HTX 07 to play for GA Champions Cup title

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The state of Texas will be represented in the Finals of the Girls Academy League Champions Cup event, which is being held at IMG Academy, in Bradenton, Florida, this weekend, and reunites the best teams in the country to compete in the league.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Houston's HTX 07 team has advanced to the last day of the tournament and will play Georgia's TopHat 07/06, on Monday, March 10, at 1 PM EST (noon CST), at the Soccer Stadium, in Florida, in the Finals of the U19 age group.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In order to make it to the Championship Game, HTX had to advance three rounds of the tournament over the week in Florida. On Thursday, they defeated the Michigan Jaguars 3-0, with goals scored by forwards Alexandra Knight and [player_tooltip player_id='55783' first='Rhegan' last='Coombs'] and midfielder Emily Fowlkes. On Friday, in the quarterfinals, forward [player_tooltip player_id='89908' first='Madison' last='Taylor'] scored the game-winning goal in their 1-0 victory over Minnesota's SC Wave. In the semifinals, it was defender Ella Davis, who stepped up, giving the team a 1-0 win over Florida's IMG Academy.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As the Finals approach, let's know some of HTX's key players:</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":"Savannah Epting","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2025","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"6'0u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"100","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Pearland","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"HTX","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"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-67ce112f03d5d"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Epting joined the team this season and typically splits time with [player_tooltip player_id='54811' first='Patty' last='Staton'] in goal, giving HTX two excellent options in goal - the two have produced clean sheets in all three matches in Florida. A six-footer, Epting is extremely efficient when she has to deal with shots in the upper corners and also handles crosses very well. She also covers the goal area very well, showing impressive reflexes and superior athleticism to get to the ball and make stops between the posts.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iksZ7s8y3lk","type":"video","providerNameSlug":"youtube","responsive":true,"className":"wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"} --> <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=iksZ7s8y3lk </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed --> <!-- 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":"Ella Davis","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2025","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'8u0022","_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":"Captain Shreve (LA)","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"HTX","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"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-67ce112f03e05"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Davis is another of the reasons for HTX's defensive solidness as the center back leads the team's defensive unit in a very effective way. She's extremely mobile and reads the game very well, a combination that allows her to make interceptions at a very high rate and stop plays even before they happen. Davis is also very calm and competent on the ball and often initiates the team's buildup with great quality. The center back also does a great job in the air and helped the team make it to the Finals with a headed game-winning goal in the semifinals.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:html --> <blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DG_Olc4OFBs/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14" style="background:#FFF;border:0;border-radius:3px;margin: 1px;max-width:540px;min-width:326px;padding:0;width:99.375%;width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px);width:calc(100% - 2px)"><div style="padding:16px"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DG_Olc4OFBs/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style="background:#FFFFFF;line-height:0;padding:0 0;text-align:center;text-decoration:none;width:100%" target="_blank"> <div style="flex-direction: row;align-items: center"> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4;border-radius: 50%;flex-grow: 0;height: 40px;margin-right: 14px;width: 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style="color:#c9c8cd;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:17px;margin-bottom:0;margin-top:8px;overflow:hidden;padding:8px 0 7px;text-align:center"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DG_Olc4OFBs/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style="color:#c9c8cd;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;line-height:17px;text-decoration:none" target="_blank">A post shared by Girls Academy (@girlsacademyleague)</a></p></div></blockquote> <!-- /wp:html --> <!-- 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":"Dayla Henderson","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2025","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'6u0022","_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":"Episcopal","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"HTX","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"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-67ce112f03e93"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">A versatile player who can feature in multiple spots on the field, Henderson typically appears as an outside back for HTX. She can play on either side and also at forward, a role she performs extremely well at the high school level for Episcopal. Henderson is an extremely physical player, who has excellent pace and can run the field up and down for days. She has good technical skills too and knows how to operate in the final third, acting as a very productive offensive-minded when the team needs her to. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["89902"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","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-67ce112f03ee5"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">An attacking midfielder, Saludares is a very technical player, who puts her stamp in a lot of HTX does offensively. She's very good at progressing the ball on the field with her excellent passing and also thrives when she needs to create space with her dribbling. Saludares is particularly dangerous in the final third as her vision allows her to find game-changing passes and execute them with great accuracy. The midfielder is also excellent in dead-ball situations, providing great service to her teammates with well-placed crosses.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:html --> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">🫡 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/assists?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#assists</a> are my favorite ⚽️❣️<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/soccer?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#soccer</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/futbol?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#futbol</a> great <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/goals?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#goals</a> by awesome <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/team?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#team</a> <a href="https://t.co/YwnJAzlNZd">pic.twitter.com/YwnJAzlNZd</a></p>&mdash; Sophia “Soph” Saludares 🇺🇸🇵🇭🇲🇽 (@Sosalsoccer) <a href="https://twitter.com/Sosalsoccer/status/1867893629697892415?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 14, 2024</a></blockquote> <!-- /wp:html --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["55783"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","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-67ce112f03f2c"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">A dynamic and technical player, Coombs is HTX's offensive linchpin. She has the pace and the dribbling skills to play as a winger, and can do it at a very high level on either side, but can also operate more centrally, as a second forward, thanks to her finishing skills. Coombs' skillset is incredibly diverse and allows her to be a threat both when facing a settled backline, where creativity and dribbling are needed to unlock things, and in transition, where her pace and excellent decision-making make things happen. The forward uses both feet extremely well to pass, dribble and shoot and is unpredictable when on the ball.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:html --> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Awesome Game 1 team win at <a href="https://twitter.com/GAcademyLeague?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GAcademyLeague</a> playoffs yesterday. Here is my winning goal 🥅 for <a href="https://twitter.com/htx_ga07?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@htx_ga07</a> 🌴<a href="https://twitter.com/TopDrawerSoccer?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TopDrawerSoccer</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/TheSoccerWire?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TheSoccerWire</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/PrepSoccerTX?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PrepSoccerTX</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/PrepSoccer?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PrepSoccer</a> <a href="https://t.co/WQu3Fas1tW">pic.twitter.com/WQu3Fas1tW</a></p>&mdash; [player_tooltip player_id='55783' first='Rhegan' last='Coombs'] (@rhegancoombs) <a href="https://twitter.com/rhegancoombs/status/1804168830081810486?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 21, 2024</a></blockquote> <!-- /wp:html --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["89908"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","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-67ce112f03f78"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">HTX's striker, Taylor is a handful for opposing defenders inside the penalty box. She knows that space very well and moves intelligently, always getting into good spots to get on the end of crosses and finish chances. The striker also does excellent holdup play, keeping opposing defenders in her back while she controls long passes and connects with the teammates around her. Taylor is also very smart with her movement off the ball, attacking the space behind or out wide with well-timed runs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:html --> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Fall wrap up of some of my games this season.⚽️Let's go‼️<a href="https://twitter.com/HTXSoccer?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@HTXSoccer</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/htx_ga07?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@htx_ga07</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/GAcademyLeague?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GAcademyLeague</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/PrepSoccer?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PrepSoccer</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/TopDrawerSoccer?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TopDrawerSoccer</a> <a href="https://t.co/WCXpAXa9XL">pic.twitter.com/WCXpAXa9XL</a></p>&mdash; [player_tooltip player_id='89908' first='Madison' last='Taylor'] (@mad_taylor_2) <a href="https://twitter.com/mad_taylor_2/status/1724808346002202812?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 15, 2023</a></blockquote> <!-- /wp:html -->