Series Review: Houston Legends vs San Antonio Soldados

Authors: Whitney Ho and Brandon Borges

Introduction:

Heading into the weekend, all eyes were on the narrative clash: the San Antonio Soldados’ long-awaited debut and the Houston Legends’ push to reconfigure their season. One side entered with expectations of a Benepe Cup run, the other with the urgency of an 0-3 start and a roster still finding itself. What followed was a series that largely lived up to the script: San Antonio’s system, speed and depth carried them to a convincing 3-0 sweep. But beneath that result was a tale of growing separation and narrowing margins. For the Soldados, it was a successful launch, full of highlight moments, dominant stretches and proof that their star-laden lineup can gel quickly. For Houston, it was another step in a long-term build, one that, despite the record, revealed real flashes of cohesion, toughness and an emerging identity.

Game One:

From the opening whistle, Game 1 between the Houston Legends and San Antonio Soldados brought intensity and personal stakes. Hayden Boyes, formerly Houston’s head coach and now leading the Soldados, wasted no time making a statement, drilling a clean center hoop shot in transition to open up scoring. But Houston came prepared, responding with a perfectly executed hammer play, as Andrew Acosta capitalized on strong positioning from Caleigh Duvall and Kevin Raber to bury a mid range shot and tie the game.

That opening exchange reflected the early flow: composed, well-structured offenses on both sides, trading calculated strikes. But it didn’t take long for San Antonio’s beaters, namely Baldemar Nuñez and Kristopher De La Fuente, to take over. Their ability to dictate tempo and dismantle Houston’s hoop zone was central to San Antonio’s rhythm. Whether it was drawing Houston’s beaters away from hoops or applying direct pressure, they created room for chasers like David Avila, Catherine Hay and Izzy Ramirez to capitalize. One especially sharp sequence saw Nuñez pull both beaters upfield while De La Fuente locked in near the hoops, freezing Houston’s defense just long enough for Hay to score off a stalled play (clip).

Houston's offense, in contrast, leaned heavily on improvisation and individual playmaking. Wyatt Fredrickson made a statement off the bench, barreling through a soft contest to score, and Brandon Kubena brought the thunder with a soaring dunk over two defenders from behind hoops (clip). But as the game wore on, Houston’s passing began to fray under pressure. Risky decisions and errant connections gave San Antonio transition chances, which the Soldados rarely wasted. A pass from Alyssa Villalba to Christian Cortez off a well-set hammer by Brandy Gomez was a textbook example of the Soldados' coordinated offensive system (clip).

As the clock passed the 20-minute mark and the game transitioned to flag runner play, the Soldados held a 150-100 lead. The Legends kept one beater back to protect hoops, but San Antonio’s offensive depth continued to shine. Theron Ratliff, in particular, erupted off the bench. After Javi Tijerina surprised Houston with a clean beat while down a beater, Ratliff picked up the loose ball and delivered a thunderous fast-break slam, a highlight moment that was emblematic of San Antonio's takeover of the game (clip).

But Houston refused to fold. Sean Allen answered the slam with one of his own, powering through a defender and hammering home a dunk in traffic (clip). But it was too little, too late. Avila and Ramirez kept pouring in goals for the Soldados and De La Fuente, even while engaged in the seeker game, found time to free up Avila for one final drive. Seconds later, Cortez pulled the flag, sealing a 225 - 120 Game One win and giving San Antonio a commanding start to the series.

Game Two:

After a lopsided Game One, the Legends came into Game Two looking to change the tone, starting with their defense. Switching to a more aggressive 2–2 zone, Houston disrupted San Antonio’s opening possession and immediately converted on the other end with a sharp pass from Aaron Price to Juan Acevedo behind hoops. The quick strike showed Houston’s intent to stay compact on defense while relying on opportunistic attacks to counter the Soldados’ pace.

But San Antonio responded with signature precision. A hammer play, disguised by decoy beater action from Nuñez, freed up Villalba for the Soldados’ opening score. From there, San Antonio seized momentum. A series of aggressive presses forced Houston into rushed passes; Matthew Blackwood intercepted one and scored and Jay Stewart picked off another to set up Ramirez, who had an outstanding game and series. Within minutes, a 10-0 Houston lead flipped into a flurry of Soldado goals.

Houston struggled with both execution and urgency. Long passes intended to stretch the defense repeatedly fell into enemy hands or dodgeball coverage. A sequence where Chase Contreras’ pass to Acevedo was deflected by Avila and quickly converted into a goal at the other end underscored how sharp San Antonio’s transition game was operating (clip). Fredrickson tried to power through with a solo drive but was beat before the finish, a symbol of Houston’s uphill battle in trying to score without clean setups.

Defensive hustle gave Houston some hope. Conner Mason and Sophia Araujo fought to gain control and beat out scoring threats, but second-chance points, like a recovered ball that Hay fed to Boyes for a goal, kept the pressure on. Houston’s biggest adjustment came after a timeout at 10:18, where they began to settle in and go to Spencer Quintana more often. From that pause, they pieced together a pair of clean goals. First, Araujo poked a dodgeball loose and Quintana capitalized with a powerful dunk (clip). Then, field-flipping passes opened space for another Quintana score.

Still, San Antonio’s rhythm rarely faltered. Whether it was D’Adrian Avila drawing the defense and dishing to Ramirez, or Tijerina setting up Cortez with a fast break, the Soldados continued to finish efficiently. On one drive, Ramirez spotted Robinson alone on the far side and threaded the needle for an easy finish.

Houston tried to answer with a fast break from Ashron Jeanlewis and Ansel Depano, but both were met by powerful tackles, one by a hard hit from Riley Moehlmann, the other by a statement-level tackle from John Alvarez that lit up the San Antonio bench (clip). Physicality had finally entered the series in a big way.

Down 130-90 at the 20-minute mark, Houston kept fighting, with Acevedo scoring on a second-chance dunk and Allen delivering solid defensive stops. But once beaters started to alternate between playing the seeker game and the quadball game, San Antonio pulled further ahead. De La Fuente pounced on Acosta near the backline and Cortez pulled the flag to all but seal the game. San Antonio added one more for flair, as Villalba finished a well-orchestrated final possession at center hoop (clip).

Final score: San Antonio 195 - Houston 100. The Soldados now hold a 2–0 series lead, with one more chance to close out a clean sweep.

Game Three:

With the series already decided, Game Three offered Houston one last chance to salvage momentum, and they came out like a team determined not to go quietly. After a few early stops and a methodical offensive tempo, Allen powered through multiple defenders, setting up Quintana for the opening goal. Moments later, a power play created by a Jay Stewart foul gave Mallory Hughes her first score of the series. Then Hughes followed it up with a breakaway goal in stride, pushing the Legends to a 30-0 lead and breathing life into their bench.

This wasn’t the Houston that had faltered in the first two games; they were energetic, unified and executing. Their 2-2 zone looked crisp, Duvall and Mason were holding their own against Nunez and De La Fuente and Hughes led the charge on both ends. Even after Boyes halted the run with a well-executed hammer play, Houston answered with sharp ball movement and a clean finish from Acevedo.

But San Antonio, as they’ve done all series, regrouped with frightening efficiency. Boyes, Avila and Nuñez found their rhythm again and Houston’s long passes began to unravel. A bobbled connection was punished immediately: Boyes scooped it up and fed Ramirez for a fast-break goal. A few possessions later, Raber absorbed a beat to free up Acevedo for another Legends goal (clip), but the tide was turning.

Then came the spark: Tijerina turned up the pressure at mid-pitch, landing a series of long-range beats that shut down three straight Houston possessions before they could cross half. Each beat set up Ratliff, who scored a trio of thunderous dunks in transition, including a windmill slam that gave San Antonio its first lead of the game (clip). Houston, already struggling to maintain spacing, had no answer.

With Targonski joining the transition party and Avila cleaning up around hoops, San Antonio extended the lead to 110-70 by the 20-minute stoppage. And while Houston had kept pace early, their offense reverted to long, floaty passes that were too easy to intercept or beat. Their defense, meanwhile, started to collapse under the weight of San Antonio’s speed and vision.

And then … Stewart.

With Houston desperately trying to hang on, Acosta turned the ball over under pressure. Stewart grabbed the quadball, raced to the hoop and, in one of the most outrageous moments of the season, hurdled and took his whole body through the left hoop with the ball in his hand, never knocking it down, never falling and finishing the goal in mid-air (clip).

From there, it was academic. San Antonio continued to pad the lead and Houston, emotionally and tactically exhausted, couldn’t answer. The final score: San Antonio 170 - Houston 80. The Soldados completed the sweep in emphatic, highlight-reel fashion and left no doubt about their status as a serious contender in the South.

Post-series Analysis:

San Antonio went into the weekend with one goal — to win decisively — and they accomplished it. The Soldados used their athleticism efficiently and pushed the pace of the game, leaving the Legends behind. One of the most common ways that San Antonio scored goals on Houston was through tight defensive discipline and awareness of their teammates, opening up quick transition plays that didn’t allow for Houston to gather their bearings. Additionally, second chance goals were crucial for San Antonio, their determination and drive outlasting their opponents and lengthening their leads. The key to success this time around lay in team chemistry, seen in effortless passes on offense and communication and expertise on defense. The Soldados thrived on fast chaos, allowing for goals that come from multiple calm and collected passes on offense while simultaneously mixing in fast single-player efforts to continue to prove their situational awareness and game IQ.

The Soldados used this weekend to prove the depth of their roster, utilizing every player (college and club alike) to keep their starters fresh and allowing for rookies and less experienced MLQ players to shine. The newer Soldados, including but not limited to Ramirez, Ratliff and Targonski, certainly made their mark when playing with both veterans and their collegiate teammates. Some other players who will haunt the Legends’ dreams include Stewart, Cortez and Villalba, three MLQ vets that came into the series calm and collected and left Houston with notable team and individual successes. Stewart, whose hoop jump goal is not being talked about enough, was electric the entire game as he weaved in and out of Legends challengers to tally four goals, four assists and four stops. The impact that Cortez left in the endgame cannot be understated, catching twice in crucial moments with one catch ending the game. Additionally, Villalba tallied two game winning goals as part of her five goal and two assist showing.

It would be a great disservice to all those who watched this series to not mention the impact that the Soldados’ college players on this roster had throughout the night. At certain points in the game, four to five out of the six players on the field were college students, showing Coach Boyes’ trust in his team and their impact on the series’ result. Avila, a collegiate standout from Texas State, was the Soldados’ top goal scorer of the series with nine goals and three assists. Tijerina, one of the University of Texas San Antonio’s foundational beaters, tallied six stops with an average of 1.52 dodgeballs across 25 drives. He also used his signature aggression and fast pace to recapture control in crucial moments. The future of the Soldados is certainly bright. Along with the more experienced players on the roster, the team came together and had an excellent showing of skill, technique and effort to defeat Houston. When the Soldados continue to be successful this season, keep an eye out for strategies and chemistry built up by this series.

Though the series ended in a sweep, Houston showed real flashes of resilience, particularly in Game Three, where they opened with a 30-0 run and finally looked like a team playing with urgency and cohesion. Their defensive adjustments, including a more aggressive 2-2 zone and better dodgeball management in key stretches, allowed them to contain San Antonio’s early attacks and force more contested shots. Offensively, when the pace was deliberate and their spacing intact, Houston was able to generate quality looks, especially through downhill drivers and midrange shooters who weren’t afraid to take contact. Several rookies also stepped up under pressure: Quintana made crucial defensive rotations and timely finishes, Fredrickson attacked the hoop with confidence and Allen brought physicality and toughness on both sides of the ball. Their contributions point to a promising future core taking shape.

What ultimately undid Houston was inconsistency, both in execution and decision-making. Throughout the series, long passes and rushed transitions led to costly turnovers, often punished immediately by San Antonio’s elite transition game. Even when they had control, possessions sometimes unraveled due to hesitation or miscommunication. Defensively, moments of strong structure were often followed by lapses in rotation or overextensions from chasers trying to make solo plays, leaving the team vulnerable to quick passes or second-chance scores.

Still, there’s a foundation here worth building on. Houston’s physicality, defensive potential and flashes of offensive clarity suggest a team capable of turning the corner. If they can clean up their passing decisions, develop better cohesion between chasers and beaters and channel the energy they played with in Game Three across a full series, they’ll be a dangerous matchup for anyone. This is a team with the pieces; now it’s about aligning the vision.

Standout Performances:

Jackson Vaughn (Commentator) - A masterclass in solo play-by-play. Vaughn’s commentary elevated the entire viewing experience, striking the perfect balance between accessible insight and passionate delivery. His descriptions were sharp, his pacing matched the intensity of the action and he captured big moments with energy and clarity, without ever veering into overstatement. In a series full of highlights on the field, Vaughn’s performance behind the mic was a standout in its own right.

