The 2021-22 season was Mya Gonzales’ first full campaign with the Permian girls soccer team after working through various injuries in her high school career.
When she’s on the pitch with her Lady Panther teammates, it appears she never skipped a beat.
Forming a 1-2 punch with forward Nyxalee Munoz, Gonzales propelled the Permian attack with precise through ball passing and strong outside shooting.
Permian girls soccer coach Chad Peterson said having Gonzales and Munoz forces opponents to adjust their lineups, dropping more players back in defense to slow them down.
As frustrating as that is for the coach, he knows that’s part of the game with a dynamic player like Gonzales.
“She’s by far one of the strongest players we’ve had in an awful long time and that’s saying something for the amount of time that we haven’t actually been able to use her,” Peterson said. “Credit to her, her club coaches and her medical staff for being able to get her back into a rhythm after those injuries.”
Although Gonzales is an attacking forward, she regularly adjusts her position based off the alignment of her teammates.
She fits the mold of a utility player on the pitch with the ability to help in defense while maintaining an emphasis on attacking.
That was evident at multiple points in the regular season, with her performance against Odessa High on Feb. 22 standing out.
Facing an early 2-0 deficit, Gonzales was instrumental in helping the Lady Panthers complete a comeback with five unanswered goals.
She found the back of the net twice and recorded two assists in the contest, sending in crosses that were finished swiftly by Munoz.
“I kind of use what I have and the talent that God gave me to be able to go anywhere else just to help give the ball to [Munoz], give the ball to our midfield,” Gonzales said. “That’s kind of what helps me adjust it.”
Gonzales models her playing style after global superstar Lionel Messi, admiring the Argentine’s agility and footwork.
She studied videos of Messi and tried her best to mirror his play in her own.
Permian finished the regular season with a 12-5-3 record, securing second place in District 2-6A and a home matchup to start the Class 6A playoffs.
A bi-district round matchup against El Paso Americas awaits Permian at 3 p.m. Thursday at Ratliff Stadium.
The Lady Panthers opened last year’s postseason against the same opponent, winning 3-0 before suffering an area round loss to Southlake Carroll.
Peterson knows his team will need to settle down early and stick to its game plan to avoid any game-changing mistakes.
Gonzales wants to apply consistent pressure against El Paso Americas to make the most of her final season with the program.
“It’s my senior year and my first season back,” Gonzales said. “I’m just overwhelmed with excitement, that’s what really kept me going.
“It’s very exciting this year knowing that we get to go on to playoffs and hopefully go as far as we can.”
Through her time as a Lady Panther, Gonzales has blended her playing ability and mentality well enough to become someone to follow for the rest of her teammates.
Peterson said the versatile forward never let her talent go to her head and affect her attitude, becoming a players’ player.
“She’s definitely somebody that everybody wants to be around and everybody wants to play with, everybody wants to be involved,” Peterson said. “That kind of a kid doesn’t come along very often.
“When it does, it’s something special.”
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