Trio fuels Boerne’s high-octane offense
BOERNE – Boerne’s run to the UIL Class 4A state soccer championship game has been fueled with an offensive juggernaut led by senior forward Rowdy Fritz, junior center midfielder Sam Theiss and junior left midfielder Landon Murphy.
Together, they have combined for 84 of the Greyhounds’ 112 goals this season.
“It’s been a build of chemistry, honestly, for the last three years,” Murphy said. “At first, it was rough when me and Sam came in as freshmen, but this year has been a huge example of our partnership on the field.”
Their production is a big reason why the Greyhounds are one victory away from capturing their first state championship since 2006.
Boerne (21-1-1) faces Fort Worth Diamond-hill Jarvis (26-4-2) for the title at 10 a.m. Saturday at Birkelbach Field in Georgetown.
“It’s beyond words to think we’re in a state final, and we’ve made it this far,” Theiss said. “We’ve been
dreaming about it. We’ve been joking about it. We’ve been talking about it all year. We’ve made it.”
Theiss is the team’s leading scorer with 32 goals followed by Fritz (26) and Murphy (23).
Fritz plays as a lone striker while getting support from a strong midfield led by Theiss and Murphy.
As the Greyhounds’ lone attacker on top, Fritz is often double- or triple-teamed. He’s adept at taking on defenders and either get the ball to teammates or attack with pressure on him.
“Some players are big and strong and can hold the ball,” Boerne coach Michael Strong said. “Some players have a lot of speed and can get behind the defense. He has everything. He has the length to keep defenders off him. He has some of the best skills I’ve ever seen.”
What makes the Greyhounds work so well is Fritz’s ability to play the ball deep in the attack. He’s a skilled passer and has tallied most of his 16 assists to Theiss, who usually attacks when he has the ball.
“He can find small gaps and thread a needle with the ball,” Theiss said.
Fritz didn’t play high school soccer last year after competing with San Antonio FC’S development academy. That’s experience has helped his return.
“The game feels a lot slower here, and it’s helped me a lot being able to move my mind quicker,” Fritz said. “It’s a good advantage. It gives me an edge.”
Theiss can attack from the midfield. He’ll either pass to Fritz or keep charging forward and knock the ball back to Murphy, who will trail him on runs.
“Sam does a great job of going forward,” Strong said. “He makes great runs behind. Technically, he’s very good at receiving the ball to his feet and taking space when he needs to. He’s deceptively fast. He’s not fast in a sprint, but he can move the ball quicker than you think he’s going to move it.”
The trio always seem to know where they are going to be.
“Sometimes, it’s like we are reading each other’s minds,” Theiss said. “It’s a huge advantage is we can get an extra step or extra yard because we know where each other is going to be.”
Their unselfishness is evident with their assists. In addition to
Fritz’s 16 assists, Murphy has 23 and Theiss has 19.
Boerne advanced to the state final with a 2-0 victory against Huffman Hargrave on Tuesday. Before that, Boerne defeated Hidalgo 7-0.
The Greyhounds have outscored opponents 112-14 and have shown they can score in droves. They have scored seven or more goal seven times and have reached double digits in goal four times. Boerne has recorded 14 shutouts, headed by senior defender Scott Hettie.
Strong is a former Alamo Heights star who named the UIL all-century boys soccer team in 2018 before he played at Kentucky.
He almost captured a state championship as a player when the Mules fell short to Red Oak 2-0 in the 2003 4A final.
Strong has conveyed his experience with his players this way: “Making it to state finals alone is a huge accomplishment, and it’s celebrated. Obviously, we have higher aspirations than that. It’s been a long time since Boerne soccer has had the opportunity to do something special and these guys have the chance to create a legacy.”