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REGIONAL QUARTERFINAL PREVIEW: Plano vs. Allen boys soccer
With three rounds of playoffs in the books, state games are just around the corner. Before teams can get to that point, though, they still have a bit left to play! UIL Class 6A Region I soccer is slated to see some of the best teams in the state face off for their chances to continue chasing a title. With two great seasons behind them, Allen and Plano are set to face-off on Friday, April 1st. So, what can fans expect from this regional quarterfinals matchup?
Plano Wildcats (16-4-3, 8-3-3)
Finishing at the top of their district this season, the Wildcats have made sure to leave no stone unturned. Dropping only three games in district play, Plano has been led to success with smart offensive play. With 10 shut-outs to their name, the Wildcats entered playoffs strong- ready to prove everything that they are. The team has come out victorious over some of the strongest teams in the area including Garland, Rowlett, Hebron, Plano West, and more. In playoffs, Plano ended runs for Denton Guyer and Lake Highlands.
Allen Eagles (16-4-2, 9-1-2)
The Eagles finished in the first place spot in their district with a77% win percentage. The team posted big wins over the likes of North Mesquite, South Garland, Prosper, Denton Braswell, and more en route to playoffs. Led by Matios Nebiyou and Rocky Otzizul, the Eagles have outscored their opponents by a combined 26 goals. Their ability to take a strong lead has helped the Eagles defeat Coppell and Irving so far in playoffs.
What To Expect:
Allen is on a mission to get back to where they were last season. Because of that- they are willing to pull out all the stops during the regional quarterfinals. Fans can expect to see the Eagles play with sharp-witted defense against Plano's offense. Plano is ready to prove that they have what it takes to take down a team with the reputation that Allen has. Last season, Plano fell in the first round of playoffs. This season, they've taken each game by storm.
Fans can expect to see a hard-fought match. Although Allen is consistent and typically prepared to succeed, the Eagles might underestimate the power of Plano. Plano has proven to be just as consistent as Allen all season and may just have some tricks up their sleeves still! The match is set to begin at 7 p.m. at Children's Health Stadium in Prosper.
Thursday Night Showdown Preview: Flower Mound Marcus vs. Plano on CW33
It's week six of Texas High School Football which means it's week six of Thursday Night Showdowns in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Tonight, the Flower Mound Marcus Marauders face off against the Plano Wildcats in a game that you're not going to want to miss! VYPE DFW has the scoop on what you should be watching out for in this game:
Flower Mound Marcus Marauders (2-2)
The Marauders have started the season with a 2-2 start- both losses coming against strong opponents (Dallas Jesuit, 38-34; Flower Mound, 17-14). Last week, Flower Mound Marcus went head-to-head against in-town rival Flower Mound where the two fought to the finish in a close matchup. Despite the loss, fans of the Marauders can expect to see them enter Thursday night's matchup ready to add a win to their record.
Marcus is led by senior quarterback Jaxxon Warren who has thrown for over 1,000 yards in four games. The 6-foot-5 athlete has racked up 10 passing touchdowns with a 68% pass completion rate. Catching the majority of Warren's touchdown passes has been junior four-star wide receiver, Ashton Cozart. Cozart has four receiving touchdowns to his name with nearly 290 receiving yards on 20 catches. Not far behind is teammate Isaac Khattab- a junior wide receiver who has accounted for three receiving touchdowns with 232 yards on 13 catches. Both wide receivers can be expected to put on a show Thursday night. The lead rusher for the Marauders is senior running back Walker Wells who has tallied 145 rushing yards and one touchdown on 37 carries. Senior wide receiver, Gabe Espinoza, has also racked up quite the rushings stats with three rushing touchdowns on 117 rushing yards.
Plano Wildcats (1-3)
The Wildcats have had a bit of a quieter start to the season having already lost three games. With a rollercoaster start to the season, Plano has lost to Byron Nelson (28-22), Lake Highlands (56-21), and Coppell (35-13). Their only win came in a week 2 60-7 dominating win over Rowlett. The Wildcats are going to have had to put in a lot of work this week in order to go toe-to-toe with the likes of Flower Mound Marcus.
So far this season, the Wildcats have used a trio of quarterbacks including senior Michael Dorsey, junior Austin Gonzalez, and senior Grant Garcia. The three have combined for 788 passing yards and eight touchdowns. Garcia has led the charge throwing for 597 of the total yards with seven touchdowns. Dorsey has accounted for three receiving touchdowns with 252 yards on 16 catches while senior wide receiver Savion Miles has tallied two touchdowns on 273 yards and 19 catches. Leading in rushing is junior Kameron Jones who has four touchdowns to his name with 335 rushing yards on 65 carries.
What To Expect:
Both teams want the win coming into this game, but ultimately it's Flower Mound Marcus' game to lose. Fans will see a strong outing from Warren who is looking to continue to add to his stats on the season. However, if Plano's defense can rise to the challenge, fans shouldn't count the Wildcats out just yet. Both offenses can be expected to get down to business in this battle, but the winner will come down to the strengths of the defenses.
Where To Watch:
If you can't make the game on Thursday night in Plano, be sure to catch all the action on CW33.