Region titan Seven Lakes shows grit in showdown win over Taylor

KATY—District championships mean something to Seven Lakes boys soccer coach Jimmy Krueger. So much so, Krueger said, “anything else feels like a bonus.”

District 19-6A, otherwise known as the Katy ISD contingent, is notable for its soccer. Three boys teams are ranked among the best in Region III, per Lethal Enforcer Soccer: Seven Lakes (No. 1), Tompkins (No. 2) and Taylor (No. 5). Paetow, which will join the 6A ranks next year, is ranked No. 1 in Region III in 5A.

Krueger knows his team will be tested anytime it’s a 19-6A club on the other side of the field, and that was the case Saturday afternoon in an intense 1-0 win over Taylor at Seven Lakes High.

Seven Lakes improved to 9-0-0 overall, 2-0-0 in district. Taylor suffered its first defeat of the season, dropping to 6-1-1 overall, 1-1-0 in district.

“Once we hit district, anybody can come out and compete any given night,” said Krueger, who notched his 201st career win. “Taylor is big, physical, well-organized, and well-coached. The biggest thing we’ve had over the years is competing with big, physical teams, and it was good to see our guys do the dirty work, challenge in the set piece game, and really give up no pockets of space.

“Technically, we have the ability to move the ball around quite well. But today was more about grit and determination, so it was good to see that out of our guys.”

The Spartans, seeking a third consecutive district championship and fourth in the last six years, got the winner on a breakaway strike from the left wing by sophomore midfielder Noa Stasic in the 76th minute.

“I saw the space open,” Stasic said. “I saw the defender fall down and felt it was a good chance. I saw him go for my left, so I just moved away from it. Finished it. It was really emotional. It was a great moment, a great memory.”

Up until then, each team had its chances on the attack but the defenses starred, particularly senior goalkeepers Anthony Gonzalez of Seven Lakes and Aidan Bousleiman of Taylor. The Spartans’ senior defensive backline of Ty Koc, Keegan Sneedon, Ben Galloway, and Ved Maharaj was stellar.

Eventually, Stasic, who has five goals and five assists this season, snapped the stalemate with 4-minutes, 33-seconds left. Krueger was confident it was just a matter of time for the precocious striker.

“The thing about Noa is his work rate is second to none,” Krueger said. “He is a grinder. Add it to the fact that he’s so technical and has the ability to score goals in every different facet, he’s just a weapon. If you have a guy that’s that technical and that intelligent with his movement, and is that hard-working, it’s only a matter of time before he breaks through.”

Koc said there was conjecture from outsiders prior to the season that this was going to be a rebuilding year for Seven Lakes, following the graduation of standouts like Matt Stewart, Bryan Egba, and 2021 district MVP Diego Lazo.

What the Spartans showed Saturday, Koc said, was a testament to culture and program player development.

“To start off so strong shows how much this program has been on the map and been able to produce year in and year out,” Koc said.

It was also indicative of mental toughness from a group of players accustomed to premier matches.

“We’re all big-game players, and we all know how to handle ourselves in moments like 0-0 with a few minutes left,” Koc said. “It takes a lot to stay mentally composed, and I think we keep proving why we’re the team to beat when we can knock off a great team like Taylor.”

With playmaking talents like Stasic, Aidan Morrison, Hunter Merritt, Javier Rivas, and Alexis Matute, this year’s Spartans are a bit different than years past. They’re more technical, opposed to the direct, physical attack they have typically employed.

“The way we can move the ball and our runs off the ball, from every single player. … Every one of us can showcase ourselves like that, and that’s what we’ve been able to build off of,” Koc said.

Entering Saturday’s game, Seven Lakes had outscored opponents, 32-2. It is capable of dominance more often than not. Against Taylor, however, the Spartans also showed they have the resilience and moxie to persevere when pressure tightens.

“Every year, you want to have that year that breaks through what we’ve done in the past,” Krueger said of a Spartans program that has yet to surpass the regional semifinals. “There’s no reason why this group can’t take us to where we haven’t been yet. But we have to stay healthy, the ball has to roll in the right direction at certain moments. It’s always fun to think big picture, but with this district, we pride ourselves in competing for a district title every year. Outside of that, anything else is a bonus.”