BROWNSVILLE — PSJA Memorial sophomore goalkeeper Omar Garcia knew what way Laredo LBJ’s senior playmaker Brandon Mares was going to strike his penalty.
Even a child in the stands yelled, “He is going to his right,” as Mares placed the ball for the first penalty in a shootout with the spot in the BISD boys soccer tournament championship game on the line Friday at Brownsville Sports Park.
Mares fired LBJ into the semifinal match earlier in the day during a 1-0 victory over Los Fresnos. Mares’ goal was a penalty taken to his right.
Garcia saw that match and went the right way, easily saving the penalty. Then Garcia stepped up and calmly slotted his in to give the Wolverines momentum after one penalty exchange.
PSJA Memorial won the shootout 3-1 after a goalless draw could not decide a winner, booking a spot in the BISD tournament final at 1:15 p.m. today against the Brownsville Porter Cowboys.
“I saw it, same side,” Garcia said. “I had played them in the summer, a couple of months back. He shot at that same side every time he took a penalty.”
Mares struck it well but did not place it in the corner, setting up the save for Garcia. The goalie then calmly dispatched his penalty kick to give his side an early advantage in the shootout.
“It takes a lot of pressure being a goalie,” Garcia said. “Once you make a mistake, all the good stuff that you did is gone. Being a difference-maker in the game is an amazing feeling.”
Garcia might have been key to winning the match between the posts, but the outfield players on the Wolverines put their side in position to grab the victory in a shootout.
“Very tough,” PSJA Memorial head coach Javier Gonzalez said. “We knew from the beginning it would be a difficult match. Everyone knows Laredo teams are good.”
The Wolves made it to the BISD tourney final last year, losing to Laredo United in penalties. Mares is a threat on the ball — the left-footed No. 10 could keep any side honest — but PSJA Memorial marked the senior well.
There were only a couple of instances when Mares entered the box and displayed his skills as defenders opted for caution instead of lunging in on Mares’ quick feet.
“Really tough to mark,” Gonzalez said. “We had a couple of guys, I told them, ‘When he gets the ball mark him, do not let him play the ball to the forwards, keep him off the ball as much as you can.’ It is very difficult with a good player, the best thing we can do is try and keep the ball away from him.”
A rematch of the Laredo championship was stonewalled this year by Valley schools. Laredo LBJ and Laredo United take home third place after the Brownsville Porter Cowboys defeated the Longhorns 2-0 to set up the final between the Cowboys and the Wolverines.