Texas High School Boys Team Spotlight – Seven Lakes Spartans
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.
Seven Lakes Spartans
The Seven Lakes Spartans from the Katy area are one of the strongest teams in the UIL Division 6A – Region 3, District 19. They are coming from their most successful campaign to date, having made it to the State Tournament semifinals in 2021-2022 and are on a 12-year playoff streak. With most of last year’s players back for more, the Spartans are certainly among the top teams in the entire state.
Players to Watch
Benjamin Aviles
Benjamin Aviles
Although often strongly protected by the Spartans’ solid defensive system, Aviles provided the team a lot of stability between the posts. An excellent shot-stopper, he has all the skills of an elite goalkeeper, having good size, excellent instincts and superior positioning and agility. Much of Aviles’ reliability comes from his outstanding decision-making skills, which push him to always make the safer and simpler play to make the save. He’s also very clean with the ball at his feet.
Fernando Lazo
Fernando Lazo
A versatile player, Lazo is typically used as a left-back for Seven Lakes and adds a lot to the team on both sides of the ball. Offensively, his main skills are his pace, which allow him to quickly get upfield, his vision, which help decide what to do when on the ball, and his ball control, which make of him an excellent passer and crosser. Lazo is a very dangerous player on the attacking third because of his ability to connect with the players around him. He’s very solid defensively too, being tough to beat in 1v1 situations and doing a great job of recovering when that happens.
Aidan Morrison
Aidan Morrison
Morrison is somewhat of Seven Lakes’ midfield maestro as the vast majority of the team’s offensive plays have his stamp. A very technical and elegant player on the field, he moves around extremely well to find space, understanding perfectly when to drop deeper or to push forward, and has a very intelligent and efficient style of play, often catching defenders by surprise and playing with only one touch on the ball to pass it or dribble an opponent. Morrison is one of those players who don’t need much space and time on the ball to create chances and he also does a very good job of getting inside the penalty box and finishing them.
A dynamic offensive player, Koc is the one who provides a different flair to the well-organized Spartans. His ability to dribble the ball forward is unparalleled and vastly utilized by his team to break strong defenses. What makes Koc so difficult to stop is the fact that he can hurt teams in several different ways. He normally plays on the left and letting him bring the ball inside is not an option because of his great finishing skills, but he’s also incredibly dangerous when he gets to the end line. Koc is excellent at creating for his teammates and is very disciplined and intense defensively, making great pressure on opposing defenders when they’re on the ball.
Highlights
Hunter Merritt
Hunter Merritt
Seven Lakes’ senior forward Merritt is a key piece in the team’s playing system. His diverse skillset and his mobility make of him a player capable of adjusting and providing what the teams needs. Merritt, who recently committed to St. Edwards, has excellent positioning in the penalty box, is lethal in front of the goal and capable of finishing with either feet. He also works really well when playing wider and creating chances to his teammates with his pace and excellent passing and recently broke Seven Lakes’ school record for career assists.