Early soccer road trip bonds Keller boys into a team

The Keller boys soccer team didn't have much time to prepare for its season.

To avoid injuries, Keller coach Jason Bates limited his team's pre-district schedule. This year, the Indians (7-3-1) played a six-game slate (one game was rained out). Fortunately for Keller, four of those games, all away from home, forged a team.

The Indians left for a tournament in Wichita Falls on a Thursday and returned that Sunday. Keller finished the tourney 2-2 but came out with better chemistry.

"We came back with more unity and friendship," said junior Skyler Simmonds. "We have a lot of new players and underclassmen, but we bonded on that trip."

The players spent all of their free time together playing games -- pool and shuffleboard -- eating and hanging out.

"We might not all be superstars, the top players in the nation, but we are going to work hard," Simmonds said. "Now we are playing as one unit. It's the best feeling in the world to look around the field and know that you're playing with friends who are going to give 100 percent for you, like you will for them. It's reassuring."

Since returning from Wichita Falls, Keller has torn through 7-5A. The Indians started with a 2-0 win against Keller Central and followed with a 2-1 win against defending state champion Southlake Carroll. Keller beat Saginaw and Justin Northwest and on Tuesday night tied Denton Guyer for a 4-0-1 record in 7-5A almost halfway through district.

"This is a hard-working group that we have," Bates said. "I enjoy working with this team. It has made coaching them easy. We have played a lot of close games, and this district is very tight. It's a long district season, and we have to keep it going."

Familiar ground

Fort Worth Nolan Catholic feels at home at the TAPPS state tournament. The boys team won a state championship last year and has eight total titles; the girls have played in the state final 11 straight years.

This year is no different. The boys are set to play San Antonio Antonian in the Division I state semifinals, and the girls will play Houston St. Agnes in their Division I semifinals. Both games are today in San Antonio.

"This year is a little different because we have 10 underclassmen, but we are playing our best soccer right now," girls coach Todd Fitzgerald said. "At this point in the season, that's what you want."

But Dallas Ursuline is waiting in the other side of the girls bracket. Ursuline, which will play Dallas Bishop Lynch, has won 21 straight TAPPS state titles -- many against Nolan (13-7-7).

"Ursuline is always a solid team," Fitzgerald said. "But in the playoffs, everyone has a clean slate. We feel like we are clicking right now, and that's all we can ask for."

The Nolan boys team (16-2-2) is trying to advance to play for a second straight championship against either Plano John Paul II or Dallas Bishop Lynch.

"Antonian comes from a good district with strong teams this year," boys coach Adam Clementson said of Nolan's semifinal matchup. "We have great team chemistry. The boys work really hard together. They believe in what we are doing and are focused on getting another championship."

More TAPPS

Grapevine Faith Christian is the other area team playing in the TAPPS state tournament. Grapevine Faith is facing San Antonian Christian in the Division II semifinals.

Already crowned

The Fort Worth Country Day girls' season is over. And it ended with an SPC Division 1 championship, the school's second in three years.

Country Day's playoff run included three straight shutouts, 5-0 against San Antonio St. Mary's Hall, 1-0 against The Woodlands John Cooper School and 1-0 against Houston Kinkaid.

Brent Shirley

817-390-7760

Twitter: @bshirley08

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