Texas HS Girls: District Champions – Tomball Memorial
In this article:
The playoffs are knocking on the door in the University Interscholastic League (UIL) soccer season as the postseason matches are set to start in just about two weeks, starting the final portion of the season for teams around the Lone…
Access all of Prep Soccer
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingThe playoffs are knocking on the door in the University Interscholastic League (UIL) soccer season as the postseason matches are set to start in just about two weeks, starting the final portion of the season for teams around the Lone Star State.
Regular season play is still underway in Texas, but several districts in the Lone Star State have already crowned their champions, who will enter the postseason full of confidence after strong performances against their regional rivals.
We’re taking the slow week of Spring Break to feature some of the teams that triumphed in their districts in the Houston area:
Tomball Memorial
The Lady Wildcats finished at the top of District 15, securing the district title with 11 wins, two losses and one tie. Tomball Memorial had the best offense among all eight teams, with 63 goals scored, and also the best defense, with just six conceded. Some of their most impressive results were a 3-0 home win over rivals and second-placed Tomball and a 4-0 victory over fourth-placed Klein Oak. The team has 15 wins, three losses and two ties for the season.
Key Players:
One of the best goalkeepers in the area, Stramrood had a lot to do with Tomball Memorial’s defensive strength during district play. Always very calm and efficient between the posts, the senior registered an impressive ten clean sheets in 14 matches, giving the team a lot of stability. With Tomball Memorial being an offensive-minded team, they can at times be a little bit exposed in transition and having a goalkeeper of Stremrood’s caliber, who’s technical, intelligent and reliable, gives them the confidence to trust in their playing style. The goalkeeper also has an impressively strong leg, which allows her to send the ball into the penalty box from pretty much anywhere on the field. Stramrood was the team’s MVP in their victory at the I-10 Shootout and ended the regular season playing forward, having scored a few goals.
Calla Reef
Calla Reef
Originally a forward, Reef was moved to left back in order to fit into Tomball Memorial’s starting lineup and produced probably more than anyone would have expected there. Her quality going forward was a great fit with the Lady Wildcats’ playing style and made of her one of the team’s most interesting offensive weapons. Reef is excellent at beating opponents off the dribble and creates multiple chances every match with her moves. A right-footed player, she’s very dangerous bringing the ball inside to find passes and finish chances. Reef is also ice-cold at the penalty kick spot.
Boedecker is a key piece in Tomball Memorial’s playing system with her ability to impact the game on both sides of the ball in midfield. She’s typically used right in front of the team’s backline and does a very good job of playing with energy to dismantle attacking attempts from their opponents with her well-time tackles. The freshman is also heavily involved in the team’s offense, getting on the ball a lot as the Lady Wildcats move it around as they rely on her precise passing to find solutions to break opponents down. Boedecker is very dangerous when finishing from distance too as she can hit the ball with power and precision with either foot.
Lily Brown
Lily Brown
Brown is an excellent midfield partner for Boedecker as the two complement each other extremely well and have great production playing together. A high-energy box-to-box midfielder, the senior works very hard without the ball and has an extremely high success rate with her defensive actions, dispossessing opponents and winning 50-50 duels. Brown also has quality on offense and is very strong at connecting passes and infiltrating the opposing penalty box without the ball. Because of her size and physicality, she’s also a threat in offensive set pieces, often scoring with headers.
The focal point of Tomball Memorial’s offense, Carrigan has been of great value for them this season. A versatile and extremely well-rounded player, she has the ability to play different roles for the team at a very high level. Carrigan has been mostly used as a striker, where her movement off the ball and her ability to dribble and finish in tight spaces make of her a real threat. She also has the ability to drop deeper and get more involved in the team’s chance-creation, generating space with her moves and finding good progressive passes. Carrigan is also very precise with her set pieces and can create chances from corner kicks and free kicks.