“It’s just so cool and so rewarding. This is why they do this. It’s not just the winning but it’s the playing together and being able to be around each other. They all did it together."
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Seven Lakes made school history in more ways than one Saturday.
It was an accomplishment that Seven Lakes hadn’t achieved before and hadn’t been done by a Katy ISD school hadn’t done since Cinco Ranch in 2015 and 2016 when the Spartans clinched state tournament appearances with both winning the Region III-6A Final on Saturday, which came in an All-Katy ISD regional final after both Seven Lakes teams as well as the Jordan girls and Cinco Ranch boys advanced all the way to the fifth round.
“It’s just so cool and so rewarding,” said Seven Lakes girls head coach Kaitlyn Eidson after her teams regional final win. “This is why these girls do this. It’s not just the winning but it’s the playing together and being able to be around each other. They all did it together, it’s the teamwork and positivity that got us here and I’m so proud of them.”
It was a big moment for both programs For the Seven Lakes girls, it clinched the programs first state appearance in 12 years and their third overall. The last time the girls got to the state tournament they won in the semifinal before falling to Plano West in the Class 5A State Final. The Spartans had plenty of playoff success over the past few years but had found it tough to get past the third round. Once they did break through this year though, the Spartans (19-3-5) kept going and made it all the way to state, where they will face Prosper (24-2-2). The Eagles are riding a six game win streak and have been tough defensively in the playoffs, only allowing four goals through their five games to make it all the way to the semifinals. It will be a tough task for the Spartans, but they are ready for a battle to try and keep making history.
“Every practice and every day we work harder and harder and that’s what is going to keep us going,” said senior captain Wagoner Towsen. “We’ve been prepared for anything and this team has so much heart. This means so much to everyone and we just have to keep pushing like we have been.”
For the Seven Lakes boys, they continued to make history. The Spartans clinched their third straight regional trophy and state appearance in a dominant 4-0 win over Cinco Ranch. In doing so they became the first team in 33 years to win three straight regional trophies out of the region, going back all the way to Klein in 1991.
Seven Lakes has been on a tear all season and especially since suffering their only loss in the teams regular season finale to Cinco Ranch. Since the playoffs started, the Spartans have allowed just two goals and have scored 19, upping their season total to 109 goals in 26 games, while they have only given up 15 goals all season.
“It’s a difficult thing to do this three times in a row, it hasn’t been done in 33 years and to be able to share that kind of accolade with them is a wild thing,” said Katy boys head coach Jimmy Krueger. “It just shows what we’ve been able to do with this program and I’m just ecstatic for these guys and everything that they have put into this program to get us here.”
For Seven Lakes (23-1-2), this is about more than just a game. The Spartans want to put their place in Texas history and cement themselves as a dynasty and the first boys program to ever win two state titles in a row. But it will be no easy task to do that. The Spartans will face a challenge in the state semifinals against Duncanville (20-2-3). The Panthers have been a force in the playoffs and have only given up one goal in five games, but have only managed four goals in their last four games as well. It will be a battle of strengths as Duncanville tried to hold a dominant Seven Lakes attack at bay, but the Spartans are excited for it know exactly what it takes to advance.
“Our guys have been to Georgetown and have experienced this, they know what needs to be done,” Krueger said. “We have a plan for this upcoming week to recover and be ready. It’ll be another gauntlet but they’ll be ready.”