By EDWARD SEVERN, Staff Writer
BROWNSVILLE — When speaking about his Brownsville Veterans Memorial soccer team, coach Alberto Vasquez has a visible smile, and it never leaves his face.
The smile also carries an eagerness. The Chargers are ready to compete.
Brownsville Veterans kicks off its district campaign against defending district champion and regional finalist Brownsville Porter, and then meets Brownsville Lopez, another great team in the region and state. Brownsville Veterans lost 2-1 in the third round of the playoffs to Valley View. Porter lost 1-0 to Valley View for a state spot.
Valley View also beat San Antonio Southwest during the fourth round. Brownsville Veterans beat Southwest in the BISD Showcase last week, and has played up north during its non-district schedule and picked up a win against Jersey Village, a Class 6A school that lost in the state championship game last season. Brownsville Veterans won in Jersey Village.
Brownsville Veterans is already a tested team, like most schools in the area. Starting off against Porter in district is unlucky, but it does not really matter in the long run because the Chargers’ aspirations this season go beyond 32-5A.
“It is always a realistic goal for our program to go to state,” Vasquez said. “We went three rounds deep last year, and a lot of teams would view that as a very good year. Not us.”
“In the last four years in the playoffs, we have played 18 playoff games. Our realistic goal is to go all the way, and that is a realistic goal for a lot of teams in the Valley,” he added. “If there is not a Brownsville team in the state tournament in either 6A or 5A, it was not a good year for Brownsville soccer.”
Vasquez likes his team to be flexible. Players are expected to play different positions and adjust based on how other teams are playing, but never lose their identity.
“I hate when I go to a middle school game and there is 40 yards between their back line and anybody else. That is not how you play soccer,” Vasquez said. “Flexibility in our formation is key, especially when we have to neutralize a good team.”
Jesus Chapa is one of those flexible players. Chapa plays center-back, left-back and also striker when his team needs him. He, like all Brownsville Veterans players, is ready for district and the postseason.
“We can win both, we can win district and go as far as state,” he said. “I think we are going to have a good season this year.”
Said holding midfielder Alejandro Castro, “Our goal is to win state. That is our main goal. We would rather beat teams in our district to go to state in the playoffs than beat them to win district. We have a lot of players that have stepped up and are ready this year.”
The Chargers and Cowboys kick off District 32-5A play at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday at Porter.