By Joshua Koch
The last time Humble ISD had two boys soccer teams reach the Regional Tournament of the UIL playoffs came in 2021.
This year, three squads have advanced their way past the first three rounds to reach the fourth round and sit just two wins away from being crowned Regional Champions and punching their ticket to the UIL State Soccer Tournament.
Humble and Kingwood Park were last in this round in 2021. That same year the Panthers advanced to the UIL State Tournament and fell in the Class 5A State Championship match. Kingwood is in the Regional Tournament for the first time since 2013.
Mustangs back in Regional Tourney for first time since 2013
When Bryan Jennings filled out his first starting eleven for the 2024 season, the 10th-year Kingwood boys soccer coach had to write in a lot of new names.
Coming off the 2023 season, which saw Kingwood win the District 21-6A Championship, the Mustangs graduated 17 seniors.
“The biggest thing we were struggling with was how were we going to get chemistry with the [Junior Varsity] group that was coming in,” Jennings said. “Those guys were undefeated the previous three years, so we knew we had talent coming in but we also had talent already there returning.”
That combination of new talent and the varsity experience returning to the roster for 2024 ended up being the right mix for Kingwood.
The Mustangs went 11-3 in district play to capture another District 21-6A Championship and once in the playoffs defeated Sam Rayburn (2-0), Shadow Creek (3-1) and Alief Elsik (2-0) to advance to the Region III-6A Semifinals on Friday.
“We’re excited, obviously, kind of proud of ourselves,” Jennings said. “A lot of new faces this year. We won district last year but we graduated a lot of those guys, so getting them on the same page this year and having the run we’ve had has been pretty rewarding.”
Kingwood faces Cinco Ranch on Friday at 7:30 p.m. at Deer Park ISD’s Abshier Stadium in the Region III-6A Semifinals.
Kingwood has gotten contributions from all parts of the roster, forcing Jennings to not settle on team captains this season but instead go with a rotation.
“It’s not been one consistent person all year, it’s been several and they just kind of pop up when we need them,” Jennings said. “It’s been a blessing because the egos have been put aside when it comes to leadership. But no one has been afraid to step up and be a leader when the opportunity has been presented.”
Jennings has seen leadership from a lot of his players but a majority of it has come from his seniors, including Matthew Coronado, Miguel Andrade and Renzo Matamoros and junior Caden Cherrington.
On the pitch, Jacob Smith has led the charge with a team-leading 16 goals and six assists, while Gio Duque has chipped in 11 goals and Mateo Arroyo has netted 10 goals as well.
Kingwood is one of three Humble ISD boys soccer teams to make the Regional Tournament this year, joining Humble and Kingwood Park.
To have three teams from the district playing in the fourth round is special for Jennings.
“For us to bring two to the table and also Kingwood Park in Class 5A, it kind of shines a spotlight that soccer is pretty good on the East Side as well,” he said.
Wildcats in Regional Tournament for second time since 1992
Saul Keene has bled Humble purple for more than the past two decades.
This year marks his 22nd at the school, while his 19th as a coach and the last 11 of that has come as the head coach of the Humble boys soccer program. Keene is Humble.
Since 1992, the Wildcats have only reached the Regional Tournament one other time until now.
With a dominating 3-0 victory over Strake Jesuit, it punched Humble’s ticket back to the fourth round for the first time since 2021 – marking the second trip in four years – and just the third in the past 32 years.
“We came into the season constantly saying ‘Positive Talk’,” Keene said. “I embraced it as well. It’s one of those things that seems a little mechanical at first but after a while it just becomes a part of the culture and part of the atmosphere. The guys learn to celebrate the positives instead of focusing on the negatives and that becomes contagious. This has been one of my favorite years coaching.”
Humble faces defending Class 6A State Champion Seven Lakes on Friday at 5:30 p.m. at Deer Park ISD’s Abshier Stadium in the Region III-6A Semifinals.
So, what has fueled this run?
Keene openly admits that the 2023 campaign was disappointing for his program. The expectations were high at the beginning of the year but ended up taking the fourth seed in District 21-6A and in the first round of the playoffs and fell to Dobie, 3-0.
