Three Granite Country soccer teams compete at state
STAFF WRITER JENNIFER FIERRO
Three Granite Country Youth Soccer Association teams advanced to state tournaments after finishing in the top two at Western District competitions in their respective age groups and levels of play.
The Patriots, a competition select 11-and-under boys team, finished fourth at the Directors Cup State Finals on May 4-5 in San Marcos. The Panthers, an 11-and-under boys team, finished second at the state tournament. The Cool Kicks, a 14-and-under girls team, was the runner-up at the South Texas Cup.
The Panthers and Cool Kicks played in tournaments that had a mix of select and recreational teams.
The state tournaments and Directors Cups consist of the top two teams from the Western District and the top two teams from the Eastern District. They play in a round-robin tournament at the state and Directors Cup events.
The Patriots advanced to the Directors Cup after going 4-0 and winning the Western District on April 27-28 in Leander.
“We dominated the tournament to make it to state,” said head coach Brandon Taylor, who has been coaching most of these players for the past five years. “I was very blessed, very proud of the kids from a small town.”
Panthers head coach Daniel Dominguez was equally proud of his team, which finished second at the state tournament in Houston on April 27-28. The Panthers earned a berth in the state tournament after going 3-0 and winning the Western District. The squad’s defense didn’t allow any goals in the Western District tournament.
“It was pretty intense because they never scored on us,” Dominguez said of that tournament, which has held April 6 in San Antonio.
He commended his players on their regular- and post-season efforts.
“I’m really amazed at how the kids are playing together as a team. All these kids are doing a great job,” he said.
The Cool Kicks went 1-0-2 at the state tournament April 27-28 in Houston after winning the Western District. The Western District tournament was held April 6 and April 14 in San Antonio.
“Last year, we were winning all the games, and we went to the (semi)finals in San Marcos,” head coach Ernesto Rivera said. “We were one game away from state (last year). This year, we completed it.”