ECNL Boys Playoffs: Five Texas Midfielders to Watch

<p>The ECNL Boys League season is set to reach its peak as over the next few weeks the playoffs and the Finals will be played, pitting the best teams in the country against each other.</p>   <p>San Diego, California, is the next stop for club teams from around the nation as the city is set to host the Playoffs from June 25 to July 1 at the Surf Sports Complex.</p>   <p>As many as 336 teams from the U13 to the U19 divisions will make the trip to California to compete this week and among them are several sides from Texas. As the Lone Star State clubs prepare to deliver in the biggest moment season, let's take a look at some of the most talented players from the state set to take the field in San Diego. The midfielders are our focus today:</p>    <p class="text-gray-700">Garcia's BVBIA 09 was fourth in the Texas Conference with 12 wins, four losses and one tie and qualified for the Champions League, where they will face SC Surf, River Island Surf and STA. He's a big part of the team's offensive efforts and the ball goes through him very often when his team is pushing forward. Garcia typically plays the No. 10 role and is very good at creating space with quick dribbles or moves. He can hurt defenses by making quick runs on the ball through the middle, but also likes to drop deeper to connect long passes.</p>    <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6cnH3-CcmM </div></figure>    <p class="text-gray-700">Aguilar and his FC Dallas Red 08 team ranked fourth in the Texas Conference, getting nine wins, three losses and five ties - their opponents in the Champions League will be Eclipse Select SC, Legends FC and LVU Rush. He plays a major role for the team, providing coverage from the defensive midfielder position. Aguilar has good size to win duels in the middle and also covers a lot of ground defensively, helping the team regain possession. The midfielder is a solid passer, who can use his skills to support the team's buildup from deeper areas of the field or connect with attacking midfielders and forwards on the final third.</p>    <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YkUN51928kU </div></figure>    <p class="text-gray-700">With Hardge in midfield, Lonestar SC Red 08 finished fifth in the Texas Conference with nine wins, four losses and four ties and will meet Gretna Elite Academy, FL Premier FC and FSA FC in the Champions League playoffs in San Diego. He plays a box-to-box role for them and is a very important piece in their playing system. Hardge does a good job helping the team control the central area of the field with his ability to dominate the space and put pressure on opponents. Offensively, the midfielder has enough quality in his passing to help create chances, but makes some smart runs off the ball into the penalty box to finish them.</p>    <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepsoccer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2024/04/IMG_3884.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-170887" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Lonestar SC Red B08 vs. Colorado Rapids B08 </figcaption></figure>    <p class="text-gray-700">Arellano and his Solar SC Academy 08 were the third-best team in the Texas Conference with ten wins, five losses and one tie. In San Diego, they will face WNY Flash, Heat FC and Arizona Arsenal in the Champions League playoffs. Arellano plays as a central midfielder for them and is very active on both sides of the game. He's not very physical, but reads the game well and does a very good job of cutting corners and staying one step ahead of opponents to win possession. When in possession, Arellano works very well as a facilitator, getting the ball in tight spaces and under pressure and finding ways to not only keep it, but to connect to teammates in good spots.</p>     <p class="text-gray-700">Mejia helped his team DKSC 07 finish at the top of the Texas Conference with a campaign of 13 wins, two losses and two ties and will be with them when they meet Florida Elite, World Class and Arlington Soccer in the Champions League playoffs. He's a complete player, who can perform anywhere in midfield and play a variety of roles. Mejia is probably at his best when playing on the left, where he can dribble the ball inside to his preferred right foot to finish or assist. Mejia is an exceptional dribbler and is very intelligent with it, always making moves that will get him closer to the goal. He's also a skilled passer and shoots very well from distance.</p>    <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7T39v54wf-0 </div></figure>

The ECNL Boys League season is set to reach its peak as over the next few weeks the playoffs and the Finals will be played, pitting the best teams in the country against each other.