GREG LUCA | STAFF WRITER

McALLEN — After watching Game 2 slip away in the bottom of the seventh on a walk-off triple, PSJA Memorial’s Amanda Aguilera rallied her teammates. She had just 30 minutes to help them regroup for Game 3 of their Class 6A area round series against McAllen High.

“She pumped up the team,” PSJA Memorial coach Gilberto Rodriguez said. “She talked to the girls and she told them, ‘I don’t want to end here. I want to keep on going. This is my legacy, and let’s make a run for it. Why not us?’”

Aguilera’s teammates backed her up, but she hardly needed it. Memorial’s No. 2 pitcher was nothing short of dominant in Game 3, throwing seven shutout innings to propel PSJA Memorial into the regional quarterfinals with an 8-0 win.

The Lady Wolverines, the No. 4 seed in District 31-6A making the first playoff appearance in program history, will face Edinburg North next week.

“Our confidence is through the roof,” Aguilera said. “I came in and told them not to take anybody for granted, and we pulled through.”

Aguilera allowed just two hits and two walks against 11 strikeouts. A senior, Aguilera has carved out a role as Memorial’s second pitcher, alternating starts with ace Ashley Castillo during the district season.

With Castillo tired after pitching all of Games 1 and 2 in considerable heat, Rodriguez had no hesitation handing the ball to Aguilera for Game 3.

“She did everything she could. She excelled. She put the whole team on her shoulders, and we went with her,” Rodriguez said. “She mixed it up. She didn’t care if they hit it or not — she knew the defense was going to be there for her.”

Aguilera came in fresh and throwing a different pace than Castillo. She said she leaned on her changeup on Saturday. The pitch was the main reason she said she racked up far more strikeouts than she typically does.

“Everything was working for me,” Aguilera said. “This is one of the best games I’ve pitched all year. This was my last chance. It was win or go home, so I knew I had to step up for my team.”

The Lady Wolverines found offense up and down the lineup in Game 3, as every starter reached base, six players scored and five had RBI.

Dominique Cantu was Memorial’s top performer on offense, going 5 for 7 with two runs and two RBI across Saturday’s two games. Maldonado led the team with four RBI, and Aguilera topped the Lady Wolverines with three runs scored.

Rodriguez said the key to producing offense was being more selective at the plate.

“They came alive when we needed them the most,” Rodriguez said.

The Lady Wolverines looked ready to close out a sweep in Game 2, taking a 4-2 lead into the bottom of the seventh inning. But after McHi’s Eden Hernandez singled home Alexis Gutierrez to make the score 4-3, Kassidy Neumann stepped to the plate with two outs and runners on first and second. Neumann, previously 0 for 3 on the day, smacked a bases-clearing triple to right-center field, lifting McHi to the win.

“I had some girls crying after the first game we lost today,” Rodriguez said. “And I said, ‘Hey, this is the playoffs. This happens. You can rebound back and win, and that’s it.’”

McAllen High coach Ruth Garcia said her team’s focus lingered on Game 2 rather than resetting for Game 3. She said the Lady Bulldogs “folded” under the heat, but she looked ahead to next season with optimism.

McAllen High graduates just three seniors.

“This is going to be a great lesson for them to understand that what we put into it is what we’re going to get out of it,” Garcia said. “Expectations are going to be high. The ears are going to be buzzing with McHi softball next year.”

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GREG LUCA | STAFF WRITER

More than just a showcase for the Valley’s top senior soccer talent, Saturday’s RGVSCO all-star games represent a final opportunity for athletes to link up with college programs.

The eyes of college scouts and recruiters will be on the region’s best players today at Weslaco East High School. The sub-6A girls play at 10 a.m., followed by Class 6A girls at noon, sub-6A boys at 2 p.m. and 6A boys at 4 p.m.

Gates will open at 9 a.m., with $5 admission for adults and $3 admission for students.

