Stefan Modrich | Staff Writer
CORPUS CHRISTI – After scoring the first of his four goals in Valley View’s 7-1 win over San Antonio Southwest Friday, Mario De Los Santos ran over to the sideline, grabbed a Spider-Man mask, slipped it over his face, and crossed his arms.
The defending Region IV-5A champion Tigers (17-13) rolled past the Dragons (18-8-1) to reach the regional final, with De Los Santos on the bench for much of the second half after recording a hat trick in the first half.
The Monitor’s 2018 Player of the Year scored his first goal the 32nd minute mark in the first half, the second a coming a minute later. By the 18-minute mark, De Los Santos had himself a hat trick.
De Los Santos said through translator Israel Lince, a Valley View assistant coach, that he wanted to channel his inner Peter Parker to dedicate the performance to his girlfriend’s younger brother.
“Our strength is our pace of play,” De Los Santos said. “We always try to keep speed on the ball. We always are looking for where we are going to pass the ball before we get it, and we’re just trying to keep the game fast, one or two touches, and use the width of the field.”
The Tigers scored at a more egalitarian clip in the second half, with goals from Bryan Obregon, Aner Gonzalez, and Pablo Torre.
“We know that when Mario scores, he gives the other kids a little bit more air and more energy,” said Valley View’s top assistant coach, Gerardo Salazar.
Not to be outdone, De Los Santos scored his fourth goal with six minutes to play in the contest, surging ahead of the Southwest defenders as smoothly as a certain web-slinging crimefighter scales the rooftops of Manhattan.
If De Los Santos activity was one key to the victory, the Tigers’ stifling defense was another.
“We knew (Southwest) would like to touch the ball coming out,” Salazar. “We weren’t going to let them touch the ball on us.”
The Dragons got on the board at the 33-minute mark of the second half when Joel Garcia found the back of the net. San Antonio Southwest’s burst of energy saw the Dragons find a post and generate a few quality chances at the Valley View net, but it was not enough to overcome the 4-1 deficit they faced after Garcia’s goal.
Valley View will face Brownsville Veterans, the winner of Friday’s second semifinal game, in the regional final in a rematch of last year’s final. The Tigers defeated the Chargers 3-1 in last year’s postseason to advance to the state semifinal. The District 32-5A foes split their regular season meetings this season.
“We know they’re a very good team,” Salazar said. “We know how strong they are, and they already know how we play and we already know how they play. So it’s just (about) who plays better (tomorrow).”
The regional final kicks off at noon Saturday from Cabaniss Stadium.