Texas HS Boys – Paetow vs. Katy Taylor
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The high school season is going at full pace in the state of Texas and thousands of teams are getting on the field each week to compete for the much-coveted spots in the playoffs. Prep Soccer will be following the…
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Continue ReadingThe high school season is going at full pace in the state of Texas and thousands of teams are getting on the field each week to compete for the much-coveted spots in the playoffs.
Prep Soccer will be following the action closely, covering as many matches as possible every week and providing reports featuring the players that had remarkable performances in those encounters. On Wednesday, we attended the Division 6A – Region 3, District 19 matchup between the Paetow Panthers and the Katy Taylor Mustangs, in Katy.
Paetow 3 – 1 Katy Taylor
A new team in the district, the Paetow Panthers continued to show strength, and secured their eighth win in 11 matches in the season – they’re second in district play with five wins, one tie, and one loss. The Taylor Mustangs are fifth with a 3-3-1 campaign and are at 6-4-2 for the season.
It was a hard-fought match, with Paetow dominating possession most of the time, but Taylor taking control on some occasions. The only goal scored in the first half came from Paetow’s senior striker Jose Dominguez, who headed the ball in after a corner kick.
Dominguez got a second one early in the second half with another header, this time coming from a free kick, and increased the hosts’ lead to two goals. A few minutes later, Taylor’s senior midfielder Gabriel Obando made an excellent run into the penalty box and finished perfectly, bringing the difference down to one goal again.
The Mustangs had an excellent opportunity to even the score when a penalty kick was awarded with 12 minutes on the clock, but junior forward Isaac Morales saw Paetow’s junior goalkeeper Santiago Ramirez dive to stop his shot. With only one minute yet to be played, Paetow’s sophomore midfielder Anthony Garcia scored a stunner from the left wing and sealed his team’s victory.
Players of the Match
Jose Dominguez
Jose Dominguez
Paetow’s skilled striker was the main difference in the match, scoring a brace and contributing to the team’s victory. Besides his aerial ability, which generated both of his goals, Dominguez also displayed an interesting capacity to drop back and combine with his teammates in the midfield. He shielded the ball well with his size, operated well in tight spaces and made some good plays down the left flank too. He made some good holdup play too, getting the ball with his back to the goal and feeding his teammates who came from the middle.
Anthony Garcia
Anthony Garcia
Garcia had an excellent night against Taylor as he was involving in all three goals, taking the corner kick that resulted on the first, sending a perfect cross from a free kick to Dominguez score the second and scoring the third himself with a stunning long-distance finish. He was very good on the ball the entire time, finding good passes and making good runs. Garcia played on a wide position on the left and also did some solid defensive work, tracking back and winning balls.
Santiago Ramirez
Santiago Ramirez
Ramirez had somewhat of a quiet night for the most part, but came up big when called upon, avoiding a Katy Taylor goal from the penalty spot that could have changed the outcome of the match – he guessed the side correctly and made a quick dive for the ball. The goalkeeper was also very reliable when called to action, making strong saves and using his size well to come off his line and collect crosses. Ramirez displayed good precision with his goal kicks too.
Gabriel Obando
Gabriel Obando
Besides scoring Taylor’s lone goal in the match after making a good run inside the penalty box, Obando played a pivotal role for the team from his midfield position. He was very action on both areas of the game, covering a lot of ground and winning balls back on defense and making a good distribution when in possession. Obando displayed excellent passing range during the night and also made very good decisions, avoiding errors and keeping the ball moving.
Josiah Norton
Josiah Norton
Taylor’s captain had a challenging task ahead of him had to deal with Paetow’s talented winger Benjamin Alimasi Benjamin Alimasi M TX , but he did well and kept things under control for the most time. Norton used his size well to win balls and also displayed good pace to chase Alimasi when needed. He basically defended Paetow’s winger 1v1 all night and lost some, but also won some and avoided any major damage. Norton was also solid in the air.