“Other than this being the last high school soccer game they’ll ever get to participate in, it’s also a great opportunity for them to showcase themselves and their soccer abilities,” said Hidalgo coach Zeke Morales, who is working with the West sub-6A boys. “There are potential college coaches who might be interested in any of them.”

PSJA North coach Margeaux McCarthy, who will be leading the West Class 6A girls, said the all-star practices allow some of the area’s most successful coaches to get to know some of the top senior talent, potentially helping them find a home at the next level.

Players also have the opportunity to talk to each other about the transition to college. Those who haven’t been able to find a destination can learn from those who have.

“It’s given these girls a little hope that maybe this isn’t it,” McCarthy said. “They can still walk away with perhaps landing something somewhere else.”

Given the stakes, McCarthy said the games sometimes become very competitive. She and her PSJA North seniors are using the game as a chance to get a measure of revenge against Los Fresnos, which handed the Lady Raiders a 3-1 loss in the bi-district playoffs.

“The last few seasons, it does get pretty heated,” McCarthy said. “There’s a lot of emotion involved. They’ll get after it.”

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RGVSCO All-Star Rosters

West Sub-6A Girls

Coaches: Juan Rodriguez, PSJA Southwest; Antonio Oliveres, Grulla

Yaritza Garcia, Grulla; Lizeth Rodriguez, PSJA Southwest; Stephanie Barrientos, Sharyland Pioneer; Ali Reyes, Edcouch-Elsa; Taylor Marquez, Sharyland Pioneer; Jasmin Pinon, Progreso; Alysha Ramirez, Valley View; Yesica Larios, PSJA Southwest; Jennifer Lopez, Grulla; Dominique Ibarra, Edcouch-Elsa; Yareli Yerena, Valley View; Anahi Robles, PSJA High; Nayeli Resendez, Grulla; Monica Yanez, Valley View; Alyssa Ochoa, Sharyland High; Melissa Carranco, PSJA Southwest; Ana Perez, Progreso; Lizeth Cantu, PSJA Southwest; Prisila Cruz, Edcouch-Elsa; Cecilia Morin, Edcouch-Elsa; Amanda Lozano, Mission Veterans; Alexis Mendoza, Edinburg Vela.

East Sub-6A Girls

Coaches: Abraham Garcia, Brownsville Porter; Jesus Cardenas, Port Isabel

Alexis Gonzalez, Port Isabel; Ariel Perez, Donna North; Iris Gamez, Rio Hondo; Jocelyn Perret, Donna North; Nicole Hernandez, Donna North; Hania Davila, Brownsville Pace; Kareley Rodriguez, Donna North; Kassandra Reyes; Rosa Brenna, Monte Alto; Alexis Vegas; Felicia Calo, Port Isabel; Cecilia Gonzalez, La Feria; Ashlei Howell, La Feria.

West 6A Girls

Coaches: Margeaux McCarthy, PSJA North; Rick Garza, La Joya Juarez-Lincoln

Sarah Whitesides, Edinburg North; Vanessa Aguilar, La Joya Palmview; Silvina Calderon, Edinburg High; Gina De La Garza, McAllen Memorial; Yessi Molina, Edinburg High; Isel Bocanegra, La Joya Juarez-Lincoln; Leslie Santana, McAllen Memorial; Maryeld Gonzalez, PSJA North; Yesenia Garza, La Joya Juarez-Lincoln; Bernice Moreno, PSJA North; Jessica Reyes, Edinburg High; Larisa Galvan, La Joya Juarez-Lincoln; Nikki Jo Rodriguez, Edinburg North; Barbara Segura, La Joya Palmview; Alhei Najera, La Joya Palmview; Consuelo Hernandez, PSJA North; Miram Saenz, PSJA Memorial; Gaby Gonzalez, McAllen High; Kendra Lozano, Edinburg North.

East 6A Girls

Coaches: Luis Troncoso, Brownsville Veterans; Omar Pedroza, Harlingen South

Gloria Ortegon, Brownsville Lopez; Priscilla Villarreal, Brownsville Hanna; Estrella Espinoza, Brownsville Lopez; Paula Ramirez, Brownsville Lopez; Nathalia Torres, Brownsville Veterans; Ana Lisa De La Cerda, Harlingen High; Amber Ray, Harlingen South.

