There are seasons you remember, and then there are seasons that mean something. For the Kingwood Lady Mustangs, the 2025-2026 season has been both a well-orchestrated symphony of team-first soccer and relentless effort, and a program that has quietly, then loudly, announced itself as one of the best in the state of Texas.
This Saturday at 4:00 PM in Georgetown, Texas, the undefeated Kingwood Lady Mustangs will take the field against Forney High School in the UIL 6A Division II State Championship. Unbeaten. Unbowed. Undeniable.
But to understand what this moment means, you have to understand where this program has been and, more importantly, who brought it here, and who this team carries with them every single time they step on that field.
A Program Built on Legacy and Love
I’ll be honest with you. I’ve had a front-row seat to this program for a while now as a player on this team and long enough to remember the foundation that Coach Holcomb laid for this program. Coach Holcomb was not just a good coach. He was an amazing coach, and more than that, he was a man of extraordinary character who poured himself into these young women and into this program with everything he had. He fought a long and courageous battle with cancer, and when we lost him, we lost one of the great ones.
But his memory didn’t leave this program. It lives in this program.
When these Lady Mustangs take the field and when they press relentlessly, when they win headers, when they celebrate together on that long bus ride home, they are playing for something greater than a trophy. They are playing for a man who loved this game, loved this school, and loved these players. Coach Holcomb’s legacy is stitched into the fabric of everything Kingwood soccer stands for, and this run to the State Championship is as much a tribute to him as it is a testament to the young women making it happen.
Then came Coach Bell.
I had the privilege of playing for Coach Bell before injury took that opportunity from me. I watched him compete. I know the fire in him, along with the patience, the persistence, the genuine belief that doing things the right way eventually produces something extraordinary. When he stepped into this program, he understood the weight of what had come before him. He didn’t erase Coach Holcomb’s legacy. He honored it by demanding character before goals, heart before highlight reels, and by asking these young women to believe in something bigger than themselves.
He rebuilt with purpose. He rebuilt with patience. And he rebuilt with a deep respect for what Coach Holcomb had planted in the ground long before him.
And now, standing on the doorstep of a state championship, everything that was planted by both of these men is in full bloom.
What Has Made the Difference? The Coach’s Own Words
When asked what has been the difference-maker for this team — the thing that carried them all the way to the State Finals — Coach Bell didn’t point to any one player or any single tactical adjustment. His answer was as thoughtful as the season itself:
“I don’t think it’s been one specific thing, but a collection of things that have gotten us to this point.” – Coach Adam Bell
He went on to outline six pillars, and each one tells the story of a program built the right way, for all the right reasons.
1. Team Culture
“This is a team that would do anything for each other. We noticed almost immediately after our first few away games this team was special. Typically, the players will keep to themselves on the bus ride home, but this group celebrates together after every game. The seniors have created an environment where everyone is welcomed and has a voice within the program. They are the most approachable group of seniors I have ever coached.” – Coach Adam Bell
You can’t manufacture that. You can scheme it up on a whiteboard, talk about it in preseason meetings, hang banners about it in the locker room, but genuine team culture either exists or it doesn’t. On this team, it exists in every bus ride home, every post-game huddle, every moment these young women choose each other over themselves.
2. Attitude and Effort
“These are the two things we can control about ourselves. Everyone on this team has an elite attitude and will put what is best for the program above their own interests. Our work rate and effort in sessions and games is simply incredible. It’s awesome to see what a group of kids can do when they believe in, and care about, each other.” – Coach Adam Bell
Elite attitude. Elite effort. When those two things combine with talent? The result is exactly what we’re watching with an undefeated team marching toward a state title.
3. Staying Healthy — and Rising Above When They Didn’t
“Last year was rough for us. We felt like every game we were starting a completely different lineup. Trying to change formations on the fly and moving JV kids up about every week was difficult for us to build any kind of chemistry on the field. This year we lost a key piece to our team, Elizabeth Quinn, in the preseason. It was a huge hit for us, and most teams would find it a hard thing to come back from.” – Coach Adam Bell
The story of Elizabeth Quinn is one of the most heartbreaking subplots of this season. A quality player, dynamic across multiple areas of the field, she fought back from a junior-year injury only to have her senior season cut short. Coach Bell’s voice carries a quiet reverence when he talks about her.
“Elizabeth worked so hard to come back from her injury sustained her Junior year, just for her senior year to be cut short also. She is a QUALITY player who is dynamic in so many different areas of the field for us.” – Coach Adam Bell
But out of that adversity came one of the season’s great stories. Gabriella Gowen stepped into Elizabeth’s role and, by all accounts, hasn’t just filled the shoes; she’s filled them and then some.
“Gabriella Gowen stepped up for us in Elizabeth’s role and has solidified herself as one of the best outside backs in the state. Not many teams have that kind of ability to replace quality with quality.” -Coach Adam Bell
That’s program depth. That’s culture. That’s what Coach Bell has built.
4. Physicality
“You would be hard pressed to find a team that plays with as much physical pace as we do. Led by Harper Mills, our team is absolutely dominant in the air and dominates 50/50, first and second balls. Bravery isn’t just something we talk about — it’s what we expect out of the entire team.” – Coach Adam Bell
Harper Mills. Remember that name. She’s been at the heart of this team’s identity all season long — physical, fearless, and a leader in the truest sense of the word.
