BROWNSVILLE — Second-half goals from Adrian Del Pozo and Deigo Garza lifted the Brownsville St. Joseph Bloodhounds past the Houston Frassati Falcons on Monday at Canales Field in a TAPPS Division II area playoff match.
The Bloodhounds erased a first-half deficit to pick up a 2-1 win with a sea or red in the stands cheering them on.
The Bloodhounds dominated most of the match on the ball and played most of the game either in the Falcons’ side of the pitch or in the attacking third. It was not the cleanest game passing for either team with the wind hitting the pitch hard.
| St. Joseph Bloodhounds hustle on the field Monday afternoon against Frassati Falcons of Houston at St. Joseph Academy Canales Field in Brownsville. (Miguel Roberts/The Brownsville Herald) Miguel Roberts |
Long balls and set pieces threatened the Frassati goal for most of the match, and it was an impromptu set piece that proved the difference with only six minutes of regulation remaining.
Freshman Ezequiel Escamilla’s long throw-in found senior left back Diego Garza unmarked in the box. Garza redirected the thrown ball with his knee past the keeper.
“It felt amazing,” Garza said. “It felt better because it was at home, and we do not lose at home.”
Long throw-in goals are not a traditional means of scoring; the quick throw-in was on with the heat beating down on the players today, and the Falcons player lagging when the ball was played out bounds near the corner flag.
However, the long throw-in is something the Bloodhounds have been working on, Escamilla said. The midfielder won the job during practice, he said.
“As a freshman to help the seniors accomplish what they are trying to do, which is get to state and win state, feels amazing,” he said.
| St. Joseph Bloodhounds hustle on the field Monday afternoon against Frassati Falcons of Houston at St. Joseph Academy Canales Field in Brownsville. (Miguel Roberts/The Brownsville Herald) Miguel Roberrts |
Brownsville St. Joseph was bounced out of the playoffs in 2022 by Frassati. That was something the Bloodhounds wanted to redeem, head coach Edgar Tovar said.
The Bloodhounds knew they would have to heart, and that was on display on the pitch, Tovar said.
Garza grabbed the match-winner, but it was Del Pozo who leveled things up ten minutes after halftime. Senior goalkeeper Francisco De la Garza’s deep free-kick from just outside of his box was latched onto by Del Pozo in the Falcons’ box.
| St. Joseph Bloodhound (21) Adrian Del Pozo stikes the ball past the goalie and scores a goal Monday afternoon against Frassati Falcons of Houston at St. Joseph Academy Canales Field in Brownsville. (Miguel Roberts/The Brownsville Herald) Miguel Roberts |
Del Pozo took it off his chest with grace and fired his shot past the Frassati keeper to send the Bloodhounds and the crowd into a frenzy.
“I knew I had to change the pace of the game,” Del Pozo said. “We were down 1-0, and as a captain it is my duty to put myself in that position. Thats what I was thinking, if someone is going to do it, it needs to be me.”
| St. Joseph Bloodhound (21) Adrian Del Pozo hustles to keep possession of the ball Monday afternoon against Frassati Falcons of Houston at St. Joseph Academy Canales Field in Brownsville. (Miguel Roberts/The Brownsville Herald) Miguel Roberts |
The strong striker was unplayable at times for the Falcons’ defenders. Del Pozo with his back to goal was a problem, his turns and physicality created plenty of space for shooting opportunities.
The target man should have put things up in the first half. His shot hit the right side of the post, but instead of banging in, the ball brushed the face of goal and was cleared.
“Our team, and our goalie especially, had a heck of a game,” Del Pozo said. “Our defense played great too, there was a couple of mistakes, but I know we can fix it. At the end of the day I think we put our hearts on the field.”
| St. Joseph Bloodhound Rolando Vasquez (7) hustles to keep possession of the ball Monday afternoon against Frassati Falcons of Houston at St. Joseph Academy Canales Field in Brownsville. (Miguel Roberts/The Brownsville Herald) Miguel Roberts |
A mistake, or just brilliant play from Falcons playmaker Christopher Lopez opened the scoring. Lopez had made a couple of runs prior where he used his skill to breeze by Bloodhounds defenders.
Lopez did the same in the 14th minute to penetrate the Brownsville St. Joseph box and unleashed a well-taken right footed shot that beat De la Garza at his back post.
Brownsville St. Joseph is set to play the winner of San Antonio Christian-Houston Lutheran South Academy in the next round.
| Brownsville St. Joseph senior Ethan Gallegos was awarded the Built Ford Tough Texas Player of the Week for his performance in the final week of the regular season, Week 11. Gallegos threw for 359 yards, five TDs, as well as 154 rushing yards and three rushing TDs in the Bloodhounds 60-50 win. Gallegos was given the award during halftime of the soccer game. Edward Severn |