”
Key to this win was the type of defensive effort which brought them to this title game and the Lady Colonels recorded the only goal necessary for victory only eight minutes into the match.
Using sophomore Emma Kate MacLeod’s ability to boot long-range goals, this over 25 yard effort of a direct free kick found its way into the left-hand corner of the goal.
From that point on, Laurel Christian School could not breach the near impenetrable blue line of IA defenders for a close-in shot.
Meanwhile, IA goalie Mallory Price gathered all the long-distance shots directed her way into her sure hands. By match end, Price recorded three saves while dealing with numerous crosses and half attempts attempted by the frustrated Laurel Christian School squad.
According to Coach Deason there were many situations in this game which stood out to him. “But primarily as the first half winded down you could see the nerves start to calm and we played the game the way we have set up the team. On the flip side when the match started and at the end there was a lot of anxiety and emotion that kept the team out of balance. The ability to overcome that is huge for everyone involved but it is still a factor of a big challenge on a big stage.”
On this day at Jackson Prep, these 20 Indianola Academy ladies indeed handled the big stage.
