5 Dallas-area players to watch in the 2024 UIL boys state soccer tournament

We're almost to the Final Four in the high school boys soccer playoffs, with four teams from each division punching their tickets to this weekend's state championship tournament in Georgetown.

Here are five players to watch in the boys state tournament who will fight to lead their team to a state title.

Click here to see the girls team players to keep an eye on.

Players to watch

Jesus Diaz, Duncanville GK

Diaz was the key factor in Duncanville reaching the state tournament for the first time since 1986, when it won its only boys soccer title. He allowed just one goal in the entire postseason after posting eight shutouts in Duncanville's regular season campaign. The senior's playoff highlights included saving a 22nd-minute penalty against Cypress Woods and stopping the first two shots in the shootout against the Woodlands in the regional semifinals.

Ayden Hildreth, Midlothian M/F

After a breakout year as a sophomore in which he scored 12 games in district play and four in the postseason, Hildreth emerged as one of the area's top scorers in his junior season. During the regular season, he ranked fourth in the Dallas region with 25 goals and finished in the top 10 with 15 assists. He is key to success for an offense that averages four goals per game.

Adrian Rodrigues, Frisco Wakeland GK

The key to Frisco Wakeland's dominant defense this season has been its goaltending. Senior Adrian Rodrigues is among the region's leaders with 13 shutouts this year, including four in the postseason, where he allowed just a single goal in a 4-1 regional quarterfinal win over Prosper Walnut Grove.

Tanner Bowman, Frisco Wakeland D

Wakeland head coach Andy Holt praised Bowman alongside Rodrigues for the success of his team's defense as he anchors the group at center back this year. Bowman was instrumental in Wakeland's last two playoff victories, which secured him a trip to state. The defense held both McKinney North, which averages four goals per game, and West Mesquite, which averages 3.4 goals per game, scoreless.

Morgan English, Flower Mound, GK, senior

English saved two penalty kicks to help Flower Mound to a victory over El Paso Eastlake in the 6A Region I semifinals. The next day in the Class 6A Region I final, he stopped Prosper's first-half penalty attempt. That stop preceded Landon DeLeeuw's goal that ultimately led to the win.

Find more high school sports coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.