Texas HS State Tournament Top Performers – Division 6A Boys

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Georgetown hosted the UIL State Tournament last week, the final portion of the high school soccer season in the state of Texas, and only the best of the best were in action at the Birkelbach Field between Wednesday and Saturday.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The four best teams in each division gave everything they had in order to secure the state title and we'll take a good look at what happened in the State Tournament by highlighting the players that rose to the occasion and delivered stellar performances on the biggest moment of the season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Seven Lakes Spartans from Katy won their first state title in the Division 6A Boys by overcoming the Dripping Springs Tigers 2-1 on Saturday.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://x.com/uiltexas/status/1647420280430637061?s=20","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"twitter","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://x.com/uiltexas/status/1647420280430637061?s=20 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>These were the State Tournament individual standouts:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Hunter Merritt","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2023","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"6'0u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"103","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Seven Lakes","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"Albion Hurricanes","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Seven Lakes' all-time points leader carried his team to victory in Georgetown, earning the Most Valuable Player award after a pair of excellent performances in the State Tournament. Merritt built the way for the Spartans' 3-1 victory over Sachse in the semifinals with the team's first two goals (one in overtime) and was even more important in the Championship game, getting another brace within seven minutes to put his team in control of the match. Merritt will play for St. Edward's at the collegiate level.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-643dd4ccdb6e3"} /--> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://x.com/MWelchSLM/status/1647004501058920451?s=20","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"twitter","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://x.com/MWelchSLM/status/1647004501058920451?s=20 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"[player_tooltip player_id='16143' first='Gabriel' last='Gonzalez']","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2023","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"null","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"102","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Seven Lakes","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"The Spartans headed to Georgetown with some of their main defenders unavailable due to injuries, but could rely on Gonzalez stepping up to maintain the team's defensive solidness against the top teams in the state. The senior moved to the backline from his original midfield position and delivered a pair of strong performances, being only of only three players in the team to never leave the field. His great performances took him to the All-Tournament Team.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-643dd4ccdb794"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Ben Aviles Vera","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2024","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"null","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"100","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Seven Lakes","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"Houston Dynamo","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"The always reliable Vera was great between the posts for the Spartans, leading the team's defensive efforts and making of his team the toughest to score at in the division. Vera allowed only two goals in 180 minutes of action and has impressive ten saves, some of which could have changed the outcome of matches. He also did well when handling crosses inside the penalty box and was the only goalkeeper selected for the All-Tournament Team.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-643dd4ccdb82a"} /--> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://x.com/MWelchSLM/status/1647012338590007299?s=20","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"twitter","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://x.com/MWelchSLM/status/1647012338590007299?s=20 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"York Merrill","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2023","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'9u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"103","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Dripping Springs","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Merrill was the best player in his Dripping Springs teams that competed with Seven Lakes for the state title. The left-footed forward was really good in the semifinal duel against Allen, displaying good presence in the box to score with a tap-in and calm and intelligence to convert from the spot in the penalty shootout. Merrill was also dangerous in the Championship game, firing two shots on target, and displayed good quality on set pieces. He was an All-Tournament Team selection as well.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-643dd4ccdb8c3"} /--> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I03C44Mca2Y","type":"video","providerNameSlug":"youtube","responsive":true,"className":"wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I03C44Mca2Y </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["16120"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Allen has put on a great fight with Dropping Springs in the semifinals, only falling in the penalty shootout and Pustejovsky's play was a big part of their great match. The talented midfielder was the focal point of this team's offense, creating for his teammates and finishing chances - he scored the Eagles' goal after a great play from [player_tooltip player_id='16711' first='Sebastian' last='Sastoque']. Both of them were names for the All-Tournament Team in Georgetown.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-643dd4ccdb928"} /--> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://x.com/MWelchSLM/status/1647050421922324487?s=20","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"twitter","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://x.com/MWelchSLM/status/1647050421922324487?s=20 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed -->