By ROY HESS | THE BROWNSVILLE HERALD
Brownsville boys soccer teams came through the Easter weekend with a 5-0 record in their bi-district matches, and now it’s on to this week’s area round of the state playoffs.
The five schools winning in bi-district were Rivera, Hanna, Porter, Lopez and Brownsville Veterans Memorial.
In the Class 6A playoffs, Rivera defeated Edinburg High 5-3 and Hanna edged Edinburg North 3-2 in penalty kicks.
In the Class 5A playoffs, Brownsville Veterans Memorial shut out Sharyland Pioneer 4-0, Lopez beat Laredo Martin 4-0 and Porter topped Sharyland High 2-0.
“We started off the beginning of the year struggling some and I think we’ve improved over the course of the season,” Porter coach Jose Espitia said after the Cowboys’ 2-0 victory over the Rattlers on Friday at Weslaco East. “I think we’re playing our best soccer right now. Sharyland had its chances and we had ours, too. We took advantage our our chances.
“We have a young team and I’m proud of my players,” Espitia added. “There’s a bright future for Porter soccer.”
The District 32-5A third-place Cowboys play their area-round match against District 30-5A champion Corpus Christi Veterans Memorial at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Corpus Christi’s Cabaniss Field. The second game at 8 p.m. Tuesday at Cabaniss has District 32-6A champion Rivera going against District 29-6A runner-up San Antonio Southwest.
Nearby at Calallen at 7 p.m.Tuesday, it’s District 32-5A champion Lopez taking on District 30-5A third-place Flour Bluff.
Completing Tuesday’s area-round schedule of games, it’s 32-5A runner-up Brownsville Vetetrans vs. District 29-5A champion Eagle Pass Winn at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Laredo’s Krueger Field, while 32-6A runner-up Hanna plays District 29-6A champion Laredo United on Tuesday at Roma, possibly at 8 p.m. after the 6 p.m. match there between the Harlingen South girls and United girls.
There were some successful results over the Easter holiday for two Brownsville girls teams as well.
The 32-5A champion Pace Lady Vikings downed Martin 2-0, while the 32-6A fourth-place Rivera Lady Raiders upset District 31-6A champion Edinburg North 2-0.
It marked the second straight year the Lady Raiders have beaten the 31-6A champion in bi-district. Last year it was Edinburg Economedes and the Lady Raiders wound up advancing a school-record three rounds in the playoffs.
The Rivera girls play their area-round match at 7 p.m. Tuesday at District 30-6A runner-up McAllen Memorial.
Meanwhile, the Pace girls will play host to 30-5A third-place Flour Bluff at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Raymondville’s Burnett Stadium
The winners of Tuesday’s game advance to the regional quarterfinals later in the week.
Roy Hess covers sports for The Brownsville Herald. You can reach him via email at [email protected]. On Twitter he’s @HessRgehess