ESPN RISE

Please excuse Junior Gonzales if he sounds a little overconfident when talking about the Sachse boys' soccer team

"There are a lot of good soccer teams in Texas," the senior forward said. "We're pretty sure we're going to win district, and if we bring everything we have, we have a good chance to win state."

When you realize Sachse is 15-0-1 and sitting at No. 6 in the latest ESPNRISE FAB 50 rankings, it's easy to understand why Gonzales is excited about his team's chances this winter.

But when you also boast three of the best players in the state, there are expectations that come along with that excitement.

"We have a lot of seniors on the team, and we knew this was going to be our year at the start of the season," Gonzales said. "We have a good group of players, and we're playing really good right now."

Gonzales, who moved from Peru to the U.S. four years ago, leads the team with nine goals. His father is a former member of the Peru national team.

"[Junior] hasn't committed to play anywhere next year, but is looking for the best opportunity for him to succeed," Sachse coach Jacob Bruehl said. "He's a hard worker and leads by example."

And then there's SMU-recruit T.J. Nelson, a member of the U-17 residency program. Considered by many to be one of the top offensive forces in Texas, Nelson has been the Mustangs' emotional leader this season.

"Everyone is clicking and working hard," said Nelson, who will officially sign his letter of intent Wednesday. "Everyone knows what their roles are, and if someone gets down on themselves, I get their head back up."

Nelson also looked at Maryland, South Florida and Louisville before deciding to play for in-state SMU.

"I wanted to stay close to home, and SMU was a good fit for me," Nelson said. "But while I'm excited to sign on Wednesday, I'm more worried about this season."

While Gonzales and Nelson have carried the offense, Brady Woods has been huge in the back. The 5-foot-10 goalie has 15 shutouts in 16 games this season, allowing a mere two goals in the other contest.

"Brady holds every possible goalkeeping record in our school," Bruehl said. "He hasn't decided whether or not he wants to continue playing in college, but he can."

Woods said he's still looking around at colleges to find the right fit. And there's a good chance someone is looking for someone with Woods' experience and talent between the pipes.

"I actually became a goalie by accident when I was 10," Woods said. "I was playing forward and our goalie got hurt.

"I volunteered to be goalie and since then I've been in goal. I like having the pressure to save the game when your team really needs you. This is our last chance, and we're all playing for the same thing -- a state title."

Joe Trost covers soccer for the Chicago Sun-Times and contributes to ESPNRISE.com. You can reach him by e-mail, joetrost@hotmail.com .