Before every Northwest Guilford (Greensboro, N.C.) soccer game, forward Morgan Debow puts her uniform on in the same order. She wears the same compression shorts for every match, too.

“(It) hasn’t let me down yet,” Debow said. “I’ll probably keep doing it until it stops working one day.”

In her last three games, Debow has scored three goals — including a game-winning goal in overtime against crosstown rival Southwest Guildford on April 11 — and recorded three assists. The stretch helped her earn JWS Player of the Week honors. Buford’s (Ga.) Sophia Martelli earned the distinction last week.

“I’m always looking to get my teammates involved, because if they are playing well, then I am given way more opportunities,” Debow said.

With Debow leading the way, the Vikings have raced to a 10-1-2 record and now enter the final seven games of the regular season.

The junior leads the team with 11 goals, and her teammates have gravitated toward her for guidance. It’s been that way for Debow’s entire career, coach Terry Murphy said.

“Her leadership stems from her ability to lead by example,” Terry Murphy said. “Even as a freshman, Morgan showed signs of the leadership skills that she would showcase later on in her career.”

For all of her successes on the pitch, Debow acknowledged she has room to grow, especially when it comes to her technical skills and her aim. If she can check those boxes and continue to be a role model for her teammates, Debow believes Northwest Guilford can win a state title.

“All year Morgan has talked about what the goal of this season is and what this team can accomplish,” Murphy said. “She brings out the best of this team.”

Kevin Colindres is a contributing writer at Just Women’s Sports. He has previously reported for the Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Daily News and El Tecolote. He enjoys film and comic books when he’s not playing basketball with his friends. Follow him on Twitter @kevinjcolindres.

Every morning Emily Baker pops in her headphones, closes her eyes and loses herself in the music of hip hop artist Lil Baby and country singer Morgan Waller. The artists have completely different sounds, but together they unlock the competitor inside Baker.

“I need to listen to a variety of music everyday in order to get into a rhythm,” Baker said. “It’s very different, but it’s what I like and it works for me.”

Baker, a junior forward for the Alton High School (Illinois) girls’ soccer team, has become a team leader this season. And she’s reached an even higher level over the past week, scoring eight goals as the Redbirds rolled to three straight wins.

It was a stretch Baker won’t soon forget, and it earned her JWS Player of the Week honors.

“Emily has become the player that I can go to and give her a job or a responsibility, and she takes that upon herself to make sure that the rest of the team follows,” coach Gwen Sabo said. “It’s been really nice to see her go from a freshman to a young adult who has become a leader.”

In last Thursday’s game against Althoff Catholic, Baker scored two goals in near freezing temperatures and rainy weather to help Alton force overtime. In penalty kicks, she scored again. On the other side of the field, her twin sister Peyton, the Redbirds’ goalkeeper, made the necessary saves to secure the win.

Baker also shone in front of a sold-out crowd Monday in a 7-0 win against crosstown rival Marquette Catholic. She was subbed out with 24 minutes left in the contest, having already scored four goals, and was serenaded with cheers from the home fans. Baker’s request to remain in the game was denied by Sabo.

“I just wanted to compete in front of my parents, but I also understood that we had a big game the next day,” Baker said. “I was happy to see our crowd cheer me on, but to see the opposing team’s crowd sigh a breath of relief made me want to stay in.”

To end the three-game stretch, Baker scored both goals in a 2-0 win over Collinsville. But her work this season is hardly complete.

“My goal is to win the conference this year with my best friends and my sister,” Baker said.

Kevin Colindres is a contributing writer at Just Women’s Sports. He has previously reported for the Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Daily News and El Tecolote. He enjoys film and comic books when he’s not playing basketball with his friends. Follow him on Twitter @kevinjcolindres.