By Terry Carter
With 64 varsity teams competing this weekend, the talent covered the Lone Star state as eight bracket champions were crowned on Saturday as the 16th annual I-10 Shootout concluded with Katy ISD hosting the second largest, girls’ high school soccer tournament in the nation.
Playing at Rhodes and Legacy Stadiums on the final day, Katy ISD teams reached four championship finals with Paetow claiming the Panther Bracket, 2-0, over Barber Hill at Rhodes Stadium. The Lady Panthers defeated Cy Park, 1-0, on Friday in bracket semifinal action. On Thursday, Paetow edged Jersey Village after a 2-2 tie on a 3-2 advantage in penalty kicks.
I-10 Shootout Tournament Director Marty Hensley said the tournament is the second largest in the country of its type and a team effort fundraiser for soccer players to attend college.
“We had 112 teams here this weekend. 464 varsity teams and 48 JV teams,” Hensley said. “It’s a lot of work, and we have a tremendous board and volunteers to do everything from scheduling, invitations, T-shirts, hospitality and more.”
“Our main purpose is as a fundraiser for the outgoing seniors from KISD, the girls’ soccer athletes. Last year we helped 52 students, and two years ago, we helped 70.”
Other I-10 Shootout bracket finalists included Katy, Seven Lakes and Taylor.
Dripping Springs beat Katy, 3-0, on Saturday in the title game of the Tiger Bracket. Katy downed Oak Ridge, 3-1, on Friday and Houston Heights, 2-1 on Thursday.
Seven Lakes reached the Spartan Bracket championship and tied Lake Travis on Saturday in a scoreless battle. Playing at Legacy Stadium, Lake Travis won 4-2 on penalty kicks to claim the title. On Friday, Seven Lakes posted a win over Cy Ranch, 2-1, and defeated Bellaire, 2-0, on Thursday. Saturday’s Spartan Bracket finale was perhaps the battle of state-ranked foes, but every team in this tournament has the ability to make a solid playoff run.
Taylor advanced to the Mustang Bracket championship with wins over Alvin, 2-0, and Cy Creek, 3-1. On Saturday at Rhodes Stadium, Pearland Dawson scored just before halftime and posted a 3-1 victory over the Lady Mustangs in the face of 25-35 mile per hour winds arriving Saturday with a cold front after temperatures in the mid-70s during the I-10 Shootout’s first two days of soccer.
In the Maverick Bracket, Bridgeland downed Kingwood , 3-0. In the Falcon Bracket, Ridge Point defeated a solid Cy Woods team, 5-1. In the Ram Bracket, Grand Oaks handed Kempner a 3-1 loss. And in the Cougar Bracket, Cy-Fair defeated St. Agnes, 3-2, for the bracket title.
In the Falcon Bracket, Jordan and Tompkins met for third place on Saturday in that brutal north wind. Tompkins came away with a 2-1 victory, scoring twice in the final 11 minutes against a continually improving Lady Warrior team.
Mayde Creek finished third in the Ram Bracket, defeating Fort Bend Travis, 3-2, on Saturday. Kempner downed the Lady Rams on Friday after Mayde Creek crushed Bush, 7-0. In that win, Alicia Loera scored twice and notched two assists. Lexi Richard and goal keeper Kirsten Baxa also scored twice. You heard right — college prospect Baxa got to play midfield and forward and converted twice to help the Lady Rams on Thursday. Alexa Rivera scored twice against Travis in the 3-2 win.
Cinco Ranch opened with a 2-1 loss to a tough Clements squad. The Lady Cougars rebounded with a 3-0 win over Langham Creek and played on Saturday against George Ranch.
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- Seven Lakes goalkeeper Maddie Rich helped the Lady Spartans reach the Spartan Bracket championship game against Lake Travis on Saturday. During the showdown, the Lady Spartans held Lake Travis scoreless, but the Lady Cavaliers won on penalty kicks in high-wind conditions. Photo by UDPhotos
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- The Taylor Lady Mustangs played hard on Saturday against Pearland Dawson in the Mustang Bracket champion at Rhodes Stadium. Dawson used its physical style to edge Taylor, 3-1. Photo by UDPhotos
