HS By The Numbers: Team ends 86-match skid

by Sheldon Shealer

April 26, 2019

Soccer is not a stat-driven sport, but that doesn't mean it is devoid of numbers. Each Friday for the rest of the high school season, TopDrawerSoccer high school editor Sheldon Shealer will provide a glance at some of the recent numerical milestones. If you have a performance or milestone worth noting, email us at MILESTONES.

6 -- Number of goals scored by Marc Sharrer in a Cave Spring (Va.) victory over Christiansburg (Va.). Sharrer scored all of his team's goals in the 6-2 win.

7-- Number of state titles won by the girls soccer program at Highland Park (Texas) following last week's 2-0 state final victory over Mansfield Legacy (Mansfield, Texas). No program -- boys or girls -- have won more UIL state titles than Highland Park. Plano Senior (Texas) boys and Plano West (Plano, Texas) girls, along with Highland Park, had six titles before last weekend. Plano boys dominated the early years of the Texas UIL. When Plano West opened in the fall of 1999 it immediately became a girls soccer power -- winning state titles in its first three years of existence (2000, 2001, 2000) and six overall between 2000 and 2013. The UIL is the state's primary and largest governing body and includes most of the top teams. There are other, however, state associations in the Texas, such as TAPPS -- where Ursuline Academy (Dallas, Texas) has won more than 25 state titles.

8 -- Michael Meese of Jamestown (Va.), a junior, continued his assault on the school record book Thursday, netting eight goals in Jamestown's win over Bruton. The William & Mary commit already set the school's goal scoring record earlier in the season and has added nearly 20 goals since then. In two-plus high school seasons, Meese has 83 goals. His eight-goal outing broke the record of Jeff Wolons, who went on to play for Virginia Tech and in the NPSL.

86 -- Abbi Barthel put an end to a record losing streak, scoring in the closing minutes to lift Ignacio (Colo.) to a 2-1 victory over Center (Colo.) on April 6. The result ended a seven-year, 86-match losing streak for the Colorado program. The Durango Herald best summed up the match. Igancio's win was four days short of the seven-year anniversary of its last victory -- a 4-1 decision over Center. "It was the most incredible feeling of my coaching career and certainly of their playing career," Alisha Guillon told the Durango Herald. "When that final whistle blew, everybody went crazy. Some players sprinted over to hug their parents, their teammates and me. It was almost like we won a state championship." At the beginning of the match, it was looking like a familiar outcome for Igancio. Center was award a penalty kick that was saved, but in the attempt to clear it another handball call was made. This time Center converted for a 1-0 lead. Ignacio's Alannah Gomez scored to tie the match before halftime. Barthel's winner came in the 76th minute on a breakaway. Her initial shot was saved, but the rebound came right back to her and she didn't miss on the second chance. Neither the National Federation nor TopDrawerSoccer keep any losing streak records, but 86 is as long as I have heard. And it's fair to point out -- it was 86 straight losses -- not even a single tie in that run.

Photo Credit: Logan Adams/Virginia Legacy

Related Topics: Coastal Athletic Association, Great Northwest Athletic Conference