By ROY HESS, Staff Writer
LOS FRESNOS — The seven seniors on the Los Fresnos Lady Falcons soccer team hold a special place in coach Marissa Wood’s heart.
So much so that just thinking about their inevitable departure causes a tear to appear and roll down her cheek.
“This is my third year at Los Fresnos, and I’ve known these seniors the longest, so they’re kind of like my first daughters,” said Wood, who became the team’s head coach this season after two years as an assistant. “I’ve seen them grow as soccer players. They’re my family, and it’s going to be very sad (when they’re no longer on the team). You hope that you’ve made a difference in their lives, and I know they’ve made a difference in mine.
“These girls have made me fall in love with the game all over again,” Wood added.
The seniors, five of them starters, are midfielder/forward Cristen Lumbreras, goalkeeper Vanessa Ramirez, sweeper Samantha Serino, right wing Suzy Rodriguez, left wing Maria Leyva, backup midfielder Joseline Barcenas and backup defender/forward Pauline Garcia.
“I would love for my team to succeed,” said Leyva, a three-year starter and member of the varsity squad since her freshman year. “I want to leave high school with a legacy (of having played for the Lady Falcons). We’re more than a team because we’re like sisters on and off the field. We have this chemistry between us that is amazing.
“I love my team,” Leyva added. “I wouldn’t trade my teammates for anything. I’m so blessed to be with these girls and play soccer with them.”
Added Barcenas, “It’s an honor to play on this team. We know what we’re capable of doing and we believe we can go far this year.”
Two years ago, led by then-seniors Ariana “Pinky” Castillo and Nora Cordova, the Lady Falcons finished as the No. 1 team in the Rio Grande Valley with a 17-3 record after making their third appearance in four years at the Region IV-5A Tournament.
Most, if not all, the current seniors were on that 2013 squad, and they remember very well the success it enjoyed. The Lady Falcons went through a transition period last year and barely missed the playoffs.
The current seniors say they are motivated by the team’s past accomplishments and believe it is their time to shine.
““We’ve been coming along throughout the season,” said Serino, a three-year starter and four-year member of the varsity. “Yes, we’ve come up short in a some games and won some other big games. I just know we have the potential to get the district championship and do well in the playoffs. We want to make our town proud.
“Playing alongside these girls means a lot to me because (as a senior and captain) I think they look up to me, so I always try to do my best for them,” Serino added. “I want to help my teammates become better players and do the best they possibly can.”
Halfway through the District 32-6A race, the Lady Falcons, winners of the Brownsville ISD Tournament in January, are 5-2 with 14 points. That puts them in fourth place, closely behind Harlingen South (6-1, 18 points) and Lopez and Hanna (both 5-2, 15 points).
Los Fresnos dropped two of its first three district matches against Lopez and South, and has since won four straight games.
“We’re capable of going as far as we want in the playoffs,” said Lumbreras, a four-year starter. “There’s no limit for us. We just need to keep doing what we’re doing. We’re being coached very well, so we’re capable. I’m really proud of these girls and how far we’ve come. It’s been a great experience.”
Added Ramirez, also a four-year starter, “We’ve had time to bond with each other, and it’s just amazing to play with all my talented teammates. We believe we can do so much more this season.”
Roy Hess covers sports for The Brownsville Herald. You can reach him via email at [email protected]. On Twitter he’s @HessRgehess.