Class 4A Area: JHS girls pound Pleasant Grove, 8-0; McCullough scores 4 goals
Mar. 30—Class 4A, Area: JHS girls pound Pleasant Grove, 8-0; McCullough scores 4 goals
From staff reports
LONGVIEW — Jewel McCullough wreaked havoc on Pleasant Grove's Lady Hawks by scoring four goals and adding two assists in Jacksonville's 8-0 Area victory Friday night at Lobo Stadium in Longview.
The Fightin' Maidens (21-3-1), who have now won 17-straight matches, will next play Athens (20-3-3) in a Class 4A, Region II Quarterfinal that is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Tuesday at Christus Trinity Mother Francis Rose Stadium in Tyler.
Jacksonville is the District 16-4A champion and the Lady Hornets are the District 14-4A runner-up.
Also scoring goals for the Maidens were Victoria Villanueva, Lauren Wade and Arely Romero. Jacksonville also benefited from an own goal by a Pleasant Grove player.
Romero pitched in two assists, as did Jackie Badillo, while Villanueva and Wade added an assist each.
Jacksonville scored four goals in the last 20:00 of each half, oddly enough.
"This was a game where we saw several girls show their skills, gain confidence and step up in a big way," Jacksonville head girl's soccer coach, Colten McCown, said.
McCown stated that one of the Maidens to play at a high level was Romero.
"Arely (Romero) scored the fourth goal of the game," McCown said. "She made a daring run up the sideline and Lauren (Wade) was able to find her. Arely (Romero) cut inside and bent the ball back into the post."
McCown was also well pleased with the play of Mariana Arredondo, who was called on to replace an injured Alexa Medellin.
"She (Arredondo) locked down the defensive mid-field and stepped up in a huge way with Alexa (Medellin) out," McCown said.
This was the second year in-a-row that the Maidens polished off Pleasant Grove in the Area round.
