By Tom Behrens
Cinco Ranch repeated as the Cougar Bracket champion and Seven Lakes closed the action with a thrilling penalty kick victory in the Spartan Bracket at the KYSA I-10 Shootout girls soccer tournament, hosted Jan. 11-13 by Katy ISD.
Seven Lakes’ bracket was described as challenging, but a great Spartan defense helped Seven Lakes edged Dawson and Clements by 1-0 margins to reach the final, then took a 1-0 halftime lead against Johnson and held on for the win.
Cinco Ranch held off Pearland 3-2 in its final, while Tompkins played Memorial to a 2-2 tie before falling 3-1 in penalty kicks.
Cinco Ranch routed Stratford 6-1 and George Ranch 5-0. The Cougars had all three of their goals by halftime against Pearland, building a 2-0 lead before the Oilers answered in the 32nd minute. Abby McCain scored a pivotal goal with less than two minutes before halftime for a 3-1 lead.
The Tompkins Falcons stopped Clear Springs 4-0 and Ridge Point 3-1 to advance to their bracket final, then overcame a one-sided first half against Memorial to take a 2-1 lead entering the final three minutes. Tompkins erased a 1-0 halftime deficit with the help of Skylar Parker’s shot off the keeper’s hands.
Katy almost reached the Tiger final, following a 3-0 shutout of Heights with a 2-1 loss to North Shore. The Tigers rebounded for with a 4-0 rout of La Porte.
Taylor shook off a 2-0 quarterfinal loss to Montgomery to win the Mustang consolation title, edging Klein Cain 1-0 and Clear Creek 3-2.
Mayde Creek lost to eventual bracket champion Cypress Lakes early but defeated Pasadena Memorial 2-0 and played Pasadena to a 1-1 tie before falling on penalty kicks.
Morton Ranch played the bracket champ in the first round, but responded to its loss to Tomball with 4-0 rout of Cypress Falls.