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Putting West to the test: Lady Wolves remember the past while forging the future
BY Kevin Hageland, khageland@starlocalnews.com
Plano West Soccer Quiz:
The PSC quizzed eight Plano West girls soccer players and their head coach about the history of the program. How do you match up (scroll to the bottom for answers as well as players and coach scores)
1. How many state titles has Plano West soccer won?
3. How many state titles did head coach Carley Phillips win at West?
4. How many state titles did Phillips' older sister Paige win with the Lady Wolves?
5. When was West's last state title?
Bonus (half-point for either): Who did the Lady Wolves beat for their last state title and what was the final score?
The look of concern was apparent.
Tuesday afternoon, prior to practice, several members of the Plano West girls soccer team were asked questions about the program's history, their state tournament track record and the background of head coach Carley Phillips.
"Oh man, I'm in a lot of trouble," said Londyn Beal, West sophomore forward, prior to the start of the quiz.
"What, I didn't even know she had a sister," said Sparky Fischer, West junior defender when asked about Phillips' older sister Paige's accomplishments at West.
There were also numerous second guesses when asked about West's number of state titles and appearances (see sidebar) as the girls discussed the program's past and its present.
"The past will get brought up because we want to continue West's legacy," said Taylor Barg, West junior midfielder.
West junior midfielder Brooke Ramsier had similar sentiments.
"Our history gets discussed," she said, "and coach will tell us about her history at West."
Phillips went to state with the Lady Wolves twice, losing in the Class 5A State Semifinals to Carrollton Creekview in 2004 (the Lady Wolves' only state loss) and winning a title in 2002. That West team outscored its playoff opponents, 24-1, including 8-0 at state. Highland Park also won a state title in 2002, a fact the seemingly-superstitious Phillips is aware of as she has been consistently cheering on the Scots, who are in the Class 4A State Tournament.
"It's definitely a balance because what happened with me is in the past and you can only motivate so much based on the past," Phillips said. "But the girls know the tradition and they want to add to that legacy."
Tradition has been a motivating factor for the 2012 squad.
"When coach Phillips or [former head coach Jennifer Grubb] spoke of winning state, it sounded amazing," said Casie Ramsier, West junior forward.
Senior forward Logan Beal agreed.
"Our whole slogan this year has been kicking it old school," she said. "And when coach talks about winning state, that's where we want to be."
Doing so won't be easy as West opens the Class 5A State Tournament at 11 a.m. Thursday against Klein Oak from Birkelbach Field in Georgetown. Though West, Klein Oak, Katy Seven Lakes and San Antonio Churchill have combined for 18 state tournament appearances, West and Klein Oak are the only former champions with the Lady Wolves winning four titles and the Lady Panthers capturing their lone championship in 2003.
To prepare for the game, Phillips has spoken to the coach at Sachse (which lost to Klein Oak in the Region II Finals) and gotten a scouting report from Plano East head coach Dawn Crow and Plano Senior head coach Diane Davey.
"We know the formation Klein Oak usually runs (4-4-2) and we know some of their better players," Phillips said. "This is a big stage, but we want to focus on soccer. Our saying is, 'Play the game, not the occasion.'"
A mantra that has soaked in as multiple players repeated it after taking their quizzes.
"Not knowing a whole lot about your opponent can be an advantage," Barg said. "If you know a team real well you might try and change the way you play and we don't want to do that."
West's practices this week have been focused on what they do best.
"We are more of a possession-style team," Brooke said. "We want to keep the ball because the more we keep it, the more we can attack."
"We will be looking for those wide runs," Casie added. "And we want to get the defense involved."
That strategy has served West well throughout the playoffs.
The Lady Wolves lost three matches in the regular season and avenged each of those defeats (Keller Fossil Ridge, Flower Mound, Flower Mound Marcus) en route to state. The last of those came Saturday when West beat Marcus, 3-2, to advance to Georgetown.
"At the end of that game I told the girls it was OK to be excited," Phillips said, "but our goal was not going to state, it is to win state."
Something each player is aware of.
"We all want that patch on our jacket; we all want that ring," said Karson Keogh, West senior defender.
She isn't the only one.
"It's been a while since we won state," Fischer said, "and we want to bring soccer back to the forefront at West."
The Lady Wolves get that chance over the next three days. West faces Klein Oak at 11 a.m. in the semifinals with the winner facing Seven Lakes or Churchill in the finals at 11 a.m. Saturday in Georgetown.
"We want to win a state title," said Taylor Jackson, West junior defender. "We want it more than you could possibly fit a description of in your section of the paper."
Answers:
1. 4 (2000, 2001, 2002 and 2007)
2. 5 (lost to Carrollton Creekview in 2004 semis)
3. 1 (2002)
4. 3 (2000, 2001, 2002)
5. 2007
Bonus. (Deer Park, 3-0)
Scores:
1. Carley Phillips -- 5
2. Taylor Jackson -- 3.5 (correctly guessed score of 2007 final)
T3. Londyn Beal
T3. Casie Ramsier
T5. Taylor Barg
T5. Sparky Fischer
T5. Karson Keogh
T5. Brooke Ramsier
9. Logan Beal
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