TROY - Reagan Jumper is a sophomore striker who has scored five goals this season, but her fifth and most recent goal was, by far, the biggest of her career so far.
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Jumper scored in the 58th minute of the IHSA Class 3A Normal Community sectional semifinal match, off a perfect cross from Astri Selberg that allowed the Tigers to dethrone defending Class 3A champion O'Fallon 1-0 at Knights Field at Triad High in Troy on May 26. The Tigers beat New Lennox Lincoln Way Central in the super-sectional 1-0 once again to move to state at North Central College in Naperville. The Tigers at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, June 5, 2025, against Winnetka New Trier.
The Tigers have since gone on to advance to the state finals June 5-6 at North Central College in Naperville, where they'll face Winnetka New Trier in the state semifinals.
Jumper has added seven assists for a total of 17 points going into the state finals, and in a post-match interview that followed the win over O'Fallon, Jumper felt very good indeed about her accomplishment and her goal.
"I feel really amazing," Jumper said, "especially because it's an opportunity for me to work on what I could in practice into an actual game."
Jumper described her goal, in which she took the cross from Selberg and slotted the ball to the inside of the far post into the side of the net, as something she had worked on in practice.
"Astri played a beautiful ball just across the box," Jumper said, "and it's just like what we've been working on in practice. It just came straight to me. I was able to find the top corner and just put it in."
It was such a beautiful cross that Jumper was able to put the shot right where she wanted to.
"Yes, it was just exactly in the right spot we've been working on," Jumper said.
Jumper also agreed it was an exciting feeling to be able to knock the defending champions out of this year's playoffs.
"I am just glad we get to move on into the next round," Jumper said, "especially because last year, I didn't even participate in postseason. So, it was really important to me because of that."
Jumper also liked the Tigers' chances of going on to win the championship and bring it back to the St. Louis area.
"I think we have a really good opportunity to finish out this postseason," Jumper said, "especially because of the mindset. We've been working a lot on mindset at practice, and that's like a really make-or-break for your game. So, that's like really influential, I guess, of how we've been playing."
Of course, it's a goal that Jumper won't be forgetting about now or in the future as well.
"Yeah, I will not be forgetting this," Jumper said with a smile. "Especially because, as I said again, I didn't get to do this last year, so now, I created a lot of new friendships, too, just by being on the varsity team, so that's awesome. The girls did amazing in just building up the field, and that's what helped us get a lot of those opportunities."
