Texas HS Girls Playoffs – Preview – Seven Lakes vs. Memorial
In this article:
The playoff field is getting narrower every day in the state of Texas as the UIL postseason continues to progress at full pace all around the Lone Star State. After the conclusion of the bi-district round last weekend, the area…
Access all of Prep Soccer
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingThe playoff field is getting narrower every day in the state of Texas as the UIL postseason continues to progress at full pace all around the Lone Star State. After the conclusion of the bi-district round last weekend, the area round is up next, with matches being held on Monday and Tuesday in all divisions and regions.
Prep Soccer’s coverage of the high school season also continues this week and, with some exciting matches set to happen over the next few days in the Houston area, we’ll preview a few of them, featuring the teams and some of the top prospects involved in each duel.
Seven Lakes vs. Memorial – Region 3
Tuesday, March 28 – 7:30 PM – Legacy Stadium (Katy)
The Seven Lakes Spartans from Katy were the winners of district 19 in Division 6A with their undefeated campaign of 14 wins and two ties. Seven Lakes have a 21-0-2 record for the season and will be looking for their fourth-straight appearance in the regional quarterfinals. The Spartans defeated the George Ranch Longhorns from Richmond 3-1 in the bi-district round.
The Memorial Mustangs from Houston were second in district 17 in Division 6A with ten wins, three losses and one tie. Memorial are at 15-6-3 for the season and will attempt to return to the regional quarterfinals after missing out last season, when they were eliminated by Seven Lakes in the area round. The Mustangs came back from a 2-1 deficit to overcome the Bellaire Cardinals from Houston 4-2 in the bi-district round.
Seven Lakes – Players to Watch
Rich’s efficiency between the posts is one of the reasons for Seven Lakes’ fantastic campaign this season. The team has conceded only four goals in 23 matches so far and her incredible high school career has 60 shutouts in 73 matches. A Lamar University commit, Rich is long, standing at 5’10”, but also extremely agile, and is really difficult to beat, be it from distance or in 1v1 situations. The goalie is really good at dealing with crosses and is great at making decisions under pressure. He’s also very clean with her feet.
Highlights
Wagoner Towsen Wagoner Towsen F TX
Wagoner Towsen Wagoner Towsen F TX
Towsen is the engine of the Spartans, making a big impact in games with her dynamism and constant movement on the field. She’s very good at creating space with some spins and changes of direction and passes to the wider and less crowded areas of the field. Towsen’s vision and her excellent reading of the game make of her a fantastic passer, as she not only makes the ball get to her teammates, but also finds them in very good spots, often creating chances for her team. A strong finisher from mid-range, she also drops back and works hard on the defensive side of the ball.
Haydan Erck
Haydan Erck
Erck is the focal point of Seven Lakes’ offense, but she’s not a striker that will hang around the penalty box and wait for service. Her movement off the ball is, in fact, one of the main aspects of her game as the forward is very good at drifting to flanks and finding good spots to get on the ball. Erck is even more dangerous in possession as she uses her pace and her dribbling to make plays for herself and her teammates. Despite not very tall or strong, the forward is good at beating opponents in tight spaces and creating room for finishes.
Memorial – Players to Watch
Logan Patterson
Logan Patterson
Patterson plays a big role in Memorial’s system as she’s typically the one responsible for getting the ball to the team’s strong attacking players from her midfield position. Her game is very complete as she’s capable of dropping deeper and find her teammates up top with her intelligent and precise passing, but can also play more aggressively, dribbling and getting into spaces to finish from outside the penalty box. Patterson uses both feet well in possession and has excellent vision.
Indya Dotson
Indya Dotson
Also a standout track and field student-athlete, Dotson adds a lot of strength and pace to Memorial’s offense. She’s extremely athletic and also very good at dribbling the ball, a combination that makes of her a true nightmare to defend when she has the space, especially on the right, where she can take the ball to the end line. Dotson is also a smart player, who makes intelligent runs off the ball and offers passing alternatives to her teammates. A solid finsiher, she can also be used in a more central position, where she’ll try to use her pace to get in behind defenders and score.
Ghonda is often Memorial’s most dangerous offensive player with her amazing combination of physical and technical skills. She typically plays the striker role, but can be used on both flanks or in an attacking midfielder role as well. Her game itself is also very versatile as Ghonda can be a threat in a variety of ways – she’s really good at playing with her back to the goal and also makes some dangerous runs on and off the ball. An excellent finisher, she can also dribble in tight spaces and finds good passes to her teammates in the final third.