Liberty Lady Patriots Claim Area Championship with Gritty Win Over Graham
- Steven Liles
- Mar 26
- 2 min read
ABILENE – The Liberty Lady Patriots continue to rewrite the history books. Just a week after securing their first bi-district championship, they added another milestone with a 1-0 victory over the Graham Lady Blues to claim the area championship at Shotwell Stadium on a scorching 90-degree afternoon.
After a scoreless first half, Liberty’s Taylor Gonzales delivered the game’s only goal 10 minutes into the second half, finishing off an assist from Caroline McDonald to give the Lady Patriots the lead.
On the other end, the defensive unit stood strong, anchored by goalkeeper Karson Killham, who recorded five saves and, alongside her backline, secured a shutout victory. Amelia Martinez, MJ Beasley, Emily Southwell, Taegan Bennett, and Jordan Runkles played key roles in keeping Graham off the scoreboard.
A Win Fueled by G.R.I.T.
This win came with an added challenge—Liberty head coach Coach Ellison was unable to be on the sideline, as she was busy welcoming a beautiful baby girl into the world. Despite her absence, the Lady Patriots stayed true to the foundation she’s built: toughness and resilience.
After the game, I caught up with Coach Ellison via message to get her thoughts on her team’s performance under tough conditions.
“The girls are willing to dig deep and handle unexpected adversity. That’s the G.R.I.T. we’ve built this program on,” she said.
When asked what she will say to her players when she sees them, her response was full of emotion and pride:
“That I am so proud of them and for them. They’ve worked incredibly hard and handled a lot of curveballs, especially this far into the season, and handled it so well. I couldn’t have asked for a better group of girls to coach. They make me better.”
What’s Next?
With the Area Championship secured, the Lady Patriots continue their historic playoff run, proving that they are a force to be reckoned with. As they move deeper into the postseason, one thing is certain—this team isn’t done making history yet.
Their Regional Semifinal matchup will be this Friday back at Shotwell Stadium vs Godley (15-4).
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