I10 Shootout: Standout Forwards
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One of the most traditional and competitive Girls high school soccer tournaments in the state of Texas, the I10 Shootout took place last weekend, bringing some of the best teams from the Houston area and other regions of the state…
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Continue ReadingOne of the most traditional and competitive Girls high school soccer tournaments in the state of Texas, the I10 Shootout took place last weekend, bringing some of the best teams from the Houston area and other regions of the state to the Katy ISD, where matches were held from Thursday to Saturday.
As many as 64 teams were on the field during the three days of action and the eight Bracket winners were known on Saturday – A&M Consolidated, Cedar Park, Katy, Clements, Bridgeland, Kingwood, Fort Bend Austin and Canyon Lake.
Prep Soccer got to attend six matches from four different brackets over the weekend, getting a good look at 12 teams that took part in the tournament. This week, we’ve been highlighting some of the most promising prospects we watched in action and these were the forwards who stole the show:
Knight led Klein’s offense in the tournament, scoring four goals in three matches and helping the Lady Kats finish second in the Cougar Bracket – she was awarded as the team’s MVP. A winger with her club team, she plays more centrally in high school and makes of her pace and her quality on the ball big assets to Klein. Knight was excellent at timing her runs and getting the ball behind the backline to finish – the forward was also very calm in front of the goal, dribbling the goalkeeper to score two of her three goals against Cinco Ranch. The forward didn’t limit her impact to the penalty box, dropping back to create chances and getting on the wings to make plays as well.
Highlights
A freshman, York added a lot of firepower to her Cinco Ranch team that competed on the Cougar Bracket. She spent most of the match against Klein on the right wing and was a constant threat with her pace and dribbling ability. York is excellent with her decision-making and that makes of her a very dangerous player around and inside the penalty box – she scored one of the team’s goals in that match by following a play that developed on the left and getting to the far post for an easy tap-in. Besides her quality on the ball, York also plays with great energy, putting pressure on defenders and dropping back to help the midfield.
Highlights
With three goals and two assists, Walter was one of the top offensive players of the A&M Consolidated team that dominated the Spartan Bracket. Very aggressive on the ball, she spent more time on the left side of her team’s attack and was very dangerous in 1v1 plays, beating opponents off the dribble to create chances. Walter was on fire against Clear Lake, getting a hat trick that included a very beautiful goal with a nice curled shot from outside the penalty box. She also drew the PK that generated the game-winning goal in the bracket final against Seven Lakes.
Highlights
A freshman, Reich operated very well up top for her Atascocita team that competed in the Falcon Bracket. She’s very tall and has a strong presence inside the penalty box, but her complete game allows her to do much more than that. Reich is very good at using her body to dominate the space and get on the end of long passes, but is also mobile enough to make plays on the wings. She’s very good at dropping back to make combination plays and sprinting to the penalty box to get in a position to finish them. The striker is also very calm in front of the goal and finishes with precision.
Highlights
Lara was the most productive offensive player for Tiger Bracket winners Katy. A forward with a lot of quality on the ball and a great understanding of the game, she played a major role in the team’s attack. Lara is very mobile and dangerous when beating defenders off the dribble, but also finishes extremely well and is calm in front of the goal. She was excellent in a 6-1 victory over Clear Springs, getting a hat trick and making the team’s offense flow through her – it felt like the ball would always find her in the final third.
Highlights
Taylor was always a threat for St. Agnes Academy and contributed to the team’s second-place finish in the Tiger Bracket with a goal and an assist. She formed a very physical attacking duo with Grace Clay and the two were great at combining to make plays in the final third. A very physical player, Taylor used her body well to shield the ball and get on the end of long passes, but also displayed great mobility to run in behind defenders and explore the space on the wings. She was also very strong in the air and scored against Elkins off of a header.
Coombs was instrumental for Tompkins’ appearance in the Falcon Bracket final by scoring the game-winning goal in a tough semifinal against Summer Creek. A very dynamic and skilled winger, she can play on either side of the team’s attack and is very dangerous when going at defenders. One of the things that makes of Coombs such a dangerous player is her ability to use either foot to dribble, pass and shoot, which allows her to either take the ball to the endline or bring it inside. She’s very active on the field and gets on the ball a lot to make plays.