The Donna High girls soccer season has been like none other, even beyond the battles and struggles of dealing with the daily scenarios and hurdles during the COVID-19 pandemic-ravaged past year.
When the season started, the Bravettes were ranked No. 25 in the state in Class 5A, according to the Texas Girls Coaches Association.
Last week, another history-making event occurred when junior Madalyn Park scored her 100th career goal, a milestone never reached by anyone in the history of the Donna girls soccer program.
“My friend, Nydia Selvera, was in the midfield and dribbled past two defender and they were playing up,” Park said. “I was all by myself and calling for her and she lobbed the ball over them and I was one-on-one with the goalie and put it in the left corner.”
The junior scored her 101st goal on a penalty kick in overtime, but Donna fell 4-2 in PKs to Brownsville Porter, the District 32-5A leader, on Friday night as the Bravettes looked to take another step closer to a playoff berth. A week ago, Park had 92 goals but exploded with a six-goal performance against Brownsville Pace during an 8-0 victory at home to celebrate her 17th birthday.
“I was trying for two more but came up short,” she said.
She scored twice during the first half at Edcouch-Elsa for a 3-1 lead, before Edcouch came roaring back for a 4-3 win. The Bravettes and Yellow Jackets are in a battle for the fourth and final playoff spot.
The schedule until the end of the season favors Donna. Edcouch’s final three games of the regular season are against second-place Brownsville Lopez, first-place Brownsville Porter and third-place Brownsville Veterans. Donna still has to play Veterans, fifth-place Weslaco East and Mercedes.
Park has scored one goals this season and has three matches remaining before the postseason. She scored 27 as a freshman and 42 as a sophomore. There’s probably no coincidence that the state ranking and Park’s offensive firepower are intertwined.