Texas HS: Episcopal four-peat as SPC boys champions

<p>Houston's Episcopal High School continues to reign supreme in the boys' soccer scene in the Southwest Preparatory Conference (SPC) after winning its fourth-straight state title on Monday.</p>   <p>Reuniting an impressive collection of talent in the area, the Knights secured the title with an undefeated campaign of 11 victories. They defeated Houston's  St. John's 4-0 in the State Tournament semifinals on Friday and went on to take the title with a 1-0 win over Austin's St. Stephen's Episcopal in the State Championship game.</p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-instagram wp-block-embed-instagram"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://www.instagram.com/p/DU12xuzjLi3/?img_index=4 </div></figure>   <p>Here are some of the standouts of the team that kept Episcopal on top for another season:</p>    <p class="text-gray-700">The senior center back led the backline that registered back-to-back clean sheets in the State Tournament. Quick and strong with his defensive actions, he's a tough defensive player, who is always on top of things and ready to intervene inside and around the penalty box. Holzhauser is very confident and comfortable on the ball and more often than not initiates the team's buildup by delivering accurate passes out of the back or dribbling the ball forward. His ability to send long throw-ins into the box was of great value for the Knights during their campaign.</p>    <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepsoccer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2026/01/2J4A0011_538a00.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-347994" /></figure>    <p class="text-gray-700">A consistent and efficient two-way left back, Lynch has been a pillar for Episcopal in the last four seasons. The senior handles his defensive duties extremely well, benefiting from his high soccer IQ to be in the right places to make stops and using his athletic tools to dominate opponents. When on the ball, Lynch brings a lot to the table with his excellent decision-making and efficiency. He likes to support the offense and can hurt opponents by either dribbling the ball inside with quick, direct runs or by taking it to the end line and delivering accurate crosses into the box.</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=7oA3GW_Q7cM </div></figure>    <p class="text-gray-700">The sophomore was an important player in Episcopal's midfield during the season, contributing with his solid all-around game and high intensity. Also capable of playing as an outside back or on the wings, Baltodano is very clean and efficient on the ball, helping his team keep possession with his intelligent passing. He also dribbles the ball very directly and is capable of supporting the offense and showing quality to make an impact in the final third. Baltodano stands out defensively for his ability to cover ground and win duels in the center of the field.</p>    <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-instagram wp-block-embed-instagram"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://www.instagram.com/p/DRdgYHsDfY2/ </div></figure>    <p class="text-gray-700">The junior was Episcopal's main playmaker, playing the No. 10 role with a nice touch of flair and creativity. Guerra has impressive quality on the ball and knows how to make the most of it, beating defenders with dribbles in tight spaces and delivering accurate passes in the final third. He typically plays more centrally, but moves well off the ball in the final third, getting to good spots to get on the ball and make plays. An excellent finisher, who can put the ball in the back of the net with either foot or his head, Guerra delivers a lot when it comes to combined goals and assists.</p>    <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepsoccer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2026/01/2J4A0006_1304c4.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-347992" /></figure>    <p class="text-gray-700">A new addition to the team this season, the freshman boosted Episcopal's offense with his well-rounded and technical game. A winger, Diaz is very skilled on the ball, beating opponents off the dribble out wide and making plays at a consistent rate. He's also a goalscoring threat, being capable of firing accurate shots from outside the box with either foot and having a good presence inside of it. Diaz is also very disciplined and committed to his defensive duties, always tracking back to help on defense.</p>    <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-instagram wp-block-embed-instagram"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://www.instagram.com/p/DRphiDhCNKd/ </div></figure>    <p class="text-gray-700">The senior led the line for Episcopal, playing the striker role for them for most of the season. A quick and intense forward, Agyeman-Yeboah Jr can also play on the wings, using his pace to get the ball in behind and make plays. As a center forward, he thrives on timing his runs extremely well, but can also impact the game by stepping outside the box to finish chances with his skilled left foot. Agyeman-Yeboah Jr also demonstrates great energy to press defenders, forcing them into errors and into playing long.</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=N8jOuHPBBeI </div></figure>   <p></p>

Houston's Episcopal High School continues to reign supreme in the boys' soccer scene in the Southwest Preparatory Conference (SPC) after winning its fourth-straight state title on Monday.