West Sub-6A Boys

Coaches: Rev Hernandez, Sharyland High; Zeke Morales, Hidalgo

Jose Rodriguez, Hidalgo; Alexis Salinas, Edinburg Vela; Jorge Martinez, Hidalgo; Ivan Calderon, PSJA Southwest; Jose Ortiz, PSJA Southwest; Jose Benavides, PSJA Southwest; Edgar Tejeda, Edinburg Vela; Gabriel Garza, Sharyland High; Jesus Nino, Hidalgo; Sebastian Luna, Edinburg Vela; Rafael Garcia, Valley View; Renzo Zerrato, Edinburg Vela; Eleazar Julian Jr., Grulla; Brandon Leal, Grulla; Bryan Rios, PSJA High; Misael Garza, Edinburg Vela; Abraham Castilla, Edcouch-Elsa; Armando Rodriguez, Edcouch-Elsa; Thomas James, Pioneer.

East Sub-6A Boys

Coaches: Andres Sanchez, Donna North; Margarito Jimenez, Progreso

Juan Rivas, Raymondville; Luis Martinez, Donna North; Eulisis Salinas, Progreso; Juan Garza, Brownsville Pace; Alessandro Gonzalez, Progreso; Leonardo Bravo, Port Isabel; Hector Rojas, Brownsville Pace; Luis Pina, Donna High; Joel Nava, La Feria; Brayan Palestina, Port Isabel; Anthony Vargas, Donna High; Gabriel Magallan, Donna North; Brayan Zamora, Donna North; Gerardo Elizondo, St. Joseph; Eduardo Hernandez, Raymondville; Jose Vasquez, La Feria; Juan Puentes, Progreso; Cristian Chavez, Progreso; Mario Espinoza, Donna North; Abel Jaramillo, Brownsville Pace; Carlos Luqueno, La Feria; Jose Rosales, Monte Alto.

West 6A Boys

Coaches: Elias Moran, Edinburg North; Alex Davila, La Joya High

Cesar Frausto, La Joya High; Javier Garcia, La Joya Juarez-Lincoln; Brian Sanchez, Edinburg High; Jesus Garcia, Mission High; Julian Espinoza, McAllen Memorial; Julian Cortina, La Joya High; Angel Garcia, La Joya Juarez-Lincoln; Brandon Rangel, McAllen High; Luis Rodriguez, La Joya Palmview; Gerardo Chavira, La Joya Juarez-Lincoln; Jorge Garcia, La Joya Palmview; Heriberto Maldonado, La Joya Palmview; Maximo Gonzalez, Edinburg Economedes; Victor Cardena, Edinburg Economedes; Jorge Trejo, McAllen Rowe; Luis Garcia, La Joya Juarez-Lincoln; Rigo Ribera, McAllen Rowe; Leonardo Anguiano, Mission High; Edilberto Maldonado, La Joya Palmview; Antonio Becerra, La Joya Juarez-Lincoln.

East 6A Boys

Coaches: Amadeo Escandon, Brownsivlle Lopez; Albert Casquez, Brownsville Veterans

Bryant Martinez, Harlingen South; Nathan Flores, Harlingen South; Humberto Trevino, Brownsville Veterans; Marcos Solis, Harlingen High; Ulysses Ortegon, Brownsville Lopez; Everardo Galvez, Weslaco High; Angel Alejos, Weslaco East; Estuardo Teran, Brownsville Veterans; Jesus Muniz, Browsnville Veterans; Nicolas Lerma, Harlingen South; Leonardo Vargas, Weslaco High; Javier Martinez, Harlingen High; Jose Vargas, Weslaco High; Roel Ramirez, Weslaco East; Brandon Gutierrez, Harlingen High; Humberto Aguillon, Brownsville Veterans.

