Texas HS Boys Playoffs – Preview – Dobie vs. Jordan
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. This weekend will be a huge one, with the Regional Tournaments…
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. This weekend will be a huge one, with the Regional Tournaments taking place and after that, four teams (one from each region) will emerge for the State Tournament.
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, we’ll preview a few of them, featuring the teams and some of the top prospects involved in each duel.
Dobie vs. Jordan – Region 3
Friday, April 7 – 5:30 PM – Abshier Field (Deer Park)
The Dobie Longhorns from Pasadena were the top team in the UIL Division 6A, district 22 with a campaign of ten wins and two ties. The team remains undefeated in the season, entering the Regional Tournament with 23 victories and four ties. In the playoffs, they defeated Humble 3-0 in the bi-district round, overcame Alief Elsik 1-0 in the area round and eliminated Pearland with a 3-1 victory in the regional quarterfinals.
The Jordan Warriors from Katy claimed the fourth and last spot in the playoffs on district 19, producing a campaign of nine wins, five losses and two ties. The Warriors hold a 16-7-3 overall record for the season. The team has been strong in its first playoff campaign in Division 6A, having knocked Fort Bend Bush out in the bi-district round with a 4-1 win, beat Cypress Ridge with a 3-2 victory in overtime in the area round and surpassed the regional quarterfinals with a 1-0 triumph over district rivals Paetow.
Players to Watch – Dobie
Daniel Blanco
Daniel Blanco
Blanco typically plays as a left-sided center back for the Longhorns, making a big defensive impact in the team with his plays. He has excellent positioning on the back and uses his strength to stop plays. A lefty, he also spends time as a left-back and has good quality on the ball and interesting pace to push forward and create chances. Also keep an eye out for Blanco’s long throw-in attempts, which often generate goalscoring opportunities for Dobie.
Victor Hernandez
Victor Hernandez
Hernandez is, at the same time, the heart and the brain of his Dobie team. He plays with a lot of intensity on both sides of the ball in his central midfield role and is very involved with the team’s offense, creating some of its best chances. Hernandez is an excellent passer, who not only finds his teammates on good spots, but also does a great job of dictating the team’s rhythm. He also likes to make runs into the penalty box to finish chances is very strong in set pieces.
Jordi Garcia
Jordi Garcia
A versatile and dynamic player, Garcia offers a lot of options for the Longhorns in the final third. He can play anywhere on the attack, but is at his best when playing out wide or behind a striker, where he’s able to use his pace and dribbling ability to beat defenders and create chances. Garcia is a very direct player, who always looks to push the ball forward and create chances. He knows where to go inside the penalty box to finish chances and has scored some goals in the playoffs.
Players to Watch – Jordan
Ben Bucic
Ben Bucic
Bucic has been one of the cornerstones of Jordan’s strong defense, using his size and excellent positioning to make stops in the air and on the ground. He’s very good with timing his tackles and can recover very well when beaten off the dribble. Bucic is also solid in possession, connecting good passes from the back that help his team keep the ball moving. He’s come up big twice for the Warriors in the postseason, scoring clutch goals for them off of corner kicks.
Juancarlos Santos Juancarlos Santos M TX
Juancarlos Santos Juancarlos Santos M TX
Santos plays a big role for Jordan in the center of the field. He’s very involved with the team’s defensive efforts, winning balls in the air and on the ground, but is also very active offensively, ranking among the Warriors’ top goalscorers for the season. Santos is very accurate and intelligent with his passing, typically progressing the ball upfield with his range. He also finishes from distance extremely well and scores quite often from outside the penalty box.
Marcelo Ojeda
Marcelo Ojeda
Ojeda is the most dynamic player on Jordan’s offense. He plays a more advanced role in midfield and adds to the team with his ability to dribble the ball and beat opponents in tight spaces. He’s a threat on and off the ball with his intelligent movement and is also very technical, finding good passes in difficult situations and succeeding in tough plays. Ojeda finishes well from outside the box too and has scored some important goals this season. He also does a good job of dropping back and helping on defense.