WCHS Athlete of the Week

Gisell Escamilla may only be a freshman, but she played a big part in one of Warren County’s best weeks of the season.

The forward helped the Lady Pioneers navigate a busy three-match stretch, scoring three goals, adding an assist and converting in a PK shootout as Warren County swept Spring Hill, DeKalb County and Columbia Central. That performance earned her the Main Street Journal’s Reddick Brown Ford WCHS Athlete of the Week award for Sept. 20-26.

Escamilla made her biggest impact Monday against Spring Hill, scoring twice and adding an assist as Warren County broke open a close match and rolled to a 5-0 victory.

After the Lady Pioneers spent much of the first half searching for a breakthrough, Escamilla provided it with just over five minutes remaining. Addison Steakley helped spring Warren County forward in transition before finding Escamilla, who calmly slipped a shot past the Spring Hill keeper to give Warren County a 1-0 lead.

Warren County added another before halftime, then wasted little time putting the match away after the break. Escamilla struck again approximately four minutes into the second half, scoring her second goal of the night as the Lady Pioneers erupted for three goals in the opening eight minutes to turn the match into a rout.

There was little time to rest before Warren County traveled to Smithville the following night, and Escamilla again found herself in the middle of the scoring.

The Lady Pioneers trailed DeKalb County 1-0 early in the second half before responding with six unanswered goals over the next 20-plus minutes. Escamilla contributed one of them, giving her three goals in two nights as Warren County stormed back for a 6-1 victory.

Escamilla’s week was not finished there.

Warren County returned home Thursday for its District 9-3A regular-season finale against Columbia Central, where neither side could find the net through 80 minutes. With the match headed to penalty kicks and second place in the district standings on the line, Escamilla was one of three Lady Pioneers to convert from the penalty mark.

Successful attempts from Escamilla, Noelle Bratcher and Maci McBride, along with two saves from goalkeeper Kinsley Simpson, helped Warren County prevail 3-2 in the shootout. The victory secured second place in District 9-3A and capped a three-win week for the Lady Pioneers, who improved to 9-2-1.

With postseason play approaching, the freshman’s production during one of Warren County’s busiest and most important stretches of the season earned her Athlete of the Week honors.