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Streight into Lady Broncos history
By Andrew Snyder, asnyder@acnpapers.com
In less than a week, coaches from around the area will watch one after another of their star athletes walk across the graduation stage and out of their program. McKinney Boyd senior defender Meghan Streight will be among them, and she'll end her high school career without regrets.
As evidence of her impact on the Boyd soccer program, Streight will leave behind two state championship trophies she helped win. Together, they symbolize the perfect start and finish to her time with the Lady Broncos.
“She's one of those players that walks on the field and you say, 'I'm glad she's playing for me and not against me,'” said Jimmie Lankford, Boyd head girls soccer coach.
Lankford said Streight ranked as one of the hardest working and best athletes he's ever coached, with a drive unmatched by anyone else.
“Boyd has been quite the journey this past four years,” Streight said. “Coming in not knowing what to expect and then winning a state championship was just incredible. That kind of set the standard for what needed to be done to win another state championship.”
On her way out the door, Streight also racked up an impressive assortment of individual awards. She was named the 2011 Dallas Morning News Soccer Player of the Year and the Gatorade Texas Girls Soccer Player of the Year after a stellar senior season that saw her contribute to a 28-1-1 team record by scoring 10 goals, compiling 13 assists and leading a defensive front that allowed 12 goals and had 19 shutouts.
In her four years at Boyd, the team had a 102-9-7 record.
“It's just been such a blessing to be given such prestigious awards,” Streight said.
Streight was one of only three defenders to earn Gatorade Player of the Year honors. She wasn't expecting to win either. With the Lady Broncos state win a month in the past, she figured awards season was over.
Equally surprising, her citation included big praise from the team she had just helped beat. But play as well as Streight does, and respect comes from all corners.
“Meghan can read the play extremely well,” said Misail Tsapos, Colleyville Heritage head girls soccer coach. “She doesn’t react, she anticipates and gets there before the play develops. We’re a very counter-attack kind of team and she was able to shut us down completely. Her timing was incredible—that’s something you can't teach.”
And while Streight said she feels honored to be recognized, the state win remained the biggest moment of her senior year. A year before, Boyd had come one win away from a 5A championship, losing to The Woodlands in the state finals. Claiming the title this season was one of the few things left unaccomplished.
“Because it means so much to the team, to the school, to the city as a whole,” Streight said. “To me, personally, that's what I strove to do this year, is to win state. Everything else just followed up afterward.”
In her view, the extra honors only came because of the championship. State gives players the kind of stage needed to draw that kind of attention, and since she's been on that stage three times already, Streight was due.
“These awards don't come from not winning state,” she said.
Streight's athletic career dates back to the rec league soccer she played at the age of six. She was always into sports, which she played frequently with her twin brother Michael, a starting defensive back for the varsity Broncos football team.
But it wasn't until she joined the D'Feeters Soccer Club that Streight's play starting heading to an elite level.
“They molded me into the player that I am today,” she said. “Without them I probably wouldn't be where I am.”
That goes for the position she plays as well. Before then she played at midfield and forward, but her club team tried her out at sweeper and she's been there ever since.
Not that Streight doesn't still contribute offensively. Winning balls in the air is one of her strengths, and she uses that ability to score the majority of her goals off set pieces. That and to beat out other teams trying to sneak a corner kick into her team's goal.
Next year, Streight will join fellow Lady Broncos star Kelley Monogue at Texas A&M. Monogue was also a part of Boyd's two state championship wins, and over the past four years the senior forward and Streight have become leaders on their respective sides of the field.
“I'm definitely looking forward to [going to A&M],” Streight said. “I've known for the last two years where I'm going to school, so I've been ready.”
She's been told that college soccer is much faster and more intense than high school competition. But then again, that's what always said about the step up to varsity play, and Streight did more than all right her first year there.
Lankford thinks she'll be just as impactful at college as she has been playing for him.
Before college begins, there are a few things left to do for the player who's won everything else. Foremost on the list, Streight still wants to see the '93 D'Feeters squad she plays for, along with Lady Broncos teammate Lauren Katada, make it to nationals.
“It's never over,” she said.
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