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2022-23 Port Neches-Groves Girls Soccer
Southeast Texas well-represented in Class 5A Girls Regional Soccer
As fate would have it, both clubs competing in the Texas Sweet-16 -- Barbers Hill and Port Neches-Groves -- come from the same district.
The PNG girls emerged victorious from a fierce match against Friendswood, whereas Barbers Hill advanced after a tense tug-of-war in a penalty shootout to cap off an instant classic with Angleton.
With the Regional Tournament starting this Friday, here is the outlook for H-Town’s reps looking to push further into history.
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5A Girls Soccer
*Record Format: W-L-T (Tournament games not included)
*List is ordered alphabetically
Barbers Hill Eagles
Photo acquired via Twitter: @BH_LadySoccer
Barbers Hill Eagles
2022-23 Regular Season: 12-2/Finished 2nd in District 17-5A
Head Coach: Bonnie Landry
2022-23 Playoffs:
- Bi-District: 3-1 Win v. Santa Fe
- Area Round: 2-2 (3-1 Penalty Shootout) Win v. Foster
- Regional Quarterfinals: 1-1 (10-9 Penalty Shootout) Win v. Angleton
Round 3 MVP(s): "My keepers Trinity Atkinson (So.) & Kennedy Franks (Fr.) for their big saves during the game and PK's," said Coach Landry. "Also Cadence Sanders (Sr. MF) & Jacie Meredith (Sr. F) for their goals and quality of play."
Regional Semifinals Matchup: v. Georgetown
Keys to the Game: "Our keys to playing Georgetown are going to be high pressure on ball, eliminating passing lanes, speed on the offensive side for us and just playing hard."
Prospectus: Barbers Hill has been on a tear throughout this UIL postseason.
After breezing past Santa Fe in the first round, the Eagles knocked a top-notch Foster team out of the playoffs in PKs, which was followed by a nerve-wracking penalty shootout win for the ages against Angleton.
With a rapidly-maturing duo of goal keepers, and seniors providing experience on the attack, BHHS' stars complement each other exceptionally in every third on the pitch. Experience and consistency is the key to maintaing postseason longevity. Fortunately, for Barbers Hill, they have that and then some as they prepare to face Georgetown.
"Our team's greatest strength throughout the post season would be their GRIT & HEART to play together as a team," Landry said.
Port Neches-Groves Indians
Photo by Emily Mire of NDN Press--Acquired via HC Aimee Bates
Port Neches-Groves Indians
2022-23 Regular Season: 12-1-1/District 17-5A Champions
Head Coach: Aimee Bates
2022-23 Playoffs:
- Bi-District: 4-0 Win v. Manvel
- Area Round: 3-0 Win v. Fulshear
- Regional Quarterfinals: 2-1 Win v. Friendswood
Round 3 MVP(s): "I can't say because so many of them had a part in that win," said Coach Bates. "Marlee Sonnier (Sr. F) and Ava Zumo (So. F) did the work up top and created a lot of opportunities for our team. Our midfielders put in the work to balance our attack and get behind the ball to help with Olivia Schmidt..."
"Ariana Sandoval and Emma Bates were box to box all night. Our defense shut down an all state forward with their tenacity. Alexis Blotner is our senior who ran things back there and Holly Husen stepped up as a freshman at centerback because Ansley Husen tore her ACL against Fulshear. It was a new position and she handled it well. Addison Blotner caused problems for their left winger all night. It was a team victory and I'm proud of all my kids."
Regional Semifinals Matchup: v. Belton
Keys to the Game: "Belton is a solid squad with a fast speed of play," Bates said. "We believe we can disrupt their play and wreak havoc on them. We may not have as many chances as they have but we will execute ours when we have it. We know we are the underdogs in theis match and we are here to embrace it and pull off an upset."
Prospectus: PNG Girls Soccer has become a model of postseason consistency over the past near-decade, having reached the Regional Tournament six out of the last eight years.
The kicker is that the Indians have yet to advance past this point, but Head Coach Aimee Bates and her team are confident in their ability to do just that.
"We put in the work all year on how to treat each other and talk to each other," she said. "We do numerous team building activities and talks so the foundation is laid. It makes it hard to beat us because they are fighting to stay together one more week. Our strength on the field is our grit. We never give up. We have 19 girls that get after it and are gritty.This is our year!"
They will be facing an equally consistent Belton team that's coming off a big-time win against A&M Consolidated (3-0) which could prove to be troublesome.
However, if their preceding performances are any indication, this could easily become the game of the year for PNG. Stay tuned.
