Texas HS State Tournament Preview: 5A Girls

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The big moment has arrived in the University Interscholastic League (UIL) Texas High School soccer season as, after almost four months of action, we're set to crown the 2024 state champions in the Lone Star State.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Only four of the hundreds of teams that started the season with title aspirations in each of the six divisions still stand and they will battle this week in Georgetown, with matches taking place at Birkelbach Field from Wednesday to Sunday in the State Tournament.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The best of the best will be action over the next few days and we've prepared previews for each division to get you ready to follow the climax of high school soccer in the state of Texas this season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Division 5A Girls</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Semifinals - Thursday, April 11</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>9:30 am - Colleyville Heritage (Region 1) vs. Hendrickson (Region 3)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>12:00 pm - Wakeland (Region 2) vs. Rouse (Region 4)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Championship Game - Saturday, April 13</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>11:00 am - Winner of Semifinal #1 vs. Winner of Semifinal #2</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Team Previews</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Colleyville Heritage</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Lady Panthers from Colleyville are back in the State Tournament for the first time since 2011 and will make their fourth appearance - they took the title in 1999 and also played in 2001. The team survived the challenging competition in Region 1, finishing at the top of District 7 and making it to Georgetown with an undefeated campaign of 23 wins and two ties, with 123 goals scored and 16 conceded. In the playoffs, Colleyville Heritage were faced with Midlothian Heritage, Azle, Midlothian, Amarillo and Wichita Falls Rider and took each of them down.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Players to Watch:</strong> Brooke Phillips (senior defender), [player_tooltip player_id='27137' first='Olivia' last='Belcher'] (junior midfielder) and [player_tooltip player_id='112573' first='Addison' last='Shimmick'] (freshman forward)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://x.com/CHHS_LPSoccer/status/1776689525407855087","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/CHHS_LPSoccer/status/1776689525407855087 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Wakeland</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Lady Wolverines from Frisco will compete among the state's best for a fifth time - they won the state title in 2011, 2018 and 2022 and also appeared in 2021. They were the top team in Region 2, finishing on top in District 9 and finding their way to Georgetown with an undefeated campaign of 24 wins and two ties, which saw them score 111 goals and concede just 12. Wakeland's postseason journey included victories over Lebanon Trail, Dallas White, Walnut Grove, Lovejoy and Reedy.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Players to Watch:</strong> [player_tooltip player_id='112583' first='Dilan' last='Pistorius'] (freshman defender), [player_tooltip player_id='112739' first='Audrey' last='Gilbert'] (sophomore forward) and [player_tooltip player_id='27110' first='Morgan' last='Landry'] (sophomore forward)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://x.com/wakelandgsoc/status/1773537910240768459","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/wakelandgsoc/status/1773537910240768459 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Hendrickson</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Hawks from Pflugerville will make their second appearance in the State Tournament after lifting the trophy seven years ago, in 2017. They emerged from Region 3 after ranking second in District 23 and had a campaign of 21 wins, three losses and two ties over the season - their offense produced 85 goals and their defense was beaten only nine times. Hendrickson had a tough playoff route to make it to the State Tournament, but overcame Ann Richards, Belton, A&amp;M Consolidated, Port Neches-Groves and Georgetown.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Players to Watch:</strong> Nathalie Gomez (junior midfielder), Kaylee Mckinley (junior forward) and [player_tooltip player_id='26550' first='Brea' last='Lewis'] (freshman forward)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://x.com/HHSHawkSoccer/status/1776670191231082674","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/HHSHawkSoccer/status/1776670191231082674 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Rouse</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Lady Raiders from Leander are back in the State Tournament for just the second time, returning seven years after their first appearance, in 2017. They qualified as the top team in Region 4, ranking second in District 25 and registering 20 wins, four losses and three ties (with 129 goals scored and 21 allowed) on their way to Georgetown. Rouse were ruthless in the playoffs, outscoring Canyon, San Antonio Southwest, Cedar Park, McAllen Memorial and Leander by 16-1.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Players to Watch:</strong> Mia Merz (freshman defender), Lilly Arellano (junior midfielder) and [player_tooltip player_id='26945' first='Kylie' last='Snell'] (sophomore midfielder) </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://x.com/LISD_AD/status/1776649811145715898","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/LISD_AD/status/1776649811145715898 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed -->