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The team will hold a bake sale on June 6 from 4:30-7:30 p.m., in front of Shotguns.
Courtesy Photo by Whitney Adamietz
June 6, 2025
Bandera Lady Bulldogs selected to play semi-pro soccer
By Jessica Nohealapa’ahi
The Bandera Prophet
Six Bandera girls have been selected to play semi-pro soccer for the HCYSA Tejanos.
Coached by Jon Fauner-Shantz, recent Bandera High School graduate Madi Lewis, BHS Sophomore Mariska Collazo, Freshmen Emma Rynarzewski, Gracelyn Upton and Jessa Haws, and eighth grader Sienna Collazo advanced from the BYSO soccer league to join athletes from all over the Hill Country. Lewis, Rynarzewski and Collazo played last year for the Lady Bulldogs varsity team; Upton and Haws played on the junior varsity team.
The Tejano Soccer Club was founded with one team in 2014. Eleven years later, the club has 12 teams and 200 players from Medina, Center Point, Comfort, Kerrville, Fredericksburg, Harper, Hunt, Ingram and Mountain Home. HCYSA and BYSO formed a partnership two years ago, with the Bandera All Stars Tournament. Competing in the semi-pro United Premier Soccer League, the Tejanos are the youngest team with an average age of 16 - other players are at the college level.
“We knew it would be a big challenge, but we wanted to take it on and get better as a team,” Fauner-Shantz said. “Our goal is to remove barriers to playing the best sport in the world.”
Coached by Jon Fauner-Shantz, recent Bandera High School graduate Madi Lewis, BHS Sophomore Mariska Collazo, Freshmen Emma Rynarzewski, Gracelyn Upton and Jessa Haws, and eighth grader Sienna Collazo advanced from the BYSO soccer league to join athletes from all over the Hill Country. Lewis, Rynarzewski and Collazo played last year for the Lady Bulldogs varsity team; Upton and Haws played on the junior varsity team.
The Tejano Soccer Club was founded with one team in 2014. Eleven years later, the club has 12 teams and 200 players from Medina, Center Point, Comfort, Kerrville, Fredericksburg, Harper, Hunt, Ingram and Mountain Home. HCYSA and BYSO formed a partnership two years ago, with the Bandera All Stars Tournament. Competing in the semi-pro United Premier Soccer League, the Tejanos are the youngest team with an average age of 16 - other players are at the college level.
“We knew it would be a big challenge, but we wanted to take it on and get better as a team,” Fauner-Shantz said. “Our goal is to remove barriers to playing the best sport in the world.”