Dixon, H-F dominates TF United
Sophomore forward scores twice, adds assist in Class 3A regional opener
Dakota Dixon thought about taking up tennis when she was younger. She played softball for a while and also played basketball the last two years at Homewood-Flossmoor.
Now, though, the sophomore forward is convinced her future is on the soccer field. And she’s all in.
“I don’t think I’m going to play basketball next year,” she said. “I want to focus on soccer and play year-round. I want to play in college, so in order to do that, I feel like I need to keep building myself up as a player.
“I’m still a sophomore, so I have room to improve and I want to keep on getting better.”
Dixon is already giving opposing defenses fits.
She scored twice Tuesday night to reach 10 goals for the season. She added an assist as the sixth-seeded host Vikings rolled to an 8-0 win over 10th-seeded T.F. United in a Class 3A H-F Regional semifinal.
H-F (10-9-1) will take on second-seeded Sandburg (12-8) — a 9-2 winner over 15th-seeded Shepard — at 6 p.m. Friday in the regional championship game.
Solana Hernandez and Brooke Barber also scored twice for the Vikings. Avery Radosta and Haley Harrington each added a goal and Hernandez had two assists.
Mallak Ghnaim made four saves for T.F. United (6-8-2).
Dixon’s speed makes her tough to stop, something she realized at a young age. That’s what kept her on the soccer field.
“I started playing soccer when I was 5 years old and my sister played too, but then she switched to tennis,” Dixon said. “But I was like, ‘Wait, I’m fast, so maybe I should stick with soccer.’ I felt like I could bring something to the sport.”
Every day, Hernandez sees what Dixon gives to H-F.
“Dakota brings a ton,” Hernandez said. “She brings a lot of speed, a lot of strength. She’s always there where I need her to be
when I want to play those through balls.”
Dixon scored the first goal in the 13th minute when she fought off a defender in the box and found the net from 10 yards.
Less than five minutes later, she had a pretty assist when she saved the ball from going out of bounds along the left sideline, quickly turned and fired a pass into the box, where Radosta was able to volley a shot inside the left post for a 2-0 lead.
After Barber scored on a penalty kick and Hernandez made it 4-0 heading into halftime, Dixon scored again less than two minutes into the second half on a perfectly placed shot from 25 yards.
“She’s young and she’s been working hard,” H-F coach Ali Farkos said of Dixon. “We’ve moved her around a bit. We originally had her up top and we moved her outside.
“We noticed her dynamic is more playing on that flank and running onto the ball. We have Solana and Avery in the middle who can find her. Dakota’s been dominating.”
Hernandez and Barber each tallied their second goal as H-F pulled away in putting up a season-high eight goals.
Berenice Zepeda and Zayda Gil helped generate some offensive pressure for T.F. United, but the Vikings did not allow a shot on goal.
Emily Thompson, Eva Marete, Ariel Rose and Jane Ermshler led the defense for
H-F in front of goalkeeper Cristina Ramirez.
The Vikings took Sandburg to overtime May 3 before losing 2-1. They’re excited for another shot.
“This is a big confidence builder,” Hernandez said. “I think after what we were able to do in this game, we’ll be able to start off strong against Sandburg, which is a tough team.”