32 April 2021 | prestonhollowpeople.com
Sports
DOBBS, URSULINE RECLAIM TOP SPOT IN TAPPS SOCCER By Chris Bils and Ross Fisher Special Contributors
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or an Ursuline soccer program that has claimed its 28 state championships, there’s only ever been one Kylie Dobbs. The senior forward entered the TAPPS Division I state title game on March 5 needing just one goal to reach 100 for her career. She scored four, and the Bears dismantled defending state champion Houston St. Agnes 5-0. “I wouldn’t have it any other way,” said Dobbs, who tallied 49 goals this season. “When that 100th goal went in, I told my teammates that nothing matters if we don’t win this game, so the fact that we put it away and we’re here now feels so good, especially to bring it back home to our school.” Senior forward Whitney Dodson put the icing on the cake with a goal in the final minute. The Bears (22-1) last won the crown in 2018 but had not made the title game since then. “It’s been great to get it back and finally get here again, and earn it back for all the girls before us who didn’t have this the past couple of years,” senior goalkeeper Kylie Koeijmans said. “We finally came together as a team and got our program back to where we know it should be.” The title was the program’s first under second-year head coach Darrin Hedges. The Bears concluded the season on a 12game winning streak and finished unbeaten against private-school competition. They outscored their four playoff opponents by a score of 21-1.
Covenant doubles up on TAPPS titles For the first time in school history, Covenant won simultaneous state titles in girls and boys soccer, securing both TAPPS Division III trophies with victories over Schertz John Paul. The Covenant boys, whose last title came in 2018, closed out a narrow 1-0 victory, while the girls secured their first championship in a 3-1 win propelled by two goals from sophomore Kaitlin Swann. “We won it our freshman year, but we have been the runner-up the past two years,” attacking midfielder Jacob Scott said. “So it is really great to be back here and end our careers on a win.” Swann’s goals in the girls game were her 50th and 51st of the season, setting a new program record. She scored 27 goals last year as a freshman. The high-powered Knights scored 140 goals on the season — an average of more than six per game. Covenant avenged a loss to John Paul last year, taking the final step in the program’s rebuild under third-year coach Kirk Redding.
We finally came together as a team and got our program back to where we know it should be. Kylie Koeijmans
TITLE TOWN Ursuline and Covenant brought three state soccer championships back to Dallas. Division I girls Ursuline d. Houston St. Agnes, 5-0 Division III boys Covenant d. Schertz John Paul, 1-0 Division III girls Covenant d. Schertz John Paul, 3-1
FROM TOP: The Ursuline Academy soccer team claimed a TAPPS state title as did Covenant School’s girls and boys teams. (PHOTOS: TOP TWO BY THAO NGUYEN, BOTTOM COURTESY COVENANT SCHOOL)
Keeping It Chill: Minnesota-Born ESD Senior Stands Out on the Ice By Todd Jorgenson
Winges is a standout defender for Dallas Stars Elite, the only girls traveling team in the Dallas area. AfIn her native Minnesota, thou- ter graduation, she will play on the sands of teenage girls play ice hock- women’s team at Harvard. ey — both for their school and yearShe started as a figure skater but preferred the teamwork and adrenaround traveling teams. But in Texas, Eleanor Wing- line rush of hockey. By the time she es is such an anomaly that many of was a freshman, she had made the her Episcopal School of Dallas class- varsity squad at an all-girls private mates called her “Hockey Girl” be- school in St. Paul. fore they knew her name. “I fell in love with the sport while However, the ESD senior takes watching my brother,” said Wingin stride the culture shock, on and es, whose father also played hockey off the ice, that came with relocat- in high school. “So I tried it, and I ing from the Twin Cities to Dallas loved it.” in 2019. Dallas Stars Elite frequent“I don’t think my friends are the ly plays against boys teams during hockey types,” Winges said. “They’re its season 3:24:31 because of the lack of PCP_Apr2021x10Banner-FINAL-Revised.pdf 1 3/11/2021 PM always super interested and shocked competition. The team heads out because it’s not very big here.” of town to girls-only tournaments
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It would be awesome to see girls hockey grow in Texas. Eleanor Winges
Eleanor Winges plans to play at Harvard next season. (COURTESY PHOTO) once or twice per month. Hockey season for Winges typically runs from about August until May. She also competes for ESD
in tennis. Her school does have a team in field hockey, a sport that coincidentally hasn’t gained much traction in
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Minnesota. But on the ice? Growth in this area has been slow but steady. “It would be awesome to see girls hockey grow in Texas,” Winges said. “It’s so fun to be able to see your teammates in the hallways. It helps you bond a bit more. It’s different not having anyone at my school being on the same team.” The Dallas Stars professional team recently started sponsoring Rookie Girls, a free event for youngsters to generate interest in the game among beginners. It has other programs in the works, too. Winges committed to Harvard during her freshman year in Minnesota. If all goes well, she hopes a professional career will follow. “I’m going to be as much like a sponge as possible,” she said.
