As 5-year-old Chase Bennett ran around the soccer field at his rec game, nothing could ruin his joy – not even a messed-up cleat. Instead of taking a break to fix his shoe, Bennett ripped off his cleat and continued on with the game. 

“His love and his passion was always soccer from the time he was 4 years old,” said his mother Amy Bennett, who also signed him up for other sports growing up. “There was just absolutely no question it was always soccer.”

Bennett showcased that passion all season, especially during the playoffs in which his play has been crucial. He scored four goals and had one assist in the first three rounds of the playoffs. The senior captain will try to extend the season tonight as the Panthers (20-3-2) play in the Regional Finals against Lake Creek (17-4-3). Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. at Turner Stadium.

Kingwood Park is one game away from reaching the State Semifinals in UIL 5A-Division 2. The last time the team reached the state semifinals was 2021. 

A lot has changed in the boys soccer program in the past four years. After losing in the 2021 UIL 5A State Finals, then-coach Ryan Searle left Kingwood Park to take over the 6A program at Cinco Ranch in Katy. Coach Christian Boehm took over at Kingwood Park, where the boys program went through a period of transition.

In Boehm’s first two seasons with the team, the Panthers were eliminated in the first round of playoffs. They boys reached the Regional Semifinals in 2023. Now, the senior class that were freshmen when Boehm took over have no interest in their final season ending yet.

“This has a lot to do with Boehm, because he changed the culture so much from my freshman and sophomore year to this year,” Bennett said. “We just completely bought into that culture and we want to do what he says, and we’re just following his example perfectly.”

The team as a whole has also grown closer. They celebrate together after every goal, they eat as a team at Chipotle before every game and they just enjoy playing together. 

“The boys understand that they are unrecognizable from last year,” Boehm said. “We had a great team last year. We had a great season, regional semifinals last year. But we are a little bit different this year, and I think the whole team aspect of the game is really showing up where everybody just plays for each other.”

The players credit the team culture as one reason they have been able to step up in the big playoff games. The Panthers defeated Rudder High School, 4-2, in the Bi-District round and Port Arthur Memorial, 2-0, in the Area round.

The Panthers faced a tough Terry High School team in the Regional Semifinals. Terry had lost just one game all season, but the Panthers ended Terry’s season with a 3-2 win. 

“We were a little nervous for Terry, because they were supposed to be really good and they were really good, but we held our own,” said Bennett, who scored one goal against Terry. “We played really well and got a win.”

The success has shown the depth of the Panther squad, especially since they have been without junior Ronan Flaherty in all three playoff games. Flaherty, who still leads the team with 15 goals and has 8 assists, has been sidelined with an injury.

Bennett has been key in helping fill part of the void, leading the team with four playoff goals.

“I don’t know if you can actually fill the void left by Ronan’s injury, but Chase helped us out in the last game,” Boehm said. “He was in the right spot for us at the right time, and he worked really tirelessly for us up front.”

For the Regional Finals game the team gets to showcase their talents at Turner Stadium, about a 20 minute drive from the school, making it easier for friends and family to come support. 

“[I’m most excited about] the support, like our fans, parents and some students might travel and come watch it,” sophomore Kye Wehby said. “It’s really cool to put the school on the map again and to really get us going in the UIL playoffs.” 

Wehby has 12 goals and 11 assists this season. He scored in the Regional Semifinals and also assisted Bennett’s goal in the game against Terry. Wehby and Bennett have grown close over their past two seasons together. The connection is clear on and off the field.

“When I was the freshman on varsity he was one of the only people I knew going into the season, so he kind of took me under his wing as a junior,” Wehby said. “This year he stepped up to that again, and we’ve been even closer than last year, you know, just guiding me through stuff. If I get crazy on the field, he’ll be the one to calm me down. He’s really special.”