Houston area well represented at high school state soccer championship
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Houston will be well-represented at the state soccer tournament next week in Georgetown. Seven Houston-area schools qualified and are just one win away from lifting the championship trophy.
Kingwood Soccer carries special inspiration into State Finals
Kingwood girls are looking to win the state championship number three. Lady Mustangs won state in 1995 and 1999, and this year they punched their ticket thanks to a late goal by junior Ellie Wood.
"I am, I can't, I don't even have the words to describe how excited I am," Wood said.
Head coach Adam Bell added, "All the stadium miles and all the early morning sessions that they didn't want to go to and the weight room sessions that they didn't want to go to, but they pulled themselves up from bed, and they went to this is the reward at the end of the tunnel."
The two-time state champs celebrate and continue to honor the memory of former head coach Pres Holcomb, a former Kingwood girls head coach who passed away right at a year ago at the age of 44 due to stage 4 colon cancer. "Dedicating the season to him at the beginning," Junior goalkeeper Hazel Rutherford said.
"You know, you want to win every game for him, but actually being able to win every single game for Coach Holcomb, I mean, it's the biggest thing, and I'm just so glad that I get to help honor his memory."
Lake Creek girls check off the state semi-final box and will make their first appearance in Georgetown in school history.
Sumer Creek and Royal both make school history
On the boys' side, defending state champs from Klein Cain advance past Allen in a shootout. The Hurricanes will now face Atascocita, who will make their first state appearance. The Eagles scored inside the first four minutes in their state semi-final victory over Cibolo Steele.
Summer Creek advances to State for the first time ever. Bulldogs shut out defending state champs from Vandegrift 3-0 to next face The Woodlands College Park. The Cavs shut out Plano West and hope to win their 1st state championship in their second appearance at state after qualifying for the first time in 2019.
Royal High School in Brookshire held a huge celebration and send-off for their boys' soccer team on Thursday. The Falcons had never made it to the state semi-final in school history. After Friday's shootout win, they are making more history by qualifying for state for the first time ever! Head coach Cristian Guzman is a Royal grad who came home to lead a program he played for in high school.
"The kids have come in, and they do the work," Guzman said. "They're motivated. They come out here every day ready to work, and the offseason is where it started. They were all here working, working, working. And now it's finally paying off."