The goals were set in the offseason and the players rose to the occasion.
As Humble enters the Regional Tournament, the Wildcats do so after finishing second in District 21-6A, posted a 19-5-1 overall record and have rattled off playoff victories over Channelview (3-0), Alief Taylor (1-0) and Strake Jesuit (3-0) and outscored opponents 7-0 in three matches.
“There was a level of maturity in our seniors specifically and the experience that they had,” Keene said. “And to be able to use that sort of failure to become a motivation is exactly what you’re looking for in the development of any player.”
Seniors Aaron Rodriguez and Luis Lopez have been catalysts to the success of Humble this year.
The duo were a part of that 2021 squad that fell to Katy Tompkins in the Regional Semifinals and also last year’s early exit, so they’ve seen it all.
“They know what it’s all about,” Keene said. “So, they were able to come into this season with that experience and that perspective to help out the rest of the squad.”
Rodriguez has been marked up throughout the season, while Lopez is a prototypical center back, who can be shifted up to play forward and Julian Salazar has come on after being injured earlier in the year. Then Ernesto Avila in goal has helped pitch three clean sheets this playoff run for the Wildcats.
In District play, Carlos Reyes led the team with 11 goals, while Rodriguez had nine, Lyon Hernandez had six and Salazar with five. Adrian Beltran led the team in assists with 10, while Reyes had eight and Lopez had five.
If Humble and Kingwood both win their respective matches on Friday, it would create an all-Humble ISD Region III-6A Championship. A rematch of the 1992 Regional Final.
“I just think that would be an instant classic,” Keene said.
Kingwood Park back in Regional Tournament for first time since 2021 State Run
When Christian Boehm took over the Kingwood Park boys soccer in 2022, he inherited a roster that had just experienced the thrill of not only reaching the UIL State Soccer Tournament the previous spring but also playing for the ultimate prize.
The expectations were set.
In just his third season at the helm, Boehm – who came from Magnolia West – has Kingwood Park back in the Regional Tournament as they will face West Mesquite in the Region II-5A Semifinal on Friday.
“I feel like it’s a long road to get here,” Boehm said. “Anytime you take over a successful program it’s never easy. And after a State run, there were high expectations all around the board. I’m glad within three years we were able to get back to the Regional Tournament and hopefully advance.”
Kingwood Park faces West Mesquite at 4 p.m. on Friday.
The Panthers went an impressive 7-1-2 in District 16-5A play to capture the top seed heading into the playoffs. Wins over Hallsville (5-2), Lovejoy (4-0) and Longview (3-0) – an explosive 12-2 goal differential – has gotten Kingwood Park to the fourth round and a 20-2-2 mark.
“The first day when I thought that we could make a run at the tournament is the day we beat Nacogdoches at Nacogdoches,” Boehm said. “Last year’s District Champs, they only lost three guys, so when we went into that hostile environment after a long bus ride, after being in school all day and we were able to come away with a 2-1 victory, I felt like it could be pretty special this year.”
With only six seniors in the program this year, Boehm has been impressed by how the team has meshed well with older players with varsity experience and the younger players that want to come in and earn playing time.
Finn Bruce and Luke Cavallo are two seniors that have started in all three years of Boehm’s tenure. And for the third-year coach, this duo has helped implement the culture that would help get them to where they want to be.
Along with that duo, Boehm admits that their success this year has been a team effort with solid play from the likes of Grant and Evan Jimmerson who stand out on the stat sheet, and then Noah Laughlin in goal who has produced 11 shutouts this season. The entire backline has also played a key role.
“Without a team effort, those guys who have the stats can’t do the things that they do,” Boehm said. “I think that’s important.”
Kingwood Park is not alone in this Regional Tournament journey as fellow district mates Kingwood and Humble will be competing in their own tournament at the same time. With the same goal in mind – State Tournament.
“I think it speaks volumes for the district,” Boehm said. “The support we receive from the district is unmatched anywhere I’ve ever been. The support has just been tremendous. Soccer in the area has always been great, and I love the fact that we have three teams putting it all together.”