Kristopher De La Fuente (SA) - A steady anchor in the beater game across all three matches. De La Fuente’s timing and control helped neutralize Houston’s offensive momentum and ensured the Soldados retained dodgeball dominance in key moments. His positioning was crucial to San Antonio’s ability to dictate pace and field position.

David Avila (SA) - One of the most consistent finishers in the series. Avila’s ability to create space near the hoops and convert with composure added a layer of reliability to the Soldado offense. Whether receiving passes on the fast break or finishing broken plays, he was always a threat.

Christian Cortez (SA) - Brought constant pressure and energy to the chaser game. Cortez’s willingness to challenge physically and his disruptive defense helped create turnovers and slow down Houston’s rhythm. He played a key role in keeping Houston’s ball-handlers uncomfortable all series. Two flag catches by Cortez also sealed the series for San Antonio.

Mallory Hughes (HOU) - Delivered her strongest performance in Game Three, sparking Houston’s early run with breakaway goals and relentless energy. Her assertiveness and physicality helped shift Houston’s tone when it mattered most.

Juan Acevedo (HOU) - A consistent scoring threat across the series. Found space behind hoops, converted under pressure, and often kept Houston’s offense afloat during slower stretches.

Players to Watch:

Javien Stewart (SA) - Dynamic and elusive, Stewart flashed brilliance in key moments throughout the series. His creativity with the ball and scoring instincts gave San Antonio a spark, especially in Game Three where he delivered a series-defining highlight reel dunk.

Baldemar Nuñez (SA) - The former Legend played with intensity and intelligence, often shifting the game with smart beats and high-field awareness. Nuñez was instrumental in disrupting Houston’s hammer sets and forcing them into long, difficult possessions. His experience and timing make him one of the most valuable beaters in the South.

Hayden Boyes (SA) - In his first series as head coach, Boyes remained a field general on the pitch. His quick-decision offense, sharp passing and ability to orchestrate hammer plays brought immediate cohesion to the Soldados. His leadership was on display every game, and his offensive vision continues to set the standard.

Andrew Acosta (HOU) - Showed playmaking potential with sharp passes and confident drives. If he can find more consistency under pressure, he’ll become a central offensive weapon for Houston.

Sam Reagan (HOU) - Quietly impactful in the beater game. Made smart beats in transition and helped stabilize the defense in key moments. A veteran that continues to bolster Houston’s beater game.

Sean Allen (HOU) - Provided physicality and composure on both ends of the field. A steady presence who absorbed contact, created space and showed leadership potential throughout the series.

Notable Rookies and Sophomores:

Theron Ratliff (SA) - One of the most explosive players on the field. Ratliff delivered highlight-reel dunks, lockdown defense and emotional momentum for the Soldados, especially in Game Three. His blend of power and speed makes him a rising force in the league.

Izzy Ramirez (SA) - Ramirez showed great awareness in spacing, making herself available for finishes and contributing smart passing reads. She scored seven goals—second-most of any player in the series—in an incredible debut performance for the rookie. As her confidence grows, so will her impact in this versatile chaser group.

Nate Targonski (SA) - A breakout presence on both ends. Targonski made several clutch defensive plays, including blocks and interceptions, while also capitalizing on transition chances. His instincts and athleticism suggest he’s poised for a big leap, especially playing for a team with as diverse of an offensive system as San Antonio.

Spencer Quintana (HOU) - Stepped up in big moments with efficient finishing and smart rotation. Looked comfortable under pressure and contributed on both sides of the ball.

Wyatt Fredrickson (HOU) - Fearless attacking presence that made an immediate impact off the bench. With more polish, could develop into one of Houston’s go-to scorers.

Conclusion:

In many ways, this series showed us what we expected: San Antonio has the pieces, the pace and the coaching to make a serious championship run. Their ability to adapt, rotate and turn defenses into instant offense was a constant threat, and when players like Tijerina, Ratliff and Stewart caught fire, Houston simply couldn’t keep up. But it also revealed that Houston isn’t far from turning potential into results. Their Game Three surge, breakout rookie contributions and ability to contest extended stretches show that while they aren’t contenders yet, they’re learning what it takes. For San Antonio, the path forward is about sharpening what’s already elite. For Houston, it’s about staying the course and continuing to grow. Both teams leave this series with something to prove, but only one with a perfect record.