By ROY HESS, Staff Writer
It took a comeback effort by the Lopez Lobos to reach the Region IV-6A Tournament final.
In Friday’s back-and-forth Class 6A regional semifinal soccer match at Brownsville Sports Park, the Lobos led 1-0 at intermission, then quickly fell behind 2-1 in the second half. Lopez eventually prevailed 3-2 against Schertz Clemens, thanks to a pair of goals from close range by Sebastian Benavides during a seven-minute span down the stretch.
“To help my team win with those two goals was very good,” said Benavides, a reserve sophomore forward. “It makes me feel very happy to get those opportunities (to score) and come through.
“When we fell behind (2-1) we were only thinking that we just needed to score,” he added. “We were going to fight to the very end to get those goals and win.”
The District 32-6A champion Lobos (20-2-1) advance to the regional final at 1:30 p.m. today at BSP against District 26-6A champion San Antonio Reagan, a 3-2 winner against Laredo United South, also Friday.
Prior to the boys final, the regional girls final will be played at 11 a.m. between San Antonio O’Connor and San Antonio MacArthur.
District 25-6A runner-up Schertz Clemens ended its season 21-6.
“We came out in the second half and scored right away, which is what we wanted,” Schertz Clemens coach Aaron Wong said. “And then we went up 2-1. It was a wide open game, and that’s the way we wanted it because that’s the type of game we play. Then it was 3-2 (in Lopez’s favor).
“The game was fun to watch for the fans, but not to coach,” Wong added. “Any time you lose, it’s not fun.”
The first half almost ended scoreless until with just under two minutes to go before intermission, Lopez’s Jose Echavarria dribbled in close from the right side and fired a strong shot on a narrow angle that hit the left post and richoted in.
At that point, the Lobos were feeling pretty good about their chances coming out of the intermission. But things quickly changed when Schertz Clemens’ Chase Billings tallied from the right side about 12 yards away just a minute into the second half to tie the score at 1.
Things became even more dire for the Lobos 10 minutes later when Schertz Clemens’ Michael Maldonado scored from close range to give the Buffaloes a 2-1 advantage.
“It took us by surprise when they scored that early (second-half) goal on us,” Lopez coach Amadeo Escandon said. “When they scored (to make it 2-1), we just pushed up (on the attack). We told every one of our guys that we were going to go for the win
(by stepping up our offensive pressure). Even after we tied (2-2), we still kept it up because we wanted to go for the win (in regulation play).”
Benavides wasn’t about to let his team lose. With 22 minutes remaining, he scored from inside the box to pull the Lobos even at 2.
Still, he wasn’t done.
The Lobos took a corner kick from the right side with 15 1/2 minutes left. The Schertz Clemens goalkeeper caught the ball off the corner kick and was trying to secure it when it somehow slipped out of his hands. Benavides immediately reacted and nudged the loose ball forward with his chest to account for the Lobos’ game-winning goal.
Friday’s win sends the Lobos to the regional final for the second time in three years.