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MacArthur's Madisson Duran
IN THE GENES: Soccer comes naturally to MacArthur's Duran
“It all began with my parents’ support,” she said. “My whole family played, and they’ve always been there for me as I try to carry on the tradition. I feel like soccer makes me who I am. Anytime I haven’t been playing, it’s almost like I’ve lost a part of myself. Since I’m the middle child, I also try to set a good example for my younger siblings, so they can feel the same way.”
Of course, it took some time for her to develop a knack for the sport.
“When I first started playing, when I was about six or seven, I didn’t know what I was doing,” laughed Duran. “I was just on the field with no idea how to play for my team at the time. But they needed a goalkeeper, and they chose me – the tiniest girl on the field.
Bradley C. Collier (VYPE)
“After that, I just ran with it. At this point, though, I can play any position on the field if needed. But I’ve been a goalie since the beginning, so that’s where I normally am.”
Duran isn’t the “tiny girl” she once was. She’s made quite a name for herself between the posts, evidenced by her exceptional performance last year that earned her District 14-6A Goalkeeper of the Year honors – the third consecutive year she received such an award.
But for Duran, it’s not all about the accolades.
“One of the best memories I have with this team is easily from my freshman year when we went to Six Flags,” she said. “We went on all the rides, and we convinced one of my teammates, who was afraid of heights, to sit in the front seat of a roller coaster with us.
“She literally passed out, and we all thought it was so funny. To this day, I’ll remind her of it, and we’ll both laugh. It’s those types of little experiences that mean the most, and they’re the ones you remember the longest.”
As a team, MacArthur has finished atop the district standings each of the last five years, most recently going 14-0 last winter, which extended their district win streak to 34 games.
2024-25 MacArthur High School Girls SoccerBradley C. Collier (VYPE)
However, they’ve faced challenges in making deep playoff runs, often due to a tough opening-round opponent from Conroe ISD – most recently, College Park, where the Lady Generals narrowly fell 2-1.
So, what will it take for them to break that early-exit stigma?
“We need to be stronger, both physically and mentally,” said Duran. “Once we get to the playoffs, our minds and bodies need to be more stable – especially in that first round. That comes with the belief we have in each other and in ourselves. We’re right there in a lot of these games, so we can’t put our heads down at that point.”
With Duran in goal, and a talented squad taking the field this year, another district title is likely in the cards for MacArthur.
But they’ll have even greater aspirations in the weeks to come.
The Kingwood Park Panthers celebrate their eighth-straight undefeated district title
READY TO REIGN: Ranking Houston's top teams entering the UIL girls soccer playoffs
But, don't count out Tomball Memorial, Kingwood, or The Woodlands just yet, as they have surged in the latter-half of the regular season.
Kingwood Park is coming off their eighth-consecutive undefeated district championship, which marked the 300th victory for coach Jess White's program, as they look to represent Region II-5A in April. Additionally, teams such as Friendswood, Fulshear, Foster, and Barbers Hill could easily go on a deep run once the playoffs start next week.
Without further ado, here are the city's most premier clubs, as audiences prepare for the 2024 postseason.
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Bridgeland Bears
Photo provided by @BridgelandGS (Twitter)
***Record is depicted in W-L-T format
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CLASS 6A TOP-20
1. Bridgeland Bears (17-0-2; 11-0-2 in district)
2. Stratford Spartans (18-1-4; 13-0-1)
3. Ridge Point Panthers (17-1-3; 14-0-1)
4. Tomball Memorial Wildcats (15-3-2; 11-2-1)
5. Kingwood Mustangs (15-4-4; 12-1-1)
6. The Woodlands Highlanders (15-6-2; 14-1-1)***
7. Katy Jordan Warriors (12-3-5; 10-1-3)
8. Oak Ridge War Eagles (19-2-2; 12-2-1)
9. Pearland Oilers (16-2-3; 11-1)
10. Katy Tigers (15-3-2; 10-2-2)
11. Dawson Eagles (16-3-2; 10-1-1)
12. Atascocita Eagles (16-4-3; 12-1-1)
13. FB Clements Rangers (15-2-3; 10-2-3)
14. Houston Memorial Mustangs (13-5-3; 11-2-1)
15. MacArthur Generals (19-3-1; 13-0)
16. Tomball Cougars (13-2-3; 10-1-3)
17. Grand Oaks Grizzlies (13-3-5; 10-2-3)
18. Seven Lakes Spartans (13-3-3; 10-2-1)
19. Cypress Ranch Mustangs (14-3-3; 9-1-3)
20. Clear Springs Chargers (13-6-3; 10-0-2)
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CLASS 5A TOP-10
1. Kingwood Park Panthers (18-3; 10-0 in district)
2. Friendswood Mustangs (18-3; 11-1)
3. Foster Falcons (17-4; 13-1)
4. Fulshear Chargers (15-7; 13-1)
5. Barbers Hill Eagles (14-5-3; 9-3-1)
6. Magnolia Bulldogs (13-5-2; 10-3-1)
7. Lake Creek Lions (13-4-3; 9-3-2)
8. Goose Creek Memorial Patriots (13-6-4; 8-3-2)
9. Angleton Wildcats (11-5-1; 8-3-1)
10. Baytown Sterling Rangers (15-6-1; 7-5-1)