Texas High School Boys Team Spotlight – Paetow Panthers
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The high school soccer season is underway in the state of Texas and until mid-April, then the State Tournament will be held, thousands of teams will be in action all across the Lone Star State competing for a spot in…
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Continue ReadingThe high school soccer season is underway in the state of Texas and until mid-April, then the State Tournament will be held, thousands of teams will be in action all across the Lone Star State competing for a spot in the playoffs.
Prep Soccer will be following the action and constantly providing match reports on some of the most exciting duels and highlighting the players that are standing out for their teams. We’ll also be presenting some of the most promising teams that we get to watch live so you know them a little bit better.
Paetow Panthers
A new program in the Houston area, having been established in 2017, the Paetow Panthers compete in the UIL Division 6A – Region 3, District 19 – it’s their first season in the district as they recently made the jump from Division 5A after a realignment. The team has had quite some success in its first years, having made it to the postseason in each of the last three seasons while also winning district titles. The Panthers have the tools to face the top teams in the new district and will want to appear in the 6A playoffs in their first year in the division.
Players to Watch
Roberto Sepulveda
Roberto Sepulveda
A center back with excellent positioning, Sepulveda leads Paetow’s defense from his spot at the center of the team’s backline. Strong in the air, he’s also solid in 1v1 situations, keeping opponents away from the penalty box, and has enough pace to cover his teammates when one of them is beaten upfield. Sepulveda supports the team’s attack in free kicks and set pieces and hits simple and efficient passes from the back in possession.
Angel Garcia
Angel Garcia
Paetow’s team captain, Garcia does an excellent job shielding the Panthers’ backline. He has the tools to play a physical game in the middle, but typically uses his positioning and defensive instincts to win the ball back. Very good in possession, Garcia is a very good passer and plays an important role when the team is building from the back. He’s also capable of making some good runs through the middle and is extremely versatile, being able to play on defense or in a more advanced midfield position.
Daniel Marquez
Daniel Marquez
Another senior, Marquez forms a strong central midfield duo with Garcia in the sense that while his teammate tends to drop deeper, he likes to push forward and operate around the penalty box. A very dynamic player, he also has excellent vision and is capable of finding good passes from anywhere on the field. Marquez is very good with his long passes and also finishes extremely well from long distance with either feet, taking up most of the team’s set pieces. He works hard on defense too.
A winger with incredible pace and a very direct playing style, ‘Benji’ Alimasi is possibly the main focal point of Paetow’s offense. His teammates often look to feed him on the right and he does a very good job of getting himself in a position to get on the ball, be it to his feet or behind the backline. Although his pace is his main asset, Alimasi is also very intelligent and makes some good combination plays with his teammates on the right. He also has good tactical disciplined to track back and help on defense.
Jose Dominguez
Jose Dominguez
Paetow’s mercurial striker uses his physical tools very well to generate space inside and outside the penalty box. Dominguez is not very tall, but is bulky and uses his body very well to shield the ball from defenders and protect his space. He does a good job of dropping back and connecting quick passes and can also dribble in tight spaces, but is at his best inside the penalty box, when his quick decision-making makes a difference. Dominguez is also strong in the air and connects some very good headers.