GREG LUCA | STAFF WRITER
LA JOYA — Freshman goalkeeper Edrei Barbosa felt he had already cost his McAllen High team a point in the District 30-6A standings. He wasn’t about to let the group lose another one.
After Barbosa’s critical misplay allowed La Joya Juarez-Lincoln to pull even with McHi in the final minute, the freshman stepped up with a pair of saves in penalty kicks to help the Huskies pull out a 2-1 win on Tuesday at La Joya ISD Stadium.
“I thought that I messed it up for the team,” Barbosa said. “In PKs, I knew I had to step it up, and I did.”
After regulation ended with one goal for each side, Barbosa saved a pair of penalties as Juarez-Lincoln failed to connect on its first three. He made one save diving full extension to his right, and another sliding to his left.
Those three stops allowed McHi to ultimately pull out a 3-2 win in the penalty round, with Brandon Rangel putting the nail in the coffin.
“I’m proud of the guys, that we came back and beat them in PKs,” McAllen High coach Fernando Segovia said. “My freshman goalkeeper stepped up and made big saves.”
Barbosa said he was surprised to be in the keeper role as a freshman, frequently going up against older and bigger players. Perhaps it was that inexperience that played a role in Juarez-Lincoln netting the equalizer with 23 seconds to play.
As a high, looping kick bounced towards the box, Barbosa said he charged when he wasn’t supposed to, allowing the Huskies’ Elias Adame to pop a header above his outstretched arms and into the back of the net.
Still, he said he was confident in his ability to read Juarez-Lincoln’s kickers during the penalty round.
“I was kind of sad because it was my fault that they got the goal, but now I feel happy for the team, because we got two points and we’re on top,” Barbosa said.
At 4-0, McAllen High is the only team that remains unbeaten in District 30-6A. Segovia said the strong start is a blessing given that the team was without its senior captain in Rangel for the first three games due to a fractured big toe on his right foot.
Tuesday marked his first game back in action, and he said he still couldn’t move in quick bursts as well as he typically does.
“I felt like I could’ve done more,” Rangel said, “but it was enough.”
Rangel got McAllen High on the board with 31:44 to play in the first half, when he rolled a penalty kick into the bottom left corner of the net.
When he stepped up to the ball again in the penalty round with the chance to seal the game, Rangel opted to go the opposite side, again finding the back of the net.
“The goalie and you both doubt if you should change directions or not,” Rangel said. “On this one, I changed, and it went in. So I’m very happy about that.”
Barbosa rebounds to lift McHi past Juarez-Lincoln
BY GREG LUCA
STAFF WRITER
LA JOYA — Freshman goalkeeper Edrei Barbosa felt he had already cost his McAllen High team a point in the District 30-6A standings. He wasn’t about to let the group lose another one.
After Barbosa’s critical misplay allowed La Joya Juarez-Lincoln to pull even with McHi in the final minute, the freshman stepped up with a pair of saves in penalty kicks to help the Huskies pull out a 2-1 win on Tuesday at La Joya ISD Stadium.
“I thought that I messed it up for the team,” Barbosa said. “In PKs, I knew I had to step it up, and I did.”
After regulation ended with one goal for each side, Barbosa saved a pair of penalties as Juarez-Lincoln failed to connect on its first three. He made one save diving full extension to his right, and another sliding to his left.
Those three stops allowed McHi to ultimately pull out a 3-2 win in the penalty round, with Brandon Rangel putting the nail in the coffin.
“I’m proud of the guys, that we came back and beat them in PKs,” McAllen High coach Fernando Segovia said. “My freshman goalkeeper stepped up and made big saves.”
Barbosa said he was surprised to be in the keeper role as a freshman, frequently going up against older and bigger players. Perhaps it was that inexperience that played a role in Juarez-Lincoln netting the equalizer with 23 seconds to play.
As a high, looping kick bounced towards the box, Barbosa said he charged when he wasn’t supposed to, allowing the Huskies’ Elias Adame to pop a header above his outstretched arms and into the back of the net.
Still, he said he was confident in his ability to read Juarez-Lincoln’s kickers during the penalty round.
“I was kind of sad because it was my fault that they got the goal, but now I feel happy for the team, because we got two points and we’re on top,” Barbosa said.
At 4-0, McAllen High is the only team that remains unbeaten in District 30-6A. Segovia said the strong start is a blessing given that the team was without its senior captain in Rangel for the first three games due to a fractured big toe on his right foot.
Tuesday marked his first game back in action, and he said he still couldn’t move in quick bursts as well as he typically does.
“I felt like I could’ve done more,” Rangel said, “but it was enough.”
Rangel got McAllen High on the board with 31:44 to play in the first half, when he rolled a penalty kick into the bottom left corner of the net.
When he stepped up to the ball again in the penalty round with the chance to seal the game, Rangel opted to go the opposite side, again finding the back of the net.
“The goalie and you both doubt if you should change directions or not,” Rangel said. “On this one, I changed, and it went in. So I’m very happy about that.”