By ROY HESS, Staff Writer
The Lopez Lobos and Porter Cowboys are going to this week’s UIL state soccer tournament in Georgetown guided by coaches who have taken their teams there before.
It’s the first time for two Brownsville teams to go to state during the same season as Lopez is advancing in Class 6A and Porter is going in Class 5A.
Actually, this is the fourth time for 19th-year Lopez coach Amadeo Escandon to guide the Lobos to state, while Porter coach Jose Espitia, now in his ninth season, previously took the Cowboys to state in 2011. Two other coaches directed the Cowboys to state in 1984 and 2006. Lopez previously advanced to state with Escandon as coach in 2004, 2009 and 2014.
There’s a bond of friendship between the coaching staffs of the two schools, particularly between the head coaches, as Espitia was an assistant under Escandon in 2004 when the Lobos brought home the Class 4A state title.
“I tell everybody that Coach Espitia is like my little brother, the little brother I never had,” said Escandon, a 1987 Hanna graduate who played soccer for Coach Juan de Dios Garcia. “I love Coach Espitia. To me, he’s top class because I know the person behind the coach. I think that’s even more important than knowing him as a coach. He’s an excellent person.”
Espitia, a 1997 Lopez graduate, responded by saying, “As soon as our (regional final) game (in Corpus Christi) was over last Saturday (and we had beaten Pace 2-1 in overtime), Coach (Tom) Campos, our athletic coordinator, came over to congratulate us and he told me that Lopez had won, too (1-0 against San Antonio Reagan to qualify for state).
“To be honest, I was very happy for Coach Escandon because he’s a close friend of mine,” Espitia added. “I have that special connection with Lopez because I played soccer there under Chico Jimenez and I was a state champion with them (as an assistant coach). To go to state together and have the possibility of both of us coming back home with a state championship is unimaginable. It’s something very special. We’ll be there for their game on Friday, and I hope they can make it to our game (on Thursday).”
The state tournament starts Wednesday and runs through Saturday at Georgetown ISD’s Birkelbach Field.
Porter (26-0-1) plays its 5A state semifinal against El Paso Eastlake (22-2-1) at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, while Lopez (21-2-1) goes against Austin Lake Travis (24-1) in the 6A state semifinals at 7:30 p.m. Friday.
Over the years, Escandon has had several assistant coaches. Abraham Torres has been the Lobos’ assistant since 2008. Also, for three seasons now, Ricardo Alaniz and Josue Ruiz have coached the Lobos at the sub-varsity level.
“Being part of this team as a coach is a blessing to me,” said Torres, a 1997 Porter graduate. “It’s something really special because it goes beyond just the sport, and I think that’s what I like the most. The players see that we (as coaches) want them to progress in life. It’s not just about the game of soccer. We want them to be better beyond the field and those are the lessons we try to pass on to them.”
Regarding his coaching staff, Escandon said, “We’ve clicked ever since we started working together. It’s like we have a small family (of coaches) here. They understand the way we think, and not only that, they go the extra mile for the team. They’re patient and they work with the players. It’s a big plus to have a coaching staff like that.”
At Porter, Espitia’s coaching staff includes Eddie Buentello, Adrian Navarro and Antonio Serrano, who primarily works with the junior varsity.
“It’s kind of a combined total effort of everything on this coaching staff,” Espitia said. “Each one has something to contribute. You put that together with the team we have right now and we hope it’s going to make the difference at state.”
Espitia said Buentello, now in his sixth season, is a strong motivator for the team and works with the goalkeepers, while Navarro, just in his first season with the Cowboys, stresses fitness and nutrition while contributing some successful set plays to the offense. Serrano, a retired physician from Matamoros, also is in his first year at Porter and is helping the team with medical advice and sports psychology.
Navarro, a 1996 Porter graduate, previously helped out with Lopez soccer as a volunteer assistant. He was a midfielder/forward for the Cowboys prior to graduating.
“For me, this is a great opportunity to be here and have a chance to join in this big journey to state and to share this dream with the players,” Navarro said. “The potential of this team has no limits. I’ve seen the players grow and mature physically, mentally and emotionally. I don’t think they’ve reached their cap. We haven’t seen the greatness yet that this team is capable of.”
Added Buentello, “I actually graduated from Hanna (in 1983), but I bleed blue now. I wouldn’t change this for the world. I’m so proud to be working with these players. They are very humble and working hard towards their goal, which is to hopefully bring back a state championship.”
Roy Hess covers sports for The Brownsville Herald. You can reach him via email at [email protected]. On Twitter he’s @HessRgehess