Texas HS Girls Team Feature: Atascocita
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The high school soccer season is underway in the state of Texas with the first district matches going on all around the Lone Star State – the big goal for every team is to make it to the UIL State…
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Continue ReadingThe high school soccer season is underway in the state of Texas with the first district matches going on all around the Lone Star State – the big goal for every team is to make it to the UIL State Tournament in April.
Prep Soccer will be following the development of the season very closely and in parallel to match reports, match previews and photo galleries, we’ll also be preparing some features on teams we got to watch during our coverage.
Atascocita
The Lady Eagles from Humble are trying to return to the playoffs after they made a solid run last year, which ended in a heart-breaking 1-0 loss to Kingdwood in the Regional Quarterfinals – in 2022, the team went even further, making it to the Regional Semifinals. They play in Division 6A, Region 3, District 21. They have three wins, three ties and two losses this season.
Key Players
Often the team’s most defensive player on the field, Arenivas leads Atascocita’s defensive efforts from her center back position. Having a player with her quality and commitment level on the backline allows the Lady Eagles to play offensive-minded soccer as they know Arenivas will be there to clean up their mistakes. She’s very good at defending in space, reading the game well and displaying great mobility to get to the ball. The center back is hard to beat in 1v1 duels because of how well she uses her body in physical plays. Arenivas is also a solid passer, getting the ball upfield with intelligent passes.
An offensive-minded left back, Delgado is among Atascocita’s main attacking weapons. She’s very dangerous with her runs on the left side of the field, especially when she gets to combine with winger Abby Friday. Delgado is quick, strong with her dribbling and knows what to do in the final third, at times dribbling the ball into the penalty box to finish and on other occasions sending accurate crosses into it. Also very efficient when taking care of the team’s set pieces, Delgado has played some center back this season, displaying interesting defensive skills and connecting great passes out of the back. She has an assist this season.
Playing as a box-to-box midfielder, Hernandez is the engine of the Lady Eagles and a key piece in their playing system. The freshman covers a lot of ground in midfield and is heavily involved when they have possession. Hernandez works hard doing some defensive work next to defensive midfielder Caitlyn Traisclair, but is even more productive when she has the ball and needs to bring it upfield. The midfielder is very skilled on the ball and can progress on the field by beating opponents off the dribble or with good passes. She’s also very dangerous around and inside the penalty box, often getting involved in the team’s goalscoring – she has three goals and an assist in 2024.
Sophie Chavez
Sophie Chavez
Another freshman to have earned a spot in Atascocita’s starting lineup, Chavez plays as a right winger for them. She’s very skilled on the ball and very direct with her actions, trying to take the ball into the penalty box or to the end line to make crosses. Chavez is probably even more dangerous when she makes runs off the ball, exploring the space behind the opposing backline with her pace. She likes to drift into the penalty box while plays develop on the opposite side of the field and is a solid finisher, using both feet to finish. Chavez has contributed three goals and an assist so far.
Playing on the left side of Atascocita’s offense, Friday is possibly the team’s most creative player. She doesn’t hold her position too much, often drifting inside in order to get into a more goal-dangerous spot to create chances. Friday is very smooth on the ball and is excellent at beating opponents in 1v1 situations, especially when in wider positions. Because of her passing and vision, she’s also a big threat more centrally with her ability to find teammates in good spots. Friday also finishes well, typically placing the ball out of reach of goalkeepers. She has two goals and an assist in the season.
Reich is another newcomer who’s already making an impact at Atascocita’s roster. A tall forward, she is the focal point of their offense and has displayed the ability to help the team in a variety of ways. Reich can use the ball to get on the end of long passes out of the back but is also mobile and skilled enough to make plays on the wings. The striker also likes to drop back in midfield to engage in combination plays. Reich is a very good finisher, displaying calm and quality in front of the goal. She has scored three goals in the season.