Oak Grove girls soccer coach Clay Smith will tell you that Taylor Stewart breathes and lives soccer almost 24/7.
It’s not an uncommon sight to see Stewart put in more work after practices, and sure enough, that hard work paid off for her as she was an essential part of Oak Grove’s season that saw the Lady Warriors claim a region title and reach the second round of the 6A playoffs. Stewart capped off her senior season by leading Oak Grove with 22 goals and nine assists, earning her the honor of Pine Belt Sports Girls Soccer Player of the Year for the 2021-22 season.
“I had a lot of fun in my last season overall,” Stewart said.” The team was great. It was definitely one of my favorite teams so far. Just the team chemistry off the field was great. I couldn’t ask for a better season, honestly.”
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One of Stewart’s biggest moments this season came against Oak Grove’s rival Petal. The Lady Warriors needed to win by three goals in order to claim the region title, and Stewart delivered by scoring a hat trick.
“That second Petal game, we weren’t playing well, and we had to get three goals in order to win the division,” Smith said. “She scored all three goals in the Petal game. She got a hat trick in a crucial moment. We weren’t playing that well, but she was able to pull it out.”
For Stewart, the game, which was her senior night, shared remnants of her eighth-grade season at Oak Grove as she scored a hat trick against Petal.
“It was senior night too, so I knew I had a bunch of family coming in,” Stewart said. “I was a little sad because I knew it was senior night, and it was just an emotional day overall. But I knew we had to win that game. The moment just connected; I don’t know. It just happened. It was a really fun game. I wasn’t thinking much. I was just playing and having fun, and the goals happened.
“I have a bunch of my club teammates on Petal’s team, so it was fun getting to have senior night with them there. It was a great night overall.”
Smith believes Stewart’s hat trick game against Petal was her biggest game of the season but was also just one of many highlights in her career at Oak Grove. Smith says that Stewart’s intelligence with the game enhances her talent as a player.
“She’s a great athlete,” Smith said. “She’s a great kid and very smart. I think that’s what has helped her. She has a 32 on the ACT. In my years of coaching, it always seems like those standout players, especially attacking-wise, that are scoring a lot of goals are the smarter players, and that’s Taylor. She is so smart with the game of soccer. She works hard.”
Smith believes Stewart’s intelligence is the reason for her strong ability for having strong skills in taking players on in one-on-one matchups.
“She is what we call a take on artist,” Smith said. “She can take players on one-on-one, and when she is on, there is not a whole lot they can do to stop her. She is creative with her 1-v-1 moves. She can beat players one-on-one. I think that’s her strength. Some players, especially attacking players, they can try it, but they can’t get over that hump and be consistent with beating defenders, and she can. That’s what made her so tough.”
Yet what Stewart prides herself on is her dedication and how versatile she can be by being able to play various positions.
“I think I have a good, wide skill set,” Stewart said. “I can play multiple positions. Just over the years, coaches have thrown me in different places. I never complain because I want to play as many minutes as possible. I just go wherever, and so through the years, I learned to play multiple different positions. I’m ready to go in whenever I need to. I think being versatile is one of my biggest strengths”.
Stewart gives lots of credit to Smith, who she has known since the second grade, as both a coach and role model in her life.
“I’ve known Coach Smith since the second grade,” Stewart said. He was my P.E. coach, and then I was a ball girl at a young age.
“He has always been a role model in my life and is someone that I have always looked up to and gone to for guidance. It’s been great to have him as my coach these last five years.”
Stewart will be continuing her soccer career at Southern Miss, along with her teammate Kayla Herring and former teammate Keimirra Lewis.
“I think it’s really cool to play where I have grown up,” Stewart said. “I used to go to Southern Miss camps when I was five years old.
“Soccer is my passion. It’s what I strive for. I’m working towards trying to get ready to play at Southern Miss next year. I’m trying to get as prepared as I can for the season so that I can go into it in as good shape as possible to try and get as many minutes as possible. I’m really looking forward to playing there next year.”