CLICK HERE TO KEEP UP WITH THE UIL 5A GIRLS BRACKETS (Regions 1 & 2)
CLICK HERE TO KEEP UP WITH THE UIL 5A GIRLS BRACKETS (Regions 3 & 4)
Barbers Hill Girls Soccer following their Area Round victory
LEVEL UP: 5A Girls surging to Regional Quarters
The UIL Soccer Area Round provided another series of intense competitions between the finest clubs Texas has to offer.
Following some exceptional performances, which featured a myriad of nail-biters on the pitch, several Houston teams are advancing to the Regional Quarterfinals, with fans in tow.
Here are the H-Town teams (5A-Girls) primed to maintain their momentum in Round No. 3 of the UIL postseason, this Friday and Saturday.
5A Girls Soccer
*Record Format: W-L-T (Tournament games not included)
*List is ordered alphabetically
A&M Consolidated Tigers
2022-23 Regular Season: 14-0-1/District 21-5A Champions (14-0)
Head Coach: Caleb Blakley
2022-23 Playoffs:
- Bi-District: 7-0 Win v. Ellison
- Area Round: 0-0 (6-5 Penalty Shootout) Win v. Hendrickson
Difference-Maker: Sophomore GK Abby Rowse--Excellent performance in-goal was capped off by two clutch saves in PKs to send the Tigers to Rd. 3
Regional Quarterfinals Matchup: v. Belton
A&M Consolidated after their Area Round victoryPhoto provided by HC Caleb Blakley
Angleton Wildcats
2022-23 Regular Season: 13-3-1/Finished 2nd in District 18-5A
Head Coach: Jennifer Briggs
2022-23 Playoffs:
- Bi-District: 2-1 Win v. Crosby
- Area Round: 2-0 Win v. Milby
Difference-Maker: "After a 13 year drought of not reaching the Regional Quarterfinals game, this was a special moment for us," said Coach Briggs. "At the time, we had 6 girls out due to injury (including 4 starters), so the win against a feisty Milby team was a total team (and bench) effort."
Regional Quarterfinals Matchup: v. Barbers Hill
Photo provided by Angleton HC Jennifer Briggs
Barbers Hill Eagles
2022-23 Regular Season: 12-2/ Finished 2nd in District 17-5
Head Coach: Bonnie Landry
2022-23 Playoffs:
- Bi-District: 3-1 Win v. Santa Fe
- Area Round: 2-2 (3-1 Penalty Shootout) Win v. Foster
Difference-Maker Senior Forward Jacie Merideth led the Eagles' attack with two goals. In addition, the goalkeeper duo of Trinity Atkinson (So.) and Kennedy Franks (Fr.), paired with center backs Jasmine Garcia (Sr.) and Aly Valdez (Jr.), provided the defensive push Barbers Hill needed to advance to the third round.
Regional Quarterfinals Matchup: v. Angleton
Photo provided by Barbers Hill HC Bonnie Landry
Friendswood Mustangs
2022-23 Regular Season: 13-3-1/District 18-5A Champions (12-0)
Head Coach: Laura Peter
2022-23 Playoffs:
- Bi-District: 2-1 Win v. Goose Creek Memorial
- Area Round: 5-1 Win v. Waltrip
Difference-Maker: Senior Forward Olivia Schmidt-- The team captain had a hat trick in the Mustangs' second-round victory over Waltrip. These three goals bring Schmidt's season total to an astounding 42 (122 career total).
Regional Quarterfinals Matchup: v. Port Neches-Groves
Friendswood Girls Soccer post-victory in the Area RoundPhoto provided by HC Laura Peter
Magnolia Bulldogs
2022-23 Regular Season: 10-3-1/Finished 2nd in District 21-5A
Head Coach: April Cleveland
2022-23 Playoffs:
- Bi-District: 6-0 Win v. Waco
- Area Round: 4-1 Win v. Bastrop
Regional Quarterfinals Matchup: v. Georgetown
Port Neches-Groves Indians
2022-23 Regular Season: 12-1-1/District 17-5A Champions
Head Coach: Aimee Bates
2022-23 Playoffs:
- Bi-District: 4-0 Win v. Manvel
- Area Round: 3-0 Win v. Fulshear
Difference-Maker: The PNG Defense--Coach Bates' backline has been outstanding all season, allowing a mere 13 goals against the 124 the Indians Attack has scored, which is capped off with the two consecutive shutouts to start the postseason.
Regional Quarterfinals Matchup: v. Friendswood
PNG Girls Soccer following their win over FulshearPhoto provided by HC Aimee Bates