Texas boys, girls soccer teams to watch in 2017 UIL season

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After a month of training and a week set aside for scrimmages, UIL soccer officially kicked off its regular season on Jan. 5.

Following the conclusion of district play, the playoffs begin March 23 with regional tournaments April 7-8 and the state tournament set for April 12-15 in Georgetown.

Here are five teams to watch in each of the UIL classifications for girls and boys this season:

GIRLS

Class 6A
1. Carroll (Southlake): Texas A&M-bound senior Ally Griffin scored 49 goals a year ago in a 23-2 season that ended in a second-round shootout loss to Allen. 2. Flower Mound: Returning to help defend the 2016 state title after a 17-3-6 campaign are title game MVP forward Elena Reyna and midfielder Kendall James.
3. Cinco Ranch (Katy): Ali Russell and Katie Becker helped fuel a 19-3-3 record and a state semifinal berth in 2016.
4. Martin (Arlington): A year ago Martin equaled the school record for consecutive wins with 19 in a 23-4-1 season that did not end until a 1-0 overtime loss to Flower Mound in the Region I title game.
5. Klein: Midfielder Riley Kaderli and company want to go deeper in the playoffs after last year's 22-1-2 run ended in a Region II quarterfinal loss to Highland Park.

Class 5A
1. Highland Park (Dallas): After a 24-3-2 record and its second consecutive runner-up finish at state in Class 6A, the Scots drop back to 5A and return talented performers Natalie Dargene and Frances Ann Matise.
2. Centennial (Frisco): Among the returnees from last year's 22-2-2 state champions are four all-tourney picks, including MVP forward Katelyn Termini.
3. Grapevine: Among the Mustangs eager to improve on last season's 20-7-3 record that ended in a shootout loss in the state title match are talented forwards Sophie Smith and Ashton Wright.
4. Vista Ridge (Cedar Park): Coach Kristin Stone had her team playing at its peak at playoff time on the way to a 14-7-5 record and a state semifinal berth. Erynn Johns contributed some big playoff goals.
5. College Station: Midfielder Sasha Poltoratski and forward Hailey Daniel are two key holdovers from a 21-4-3 state semifinalist club.

Class 4A
1. Kennedale: Midfielders Alondra Olmos and Eryka McIntyre are back and thinking "repeat'' after a 27-2 record in 2016 ended in state title.
2. Jasper: Three all-tournament performers return including senior midfielder Macy Kendrick from a 23-4-1 state finalist club.
3. Argyle: Finished 18-7-2 a year ago and gave Kennedale its closest playoff match, losing 3-1 in a Region I quarterfinal. Senior Abbi Neece is coming off a 41-goal season.
4. Kilgore: The Region II champion a year ago finished 22-6-2 and returns talented juniors Kaitlyn Word and Leslie Bennett.
5. Boerne: Paige Marcell scored 36 goals with 17 assists when her team finished 18-5-2, bowing out of the playoffs in a 3-1 loss to Salado in the Region IV title game.

BOYS

Class 6A
1. Coppell: The unbeaten Cowboys stormed to a 24-0-2 record on the way to a state championship last season. Midfield should be a position of strength with the return of Alex Haas and Parker McClure.
2. Lake Travis (Austin): Made the state championship match a year ago while compiling a 24-2 record. Midfielders Luke Thompson and Marcelo Mitre head the list of returning starters.
3. Lopez (Brownsville): The Region IV champion a year ago finished with a 21-2-1 record and returns junior midfielder Jose Echavarria.
4. Reagan (San Antonio): The Rattlers saw their 2016 season end in a 1-0 loss to Lopez in the Region IV title match. Leading scorer Justin Sukow (13 goals, 13 assists) heads the list of returnees.
5. Alief Elsik (Houston): A Region III finalist a year ago with a 21-3-1 record was denied a trip to state by Cinco Ranch (Katy).

Class 5A
1. Porter (Brownsville): Looking for a state championship repeat after last season's 28-0-1 campaign. State championship game MVP forward Alexis Armendarriz returns along with keeper Mario Rios.
2. Pace (Brownsville): A Region IV finalist beaten 2-1 by eventual state champion and fellow District 32 foe Porter (Brownsville).
3. Eastlake (El Paso): The Region I champion went 22-3-1 last spring and returns productive forward Jonathan Hernandez.
4. Wakeland (Frisco): The state finalist came up one goal short of Porter in the state final a year ago and finished with a 25-1-1 record, but the Wolverines graduated 18 of their 26-player roster.
5. Pflugerville Connally (Austin): Posted four playoff shutouts on the way to a 19-6-2 record and state final four qualification. Returning is all-tourney selection Jose Rodriguez.

Class 4A
1. Palestine: Midfield looks to be in capable hands for the defending state champion with returnees Luis Zavala, Riley Harper and Chris Giron from last year's 30-1-2 club.
2. Progreso: Keeper Oziel Jaramillo, forward Fabrizzio Gonzalez and midfielder Rogelio Zamora top a list of returnees from last year's 22-6-2 state finalist.
3. Argyle: Midfielder Dylan Sadler and mates hope to follow up last season's 19-2-2 record with a return trip to the state tournament.
4. Kilgore: Took state champion Palestine to a shootout in a state semifinal last year. Jordi Contreras heads a list of returnees from a 19-2-7 squad.
5. Center: The runner-up to Palestine in District 18 a year ago made it to the Region III final and lost to the state champion 2-1.