By STEFAN MODRICH | Staff Writer
Hanna’s Axel Guzman and Javi Castan each scored twice in the Golden Eagles’ finale in the South Texas Futbol Showcase, a 4-1 win over La Salle.
It was the first showcase appearance for the boys squad from Matamoros, Mexico. La Salle is a small private Catholic school located less than 10 miles from the Hanna campus. The La Salle girls have played in tournaments in the Rio Grande Valley in each of the past six seasons.
“This is the first year that we invited them,” Hanna coach Reyes Prado said. “Hopefully they can keep coming.”
La Salle coach Fernando Rodriguez said the tournament was a good experience for his players, who are gearing up for their own national competition in Matamoros that will feature various teams from across Mexico.
Rodriguez cited several differences between playing in the Valley and in Tamaulipas, and chief among them was the playing surface.
“In Matamoros there are practically no artificial turf fields,” Rodriguez said. “Also, the ball is different, it’s heavier than the one we use. Some of the rules are not the same, and we have to adapt to them. It is our first time here and we hope to return, because these tournaments help us.”
Showcase hosts Hanna, Brownsville Rivera, and Brownsville Veterans Memorial all featured artificial turf fields.
Castan tallied both of his goals during the first half, and Guzman tacked on another Hanna goal to give the Golden Eagles a 3-0 advantage.
Luis Fernando Gutierrez scored the lone goal for La Salle late in the first half, and the visitors trailed 3-1 at the break.
Hanna dictated the flow of the game by controlling possession and allowing La Salle few chances to chip away at the deficit. One exception occurred with 15:48 to go in the second half, when Hanna goalkeeper Raul Lopez left his feet to glove a strong La Salle shot attempt.
Guzman notched his second goal thanks to a precise lead pass that set him up for an easy chance to restore Hanna’s three-goal margin with 13 minutes to go in the second half.
The Eagles nearly added a fifth goal at the 10:45 mark, but the La Salle goalie made a one-handed save to block a shot by Hanna’s Bryan Delagadillo.
Shortly thereafter, La Salle went on a counterattack and crashed in front of the goal to produce a shot and a quality chance. A couple of La Salle players knocked over Lopez, but not before the ’keeper deflected the ball out of the box.
Several Hanna players made runs that resulted in near-misses, as was the case for Marko Gonzalez when he deftly led Brayan Ruiz with a long pass and 1-on-1 opportunity against the La Salle ’keeper during the waning minutes of the second half.
Like most teams in tournament play, Prado has appreciated the chance to test the legs of some younger players and get a clearer sense of his regular rotation as the District 32-6A season begins.
“We’re trying some players in different positions,” Prado said. “We have our core team (set), but we’re trying to give (other players) experience, too, because we might need them during the season. We’re trying to get our chemistry together. … It’s the same as everybody else, we’re trying to put our best 11 on the field.”
South Texas Showcase
Thursday’s Games
At Hanna
Hanna 2, La Joya Juarez-Lincoln 0
Hanna ‘B’ 1, La Salle 0
At Rivera
Donna North 2, Rivera 0
Lopez 2, San Benito 0
At Brownsville Veterans
La Joya High 4, Pace 2
McAllen Rowe 2, Harlingen South 1
Brownsville Veterans 6, Laredo LBJ 2
Friday’s Games
At Hanna
Pace 3, Laredo LBJ 2
San Benito 3, La Salle 0
Hanna 5, Laredo LBJ 0
At Rivera
Donna North 2, La Joya Juarez-Lincoln 1
Rivera 1, McAllen Rowe 0
At Brownsville Veterans
Lopez 5, La Joya High 3
Brownsville Veterans 2, Harlingen South 0
Saturday’s Games
At Hanna
Harlingen South 3, Laredo LBJ 3
Hanna 4, La Salle (Matamoros, Mexico) 1
Donna North 2, Harlingen South 0
At Rivera
Rivera 1, La Joya High, 0
Pace vs. La Joya Juarez-Lincoln, canceled
McAllen Rowe 5, San Benito 0