By Robert Wilson
Brandon girls soccer coach Dean Joseph has won hundreds of games in his four decades of coaching soccer, but Friday night’s 3-2 victory over Rankin County rival, nationally ranked and two-time defending MHSAA Class 7A state champion Northwest Rankin was one of the biggest regular season wins in his career.
Sophomore Olivia Wilkins had one goal and two assists, senior Carleigh King had one goal, freshman McKenzie Toth had one goal and sophomore Karley Grantham had one assist to lead Brandon to a 3-2 victory over Northwest Rankin – ranked No. 1 in Mississippi and No. 7 in the country by MaxPreps – in a MHSAA Class 7A, Region 3 game to end Northwest Rankin’s 33-game unbeaten streak against Mississippi teams Friday night beforee an estimated 450 at Brandon.
Brandon – ranked No. 9 in Mississippi, No. 9 in MHSAA Class 7A and No. 75 in the country by MaxPreps – improved to 14-2-1 and avenged a 2-0 loss to Northwest Rankin on Dec.12. Brandon had not beaten Northwest Rankin the last 10 meetings, nine losses and one tie. The last Brandon win was in the regular season in the 2020-2021 season. It was also the win in regulation for Brandon over Northwest Rankin since the 2017 state championship game.
Northwest Rankin dropped to 15-2-1 and broke an 11-game winning streak. The Lady Cougars had not lost to a Mississippi team since a 2-1 decision to Clinton in the sixth game of last season.
Joseph has won many big games over his career. He won conference championships as a player and coach at Tiffin University in Ohio, and and coached conference championships at Jackson State and Mississippi Valley, a state title at Northwest Rankin, and also coached at Jackson Academy and Gautier.
But this one was special.
Brandon took a 1-0 lead when Grantham passed to Wllkins for a goal 15 minutes into the game. Northwest Rankin senior and Holmes Community College signee Izzy Smith scored off a pass from Lilly Harvey to tie it at 1-1 10 minutes later. Wilkins passed to King for a goal to push Brandon ahead 2-1 late in the first half. Wilkins passed for Toth for a goal and a 3-1 Brandon lead halfway through the second half. Senior and Holmes CC signee Kaylee Ott scored off a pass from Tatum Johnson for Northwest Rankin to close the gap to 3-2 with two minutes to play.
“I am so proud of our players,”.said Joseph, who is in his third season at Brandon. “They deserved to win tonight. Every single player was exceptional. The experiences we have had over the last three years helped us get over the line tonight because we learned deep, hard lessons. This has helped these players want more and has created a group of young ladies that are fearless and full of courage. They understand the privilege of being in this position and are determined to prove all the doubters wrong. They love being doubted because they all know the special thing we have here. They wanted to make their teammates and community proud last night, and they did that.”
“This win probably means more than any other win that I’ve ever had at Brandon,” Brandon captain and William Carey signee Avery Rogers said. “It was more than just a district win but a testament to how good we are and can be but it also disproved all the people that doubted us. It was a breakthrough game. We were able to do this because we put in the work and we didn’t quit until the final whistle. We did what we had to do and what we trained for but more than that we did it because we did it for one another. It was about more than a soccer game to us.”
“That win was probably the best win I have been apart of in my entire high school career especially since it’s my senior year,” Brandon captain and Wright State signee Carleigh King said. “It means a lot beating your rival in general but since it has been so difficult these past couple of years, finally doing it is an amazing feeling. We’ve always been a team that was looked down on when going into playing Northwest, and beating them proves to everyone and even ourselves how good we can really be. I’m so proud of each and every one of my teammates for fighting until the final whistle. That win proved to me with hard work, resilience, and dedication that anything is possible, and I will carry that with me going past high school.”
“The victory against Northwest is something truly special for us as a team,” Brandon junior Mary Martin Herndon said. “It’s always been a rivalry that brings out the best in both sides, and this win is a testament to the hard work, determination, and unity we’ve shown all season. We knew going into this match that it wouldn’t be easy, but we trusted each other, stayed focused on our game plan, and executed when it mattered most. Beating Northwest isn’t just about the scoreboard. It is about proving that we’re capable of overcoming any challenge together. This is a moment we will cherish, but we know it’s just one step on the road to even greater success.”
“I thought it was a great showcase for the talent we have here in Mississippi,” said first-year Northwest Rankin coach Daylin Britt, who was promoted to head coach to replace Carli Little. “It was two really talented teams going at it. Hopefully, it’s one of those games that will help bring more attention to Mississippi girls soccer. I can’t say I was thrilled with my team’s performance. Our decision making was a little slow and we were pretty reactive all game. But I am proud that we were the last team to score. Credit to Brandon on being able to keep their level of intensity all game, and just not letting us get into rhythm. They deserved it. But our girls will love the opportunity to show some perseverance.”
