Part 2: Winter high school soccer lifts off
The winter high school schedule is relatively light compared to the rest of the year’s calendar. With only seven states competing in this time frame, that leaves fewer story lines to pick through as teams push for state titles.
Still, there’s plenty of meaty teams and backstories to pick through as the winter season plunges toward the postseason. Here’s a look at a few notable programs pushing for more in 2014. After part one ran on Thursday, here's the other four states that will decide state titles in the next few months. Texas is the last to kick off play, with its teams getting going next week.
Louisiana
Boys
Jesuit (New Orleans) (15-3-2): For better or worse, Louisiana’s Division I has become a duopoly over the past few years. Jesuit has met up with St. Paul’s in the DI final in each of the last three seasons, with Jesuit holding a 2-1 edge in those games with wins in each of the last two. That of course included last year, when Jesuit nipped St. Paul’s by a goal to earn the state title. This year, returners like four-year midfield general Evan Kramer and keeper Nick Tadros headline a group of 18 seniors and 10 juniors. St. Paul’s entered last year’s final with a perfect record in tow, and they’ve been scything through opponents again this year, but at least in the last two years, Louisiana has been Jesuit’s playground.
Girls
St. Scholastica (Covington) (18-2-2): Motivation runs high in 2014 for St. Scholastica, which felt the ultimate sting of heartbreak in the 2013 finale. Despite steaming into the title game with all the momentum, Lafayette snuck out 2-1 winners despite being thoroughly dominated throughout the match. That robbed the Doves of their first title since 2010, and the team has lost its last three title game appearances. The talent the team returns has been evident en route to a 10-0-0 start to 2013. If that keeps rolling, the Doves could well atone for three consecutive heartbreaks with their third ever state title in 2014.
Hawaii
Boys
Kalani (Honolulu) (15-1-1): For the first time in history, Kalani won a boys state title in 2013. The Honolulu team got a transcendent performance from Leo Klink, who scored twice in regulation and then scored on a penalty to help seal his side’s 3-2 win over Punahou in the title game. Hawaii isn’t typically known for its soccer, and its distant proximity from the mainland generally mean that its players have to work that much harder to make it at the college level and beyond. Punahou is generally accepted as the island’s biggest thread on an annual basis, but Kalani’s first title in 2013 announced its arrival.
Girls
Iolani (Honolulu) (14-1-1): Iolani was one of Hawaii’s true girls soccer dynasties in the 90’s, but that lineage all but fizzled out after the program won its sixth state title in 11 years in 1999. All of those titles had been under the tutelage of coach George-Anne Derby, and her departure signaled a decline in the once-proud program. Last season was a return to grace for the Raiders, who sprinted to a title with a penalty shootout victory over Punahou for their first state title in 14 years. It reversed a trend of losses in each of their last two title game appearances, and enough talent returns to make the program’s 5-0-0 start to 2013-14 look like a positive harbinger for the approaching playoffs.
Mississippi
Boys
Madison Central (Madison): The built-up frustration the Jaguars had felt over the years was finally released last year. Despite a rich history, the Jaguars had never won a state title until thrashing Ocean Springs 3-0 in the 6A finale last season to take home the title. The team lost in the 2011 finale to the same team, so 2013 was sweet vindication. The only thing that might matter for this season is the return of stud midfielder Gillian Watson, who accounted for all three goals in the team’s title game victory last year. The team’s 9-0-1 start to the season is a good place to start.
Girls
Ridgeland (15-3-6): When it comes to girls soccer in Mississippi, you’d be hard-pressed to find a more prestigious program than Ridgeland. In the team’s 11-year history, it’s won a staggering nine state titles. That includes last year’s 1-0 win over South Jones in the 5A finale to complete a perfect 10-0 goals record in the playoffs. The issue every year is replacing seasoned talent, but Ridgeland hardly has issues on that front. The loss of Rhae’Ven Ellis and Mary Ashton Lembo, who scored the goal that won the title, to Louisiana-Monroe will mean opportunities for more untested players.
Texas
Boys
University (Waco) (33-0-0): In the deep well of Texas high school soccer history, no program had ever won more games and done it with as much style as Waco-area 4A program University High did in 2013. The Trojans matched the state record for the most wins in a single season, but they set the record for the best record for any high school soccer team in state history by being perfect in their 33 games. After winning their first 4A state title in any sport, the Trojans will have to replace a raft of talent to get back to the finale. But with the calm Aron Alvarez coming back in the middle and the team’s intricate, beautiful passing style still in place, the ceiling remains high in 2014.
Girls
Plano West (28-0-2): It’s been hard to top the Wolves since their school opened in 1999. Since that time, the team has won six state titles in Class 5A, the state’s largest classification and home to some of the country’s toughest girls soccer talent. Indeed, the team is unbeaten in its last 38 games and is chasing a third consecutive state title this season. With college-bound talent like Jalynn Barron (Texas) captaining the back line and talented young forward Lakyn Pope (Oklahoma State) making an impact up top, stopping the Wolves will be a Herculean task in 2014. If any Texas girls program can do it, they’ll be the first in more than two years.
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