Fantastic Texas Freshmen – Vol. 6
In this article:
The high school soccer season is reaching its critical point in the state of Texas and teams from all over the Lone Star State are currently either battling in the final matches of district play with the goal of advancing…
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Continue ReadingThe high school soccer season is reaching its critical point in the state of Texas and teams from all over the Lone Star State are currently either battling in the final matches of district play with the goal of advancing to the postseason or already preparing for the playoffs.
Prep Soccer has been following the action in the Houston area, covering multiple matches a week and reporting on them with photo galleries and player reports.
We’re also paying special attention to the new faces emerging in the region and will periodically list some of the most promising freshmen we’ve spotted on the field while covering the HS season. This is the sixth group of players we highlight:
The fact that Reddick earned a starting spot in a loaded Ridge Point team as a freshman speaks volumes about her potential. Her ability to play at either outside back position certainly helped, but she has definitely been showing more than enough qualities to prove she’s a real asset to them. Reddick is very good defensively, using her athleticism to put pressure on opponents and her pace to chase them on the flanks. She has excellent defensive instincts, rarely puts a foot wrong with her positioning and is very smart to understand where she needs to move to better help her team. The outside back also has great quality going forward, using her pace to quickly get to the end line and make crosses and her passing ability to help the team create through the middle.
Highlights
Maeve Gotto
Maeve Gotto
Gotto has become an important option in midfield for Cy-Fair in her first season with the team. Playing as a defensive midfielder, she’s been doing a good job of shielding the team’s backline and disrupting dangerous plays created by opponents. Besides covering a lot of ground and working hard to win possession, Gotto is also very physical and uses that well to bounce opponents off the ball and take control of it. She’s also a very good passer, who at times becomes really important offensively, igniting transition plays with long balls.
Lumpkin has been gradually improving her role with Seven Lakes until becoming a starter for the Spartans. Her presence in front of the team’s backline has been very important for them to find some balance in a region of the field where the Spartans have several offensive-minded players. Lumpkin is very good at winning 1v1 duels and has displayed an interesting ability to man-mark opponents when needed as well. She’s a solid passer too and helps the team move the ball around when they dominate possession.
Highlights
Sophie Chavez
Sophie Chavez
Part of a group of talented freshmen who joined Atascocita this season, Chavez has been one of the team’s main offensive weapons, having contributed ten goals and three assists so far. Playing primarily on the right side of the team’s attack, the winger is very direct and aggressive on the ball, going at defenders and trying to bring the ball inside the penalty box or to the end line. Chavez is perhaps even more dangerous when she makes diagonal runs off the ball as she times her movement extremely well and is very intelligent in identifying vulnerable spots to attack. The winger is also very calm and efficient in front of the goal and can finish with either foot.
Youssef was one of the most-anticipated additions to the Texas high school soccer scene this season and she has been living up to the expectations, playing a big role in a strong Memorial team. She has been mostly used on the left of the team’s attack, where she’s been using her pace and outstanding dribbling skills to go at defenders and create chances. She plays with great intensity and fights for every ball in the attacking half, also working hard to put pressure on defenders when on defense. Because of her ability to dribble in tight spaces and the precision and power of her precious left foot, Youssef can also be used more centrally, closer to goal, where she can be even more lethal.