PAYTON MORRIS
New Prague • soccer
Morris knows firsthand what it's like to leave the pitch disappointed. The senior captain finally got to experience the opposite.
The Morris-led Trojans garnered the first section victories of her high school career. Fifth-seeded New Prague beat St. Peter 1-0 and then upset top-seeded Mankato East 2-1 in overtime in the Class 2A, Section 2 tournament.
"We went absolutely crazy," Morris said after the semifinal victory. "I know the feeling of what it's like to lose. It's not fun at all."
Morris scored the lone goal against St. Peter and netted the equalizer with 2 minutes, 14 seconds left against Mankato East.
"Payton has a way of being in the right place at the right time and our team has definitely benefited from it," New Prague coach Matt Anderson said.
The Trojans won only one of their last eight games during the regular season. They wound up 4-10-1.
"We started out a little rough this year," Morris said. "The turnaround has been truly amazing."