LUMBERTON, Texas — Not too long ago Lumberton girls soccer was the underdog but that quickly changed and the Lady Raiders are back in the Regional Tournament ready for vengeance.
“Last year we were so close, so so close, so I feel like it’s kind of our turn,” senior Mandi Boudreaux said.
Mandi Boudreaux is a Lady Raider senior who’s played a big part in this year’s playoff run.
“Even in what we do it’s a faster paced type of possession and attack but you have to pick those times and they’ve recognized those times when they’re gonna rest." head coach Jason Hopson said. "One of those times, a lot of people find the time to rest, is when Mandi gets the ball. So, Mandi truly is a special player. She didn’t even know that, but, you know, she puts other people’s mind at ease and while she’s on the ball they can focus on other things they have to do rather than having to run to support her right away and things like that. She can handle her space.”
Handle her space and handle the pressure are both things that have made Mandi successful.
“I put a lot of pressure on myself, so, like, for me personally I don’t really crack under pressure but it definitely is a stressful time for me just anytime I step on the soccer field, so I kind of go into my own little zone before games just to get ready for everything,” Boudreaux said.
“So Mandi is one of those kids that figured it out at a young age and she figured out that, I’m sure plenty of coaches like myself have told her, we don’t have magic wands that just make you a special player," Coach Hopson said. "It takes a lot of determination, dedication, and a lot of putting in extra time, so Mandi her entire life and playing career has definitely put in all the extra time necessary to make her the special player that she is.”
If you watch her film, you know why she’s a special player, but if you look beyond that, you’ll find an exceptional person.
“Just knowing I can be like an example for like younger people and everything," Boudreaux said. "To me, that’s just amazing that I even get the chance to represent something bigger than myself so I absolutely love it. It means everything to me.”