Cinco Ranch thwarts Tompkins’ bid in OT
Russell scores pair of goals, lifts Cougars to state
An all-Katy ISD regional final ensured the district’s chokehold on girls soccer in Houston would continue.
But to say it didn’t matter who won Saturday would be far from the truth. Cinco Ranch is glad to wrestle back the regional title it lost a year ago.
The Cougars bested Tompkins 3-0 in overtime in Saturday’s Class 6A Region III final. Cinco Ranch avenged a 2-0 loss to Tompkins in last year’s regional final.
Katy ISD is sending a team to state for the seventh consecutive year. Cinco Ranch is headed to a state tournament for the fourth time since 2014.
“Especially last year losing in this game, I think coming back this year we put in so much work so that if we did get to this game and we did see Tompkins again, we’d be ready to put in a fight,” Cinco Ranch defender Ali Russell said.
It was a fight until four minutes remained in overtime. That’s when McKenzie Chew’s goal broke a 0-0 deadlock. By the first minute of the second overtime, Russell netted two goals, and Cinco Ranch suddenly held a 3-0 lead.
Despite Katy ISD and Cinco Ranch’s success regionally, the district is without a title in girls soccer in the last six trips to the state tournament.
Just two teams in those trips made the state final — Seven Lakes in 2012 and Tompkins last year.
There is Katy Taylor’s 2006 state championship, however. Cinco Ranch is looking for its first.
MEMORIAL 3 ROUND ROCK 1
Memorial capped its first trip to the regional tournament with a win over Round Rock in the Class 6A Region II championship game at Kelly Reeves Athletic Complex in Austin.
The Mustangs, ranked eighth in the state, defeated two other ranked teams in No. 1 The Woodlands and No. 9 Round Rock en route to the title.
The Houston area has two Class 6A teams in the UIL state bracket this year.
In the 10th minute of the game, the Mustangs’ dynamic duo paired up for a goal. From about 38 yards out and offset to the right, Grace Collins sent a ball into the box where Grace Yochum was waiting to head it in the net.
Yochum played Collins into the box from the middle third in the 50th minute. Collins beat the charging Round Rock goalkeeper to make the lead 2-0.
Collins later sent a low cross to Alina Khan, who scored the game’s last goal for the 3-1 win.
“They just work well off each other,” coach Lindley Amarantos said of Yochum and Collins. “I feel like they don’t even have to say where the other one is. Every single girl on this team has had a hand in getting us here and I’m proud of all of them.”
KINGWOOD PARK 2 TOMBALL 1
Kingwood Park finally broke the regional barrier.
The Panthers withstood lightning delays and held on for a win over Tomball in the Class 5A Region III final at Turner Stadium.
Now the newly crowned Region III-5A champions are heading to state for the first time in school history.
“We’ve been pushing,” coach Jess White said. “There have been a lot of quality players who’ve come through, and everybody who’s come through has had a part in building the legacy we want.”
Kingwood set the standard for Humble ISD girls soccer, securing state titles in 1995 and 1999, but Kingwood Park is the district’s first state qualifier since Kingwood’s last appearance in 2004.