The Dallas Morning News high school soccer writer Ishmael Johnson previews the upcoming boys and girls soccer seasons. Below you will find preseason rankings, teams and players to watch and more.
Boys preseason rankings6A Plano West Mesquite Dallas Jesuit Coppell Southlake Carroll Irving Mesquite Horn Dallas Skyline LD Bell Waxahachie
Others considered: Byron Nelson, Flower Mound Marcus, Grand Prairie, Richardson Pearce and Garland Rowlett
5A/others Prosper Walnut Grove Highland Park Fort Worth Castleberry Mesquite Poteet Saginaw Aledo Argyle Frisco Centennial Frisco Heritage Community
Others considered: Celina, Dallas WT White, Fort Worth Diamond Hill-Jarvis, Frisco Wakeland, Lake Dallas, North Mesquite and Sunnyvale
Girls preseason rankings6A Coppell Flower Mound Marcus Forney Flower Mound Prosper Southlake Carroll Sachse Byron Nelson Wylie East Duncanville
Others considered: Allen, Denton Guyer, Hebron, Keller and Wylie
5A/othersCelinaFrisco WakelandColleyville HeritageLife WaxahachieMidlothianRed OakHighland ParkLovejoy Argyle Grapevine
Others considered: Aubrey, Birdville, Midlothian Heritage, North Dallas and Prosper Walnut Grove
High School Sports
Boys teams to watchProsper Walnut Grove
The reigning Class 5A Division I state champions may also be the best pound-for-pound team in Texas. Despite losing a strong senior class, having Mason Kutch up front and Quinn Shelton in goal will give the program a strong chance at another top-tier season.
Highland Park
The team that won state before being stripped of the title for playing an ineligible player has plenty of motivation to make it back to Georgetown. Highland Park returns key contributors like Trey Shamburger and Jake Rhine for their senior seasons.
Fort Worth Castleberry
Castleberry was one game shy of winning its first state championship and a strong corp of returners will now inherit that responsibility this season. The likes of Gerardo Garcia, Fernando Hernandez and keeper Caleb Cataneda will be driving forces for the program hoping to make it a return trip to Georgetown.
Plano West
The top team in Class 6A is on a mission to prove last year’s run to the state semifinals wasn’t a fluke. Plano West’s 2025 season was the program’s best in nearly 20 years and even despite losing 13 seniors off the varsity roster, are in position to achieve similar success.
Irving Cistercian
A team to keep tabs on in the private school ranks is Cistercian in the Southwest Preparatory Conference, the reigning unbeaten Class 3A champions. The team is already 9-0 through the fall and looks poised to run it back.
Girls teams to watchKeller Timber Creek
What happens when a four-time state champion head coach takes a new job in Class 6A? Well, we’re about to see with Alexander Adams leaving Celina for Keller Timber Creek, a team that narrowly missed the post-season last year.
Celina
The pound-for-pound best team in Texas is going for an unprecedented fifth consecutive state championship but its first in that span without head coach Alexander Adams. On the sidelines, it may look different but with the likes of Taylor McMillan, Ryleigh Stifflemire and Emme Norman back, the on-field product may not show much difference.
Life Waxahachie
If it weren’t for Celina, more people would likely be talking about Life Waxhachie and its stellar underclassmen-led squad a year ago. Aria Nylund, who broke out as a freshman and leading goalscorer Kailee Armstrong make a return to challenge Celina’s reign in Class 4A.
Frisco Wakeland
Before losing in the Class 5A Division II state championship, Frisco Wakeland was in the midst of a 54-match win streak. The majority of that squad returns meaning they’ll have their chance at getting the program’s dynasty run back on track.
Fort Worth All Saints
The unbeaten reigning champions of TAPPS Division II bring back the majority of their team including leading goal scorer Karina Chavez who had nearly 30 goals as a junior.
Boys players to watchMason Kutch
Prosper Walnut Grove, Sr, MF
The reigning All-Area Boys Soccer Player of the Year is obviously one to watch this year after netting 37 goals and setting up teammates with 21 assists. He led Prosper Walnut Grove to an unbeaten mark and the Class 5A Division I state championship and was also named Gatorade Player of the Year. He’s not simply a player to watch, he might be the player to watch.
Hayden Gibb
Frisco Heritage, Jr, F
One of the breakout players from last season was Frisco Heritage’s Hayden Gibb. The junior was named District 11-5A’s Newcomer of the Year following his season that helped Heritage reach the regional final.
Tristan Campos
Sunnyvale, Jr, MF
Another breakout player last season was the reigning All-Area Newcomer of the Year, Tristan Campos, who vastly improved from his freshman season. The Sunnyvale junior midfielder led the team in both goals and assists with 23 and 15 leading the program three rounds deep in the playoffs.
Orlando Simincas
Plano West, Sr, F
Orlando Simincas’ late winner against Coppell was an eye-opening moment that sent Plano West to the playoffs. Simincas will play a major role in stepping up for a Plano West squad that lost 13 seniors.
Caleb Castaneda
Fort Worth Castleberry, Sr, GK
Caleb Castaneda is an all-state keeper who recorded over 60 saves last season and didn’t allow a goal throughout the playoffs until the state championship match. After already making the program’s first-ever state championship, Castaneda will be a big reason the Castleberry hopes to make a return trip.
Girls players to watchRhiannon Mahon
Prosper, Sr, D
The top defender in the D-FW area is also perhaps the top defender in Texas. Rhiannon Mahon is signed for USC and is already a multi-time national youth team call-up.
Taylor McMillan
Celina, Sr, F
One of the best players in the D-FW area last season was Taylor McMillan, a former All-Area First-Team forward. The junior had 35 goals and 12 assists as an underclassmen. She’ll be the crux of a Celina squad aiming for an unprecedented five consecutive state championships.
Neerali Kapadia
Coppell, Sr, F
The future Rice star is Coppell’s returning leading goal scorer with 14 goals and 19 assists during her breakout junior season that culminated with Coppell’s state title in Class 6A Division I. Kapadia was named to the First-Team All-Area team last season.
Leslie Retana
North Dallas, Jr, F
One of the state’s top scorers returns after a staggering 65 Goals and 18 Assists for North Dallas. Retana helped lead North Dallas to an 18-win mark in district alone and an area round playoff appearance.
Morgan Landry
Frisco Wakeland, Sr, MF
Morgan Landry was another former All-Area First-Teamer with 10 goals and nine assists as a junior. The Texas A&M signee was also the Midfielder of the Year in District 12-5A.
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