Smithson Valley High School’s Morgan Heintz arrived at Saturday’s Texas Association of Soccer Coaches Organization’s Senior All-Star match, the overlapping of a nearly decade-old journey defined by fields located only one-quarter mile apart.

North East ISD’s Blossom Athletic Center Soccer Stadium hosted the annual showcase of many of the state’s top graduating players. Across the street, aspiring soccer players went through the paces at the Classics Elite Soccer Academy. The full-circle moment wasn’t lost on Heintz, who almost a decade ago moved from Dallas and played for the local club, and last month helped the Rangers capture their first UIL Class 5A Division I state championship at Birkelbach Field in Georgetown. On Friday, the team had its banquet, reflecting on a history-making season that produced a 29-0-0 record and a national ranking — No. 8 by MaxPreps and No. 10 by United Soccer Coaches.

“It’s just been absolutely amazing,” said Heintz, a midfielder who is signed with Incarnate Word, of the aftermath of the title. “The feeling still hasn’t gone away of just winning it all. It’s kind of bittersweet because you can’t play with the same group of girls again. We honestly formed a sisterhood. I knew it was going to be the last time I could represent ‘SV.’ “

On a 90-degree afternoon, Heintz made the most of the occasion as she and her Region IV teammates romped past the Region III squad 7-2. Region IV consisted of players from San Antonio and Austin, and Region III was comprised of athletes from the Houston area. Smithson Valley’s Jason Adkins, Round Rock’s Chad Aldrich and Wimberley’s Eric Nichols made up the Region IV coaching staff. Each led their respective team to UIL state championships a month ago. Nichols previously was Smithson Valley’s head boys soccer coach.

“It’s just the cherry on the top,” said Adkins, who played on the same field as a student at MacArthur in the mid-1990s and coached on it when Smithson Valley was in the same district with North East ISD schools. He and his sons Parker and Cooper, who play at Pieper, won state titles on April 10. Parker played in the TASCO all-star match. “(It’s) just great to see seniors come out and compete one more time.”

Steele’s Londyn Johnson capitalized on her high school swan song, recording three goals on the same field that her father Kerwin played on while at Madison in the late 1980s and early 1990s, before going on to an All-American career at Incarnate Word. He is now the head women’s soccer coach at Texas Lutheran University in Seguin.

Beset by injuries during her first three prep seasons, the Texas-Rio Grande Valley-bound Johnson helped Steele this season win a district championship and advance to the 6A Division I regional semifinals before falling to eventual state champion Round Rock.

“At times and points in my life, I was doubting myself that I couldn’t do anything,” Johnson said of the injuries.” Just the continuation of (people) pushing me, saying ‘You got it’, just helped me a lot to get to this position. Playing with some of the top players in San Antonio, they really got me the ball. Just grateful for the opportunity.”

With Johnson leading the way, Region IV jumped to a 3-0 advantage at halftime and a 5-0 margin early in the second half. Smithson Valley’s Addi Briscoe and Lilli Sandoval of 4A Division II champion Wimberley had two goals apiece. Pieper’s Jade Chalker, Canyon Lake’s Savanna Oberholtzer, Reagan’s Emi Durante, Warren’s Yadhira Castillo and Sandoval each added an assist. Region III closed within 5-2 behind goals from Tyler Weaver and Concepcion Maya of 6A Division II state champion Humble Kingwood, before Region IV responded with two goals to erase the momentum.

In the boys contest, Region IV climbed from a 2-0 halftime deficit, scoring three unanswered goals to grab the lead, before Region III scored in the latter stages to forge a 3-3 draw. Blake Dildy of 5A Division II state champion Pieper scored all of Region IV’s goals.

Region II topped Region I 4-2 in the boys matchup, and Region I prevailed 3-1 in the girls contest.

terrence@terrencesports.com
X: @sa_terrence1