5. The Press
“What we are able to do is solely based on the ability of our press with Aubrey Carlucci and Concepcion Maya. They are relentless in their press and cause chaos for opposing teams. Really high engines for both, and they are able to find our quality in the midfield — Tyler Weaver — who is able to break the game open with her ability on and off the ball.” – Coach Adam Bell
Aubrey Carlucci, Concepcion Maya, and Tyler Weaver are a pressing unit that has turned opposing teams’ buildout into a nightmare all season long. This isn’t a passive press. It’s a suffocating, relentless, organized assault that starts from the front and forces mistakes that Kingwood routinely capitalizes on.
And for Concepcion Maya, this playoff run has carried meaning far deeper than tactics and formations. She explained it in her own words, and there isn’t a better way to say it:
“One of my favorite memories from this season was scoring the game-winning goal against Stratford, the same team that knocked us out of the playoffs last year. That moment felt like redemption, and celebrating the victory with my teammates made it even more special. Seeing all of us come together as one team, sharing that excitement and pride, is something I’ll truly never forget.” – Concepcion Maya
Redemption. That word says everything. This wasn’t just a win — it was a reckoning with the past, and Concepcion Maya delivered it with the kind of moment that playoff legends are made of. That goal didn’t just beat Stratford. It announced to the entire state that this version of the Kingwood Lady Mustangs is different. This group came back for what was taken from them, and they took it.
6. The Defense
And then there’s the back line — perhaps the most statistically dominant unit in the entire state.
“The back line has been absolutely ruthless this year. It consists of seniors Kate Kristiansen, Camryn Hicks, Addie Abdmoulaie, Gabriella Gowen, and Goalkeeper Hazel Rutherford. They have only allowed 9 goals this season out of almost 30 games. Their defensive ability is a huge reason we still sit undefeated and are playing in the State Championship Final.” – Coach Adam Bell
Nine goals. Nearly thirty games. Undefeated. That’s not luck. That’s a back line playing with the kind of cohesion, trust, and technical precision that only comes from months of grinding together.
The Playoff Run: A Story Told in Three Chapters
Chapter One: Stratford — Setting the Tone and Settling a Score
The playoff run began against Stratford — and not just any opponent. This was the team that ended Kingwood’s season a year ago. The weight of that history hung in the air before kickoff, and the Lady Mustangs answered it in the most emphatic way possible.
From the opening whistle, it was clear this wasn’t a team playing scared or playing to survive. Kingwood played their game by pressing high, winning aerial duels, and when Concepcion Maya buried the game-winning goal, the moment transcended the scoreboard entirely.
Senior defender Kate Kristiansen shared in that emotion with equal depth:
“My favorite moment from this season was beating Stratford in the third round of playoffs! It was such an emotional win for the team and it felt like the perfect confidence boost for us moving forward. We have all worked incredibly hard all season long and have left everything out there each and every game. We all play for each other and getting to celebrate together after each win has been extremely special! I’m so proud of the team and we can’t wait for the state finals!” – Kate Kristiansen
When your press midfielder scores the winning goal against the team that sent you home last year, and your senior defender calls it the most emotional win of the season, you know you’re watching something that goes beyond soccer. This was a team reclaiming its identity, and they did it together.
Chapter Two: Katy Tompkins — Sealing the Region
Next came Katy Tompkins — an opponent that stood between Kingwood and a trip to the state semifinals. It was another dominant performance, another statement win, and another chapter in what was becoming an increasingly compelling story.
Eight wins in a row. Region sealed. The Lady Mustangs were headed to the final four, and Texas was starting to pay attention.
Chapter Three: Dripping Springs — A Late Goal, a Lifetime of Memories
The state semifinal against Dripping Springs was everything you’d expect from a match of that magnitude, that was tense, physical, and decided by a single moment of brilliance. A late goal lifted Kingwood past the Lady Tigers and punched their ticket to the championship game.
Harper Mills captured the raw emotion of that moment better than any scoreboard ever could:
“One of the biggest moments this season for me was winning the state semifinals!! State has always been a goal in our program and something we’ve called out every day since the beginning of the season, but it didn’t actually feel real until the end of that game. It’s honestly still sinking in, especially being my senior year. It’s hard to believe this will be my last time on the field and my last time playing for Kingwood Soccer. Getting to do that with the girls who have become my best friends is what makes it all so special!! Let’s go win it all!” – Harper Mills
And from senior Camryn Hicks, the backbone of that shutdown defense, a quote that encapsulates everything this team is about:
“The biggest moment of the season so far was definitely winning our game against Dripping Springs and advancing to the State Finals. We all have been saying all year that we want to be able to play as many games as possible, and I am so happy to be able to do that with my best friends, my teammates!” – Camryn Hicks
Play as many games as possible. With your best friends. That’s the spirit of this team in one sentence.
One More Game
This Saturday in Georgetown, the Kingwood Lady Mustangs will step onto that field having earned every single moment. They’re undefeated. They’re united. They carry the love of a community behind them and the memory of Coach Holcomb within them.
Coach Bell took what Coach Holcomb built, honored it, and elevated it through patience, persistence, and an unwavering belief in the character of these young women. They play for the version of this team that was knocked out by Stratford a year ago and the one that came back hungrier, more united, and more dangerous than ever. And they play for each other because that, more than anything, is what has made this season different.
As someone who had the honor of sharing a field with Coach Bell and this team, who knows firsthand the kind of competitor and leader he is, watching this program reach this moment is one of the most gratifying things I’ve ever witnessed. Even from the sidelines, even knowing what was sacrificed to get here, this feels like exactly what was always meant to happen.
Kingwood Lady Mustangs vs. Forney – UIL 6A Division II State Championship This Saturday | 4:00 PM | Georgetown, Texas
Come out, show up, and cheer loudly. This one is for all of it. This one is for Coach Holcomb.
Let’s go, Lady Mustangs. Finish what you started and leave it all on the field one last time!
