MLS Next Cup Texas Team Preview: Houston Dynamo U16

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The culminating event of the 2025-2026 MLS Next season is coming up shortly, as the MLS Next Cup is set to take place at the Regional Athletics Complex in Salt Lake City, Utah from May 23-31.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The playoffs will reunite the best teams from the regular season, with 32 sides that qualified either via the MLS Next Flex event or league play in the Homegrown Division competing in a single elimination format in Utah.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Fifteen teams from the state of Texas will be in contention for the titles after achieving significant results in their seasons. We're now previewing each of them:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[program_tooltip program_id='283657' first='Houston' last='Dynamo'] U16</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>How did they qualify?</strong> The [program_tooltip program_id='283657' first='Houston' last='Dynamo'] booked their tickets to Utah by topping the standings of the MLS Next League Pro Pathway Southeast Division. The team from Texas collected 37 points in 14 matches, earning 12 wins, a loss and a tie.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://www.instagram.com/p/DXSgIexEaW3/?img_index=1","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"instagram","responsive":true} --> <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/DXSgIexEaW3/?img_index=1 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>What is their squad like?</strong> [player_tooltip player_id='295561' first='Pablo' last='Gonzalez'] and [player_tooltip player_id='295680' first='Ryan' last='Truby'] are the options in goal for the Dynamo. The team's center back group features [player_tooltip player_id='295574' first='Will' last='Moddelmog'], Josiah Guerra and Kameron David, but other players have been helping there, too. Playing the most minutes at outside back are [player_tooltip player_id='294252' first='Justus' last='Morris'], on the right, and Santiago Alvarez on the left - Manuel Vasquez has been playing up and is another option. The team's midfielders are [player_tooltip player_id='295646' first='Oleg' last='Ambriz'], [player_tooltip player_id='295607' first='Brandon' last='Cartagena'], David Herrera, [player_tooltip player_id='332692' first='Chris' last='Gonzalez'], [player_tooltip player_id='295643' first='Eli' last='Georgas'], [player_tooltip player_id='295566' first='Gideon' last='Gomez'] and Peyton James. [player_tooltip player_id='295569' first='Kenzynton' last='Pierre'] and [player_tooltip player_id='317494' first='Dax' last='Munson'] are the main forwards, with Lucas Moscon de Oliveira also getting some playing time.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Who do they play in the first round of the playoffs?</strong> North Carolina's Wake FC, on May 23, at 1:15 PM MT.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Players to Watch</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Josiah Guerra","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2029","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"null","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"101","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"[program_tooltip program_id='283657' first='Houston' last='Dynamo'] Academy","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a048d3e2b05c"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">A new face with the Dynamo this season, Guerra plays as a center back for them. He stands out for his positioning, which allows him to stop long passes and clear crosses in the box, despite not being very tall. Guerra is very mobile, too, doing very well in 1v1 duels, when he has to move wide to cover his teammates and when he needs to track back and recover. The center back has quality and impressive vision on the ball and often connects accurate passes out of the back, thriving when switching play from one side to the other.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:image {"id":353077,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepsoccer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2026/03/2J4A0166_d30643.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-353077" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["295646"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a048d3e2b11d"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Ambriz can play multiple positions for the Dynamo, but is more often used at defensive midfielder. Also an option at center back and outside back, he does a good job of shiedling the team's backline with high energy and excellent timing for his defensive actions. Ambriz is very mobile and consistently steps up to support his teammates after they are beaten and stop plays with well-timed tackles. He also adds a lot in possession, typically being the midfielder who drops to get the ball from the center backs and doing a great job of distributing it and getting his team out of the back with intelligent passing.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:image {"id":353088,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepsoccer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2026/03/2J4A0199.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-353088" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"David Herrera","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2029","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"null","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"102","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"[program_tooltip program_id='283657' first='Houston' last='Dynamo'] Academy","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6a048d3e2b215"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Herrera is a midfielder who can player either a little bit deeper, in a box-to-box role, or more advanced. The son of Dynamo's star and former Mexican national team captain Hector Herrera, he's very technical and intelligent on the ball and makes a strong offensive impact with his ability to move it around the field. Herrera uses both feet very well, which allows him to beat opponents off the dribble in tight spaces, pass the ball accurately even when under pressure and fire excellent shots, which combine power and precision. He also contributes defensively, playing with great determination and working hard to stop plays and get the ball back.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:image {"id":337249,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepsoccer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2025/11/2J4A0315.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-337249" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image -->