GREG LUCA | STAFF WRITER

WESLACO — Last season, Weslaco High’s McLean Beckwith would sometimes practice his putting wearing jeans and boots.

“I’m like, ‘Where are you going?’” Weslaco High coach Chris Gracia said. “He’d say, ‘I have to go help my dad, we have to go rope a calf in Los Fresnos,’ or something like that.”

During sophomore and junior year, Beckwith put golf on the back burner in favor of roping, driving his Chevy Silverado or hunting deer and quail with his father.

Coming back for his senior year, with the end of his high school career in sight, Beckwith decided to rededicate himself to golf. His work paid off in a huge way last week, when he rebounded to shoot a 68 on Day 2 of the regional tournament, earning him a spot in the Class 6A state tournament on Monday in Georgetown.

“Sophomore year, I didn’t practice like I had been practicing. And junior year, I was kind of slacking off a little bit,” Beckwith said. “I wasn’t on a strict practice regimen. This year, I really said, ‘Hey, this is my last year. This is my last chance at it. I really need to get it together and start practicing and give it my all.’”

The son of a third-generation farmer, Beckwith regularly helps drive tractors or irrigate fields on the 2,500-acre plot of land his family oversees in the Progreso area.

The Beckwiths primarily grow sugar cane, cotton and small vegetables, and McLean is counted on to help during the summers or any particularly busy seasons. He said he’d like to pursue a career in agriculture.

“I love the farm,” McLean said. “That’s something I’ve always liked doing.”

The family farm also includes a roping arena, something McLean’s father, Benton, introduced him to at a young age.

A team roper when he was in high school, Benton taught McLean the finer points of horsemanship. McLean learned how to rope a steer by its horns, turn it, and then help a partner lasso its hind legs. Benton said his son took to the sport quickly, practicing as many as three or four times a week during slow summers in high school.

McLean eventually advanced to competitions with the United States Team Roping Championships, winning a few saddles and belt buckles for his work.

“I did pretty good for a little bit,” McLean said. “That’s how I got so interested in it. I caught on to it pretty quick, and then I had to refocus myself.”

Despite all his enjoyment and success in roping, McLean knew it wasn’t likely to help him land a college scholarship. Golf would have to be his ticket.

He had played the sport since being introduced to it at age 10 or 11 by his father. After picking up some of the basics from Benton, McLean started to take private coaching and entered amateur tournaments with the Texas Junior Golf Tour in San Antonio or Houston.

“I really wasn’t that good when I was younger,” McLean said. “I was a really short hitter. I struggled with that. And when I grew, I started hitting the ball a little longer, and that helped me out a lot.”

When his focus slipped, he said his short game was affected the most. Putting and chipping is based on feel and touch — the first things to go without a strong practice routine.

Gracia said McLean has had a strong short game going back to his freshman year, but that he’s made those shots easier on himself by improving his drive. McLean has grown about four inches since freshman year, increasing his hand speed, reach, and ability to keep a level plane on his swing.

He’s also put in more hours this year, augmenting his regular practice time with work at the McAllen Country Club.

“This year he just came in with another attitude and said, ‘Coach, this is what I want to do,’” Gracia said. “’This is what we’re shooting for.’”

Although he wasn’t even Weslaco’s No. 1 player during the season, McLean was confident heading into a playoff hole last week at regionals. Gracia wanted to talk strategy, but McLean had already figured it out. Drive straight down the middle, chip to 8 feet and nail the putt.

“Walking up there, he’s looking at the green and surveying it and stuff, and he’s like, ‘I got this coach, we’re going to state,’” Gracia said. “I was like, ‘Wow, OK.’ He was just calm. Like he knew it was his destiny or something like that.”

That demeanor hasn’t changed at all this week, even as McLean prepares for the most important tournament of his life on an unfamiliar course. State may be one of his last chances to impress college recruiters — the reason he shifted his focus to golf before this season. He is yet to receive any college offers.

Watching his son compete in golf and roping throughout his life, Benton wasn’t surprised to hear that McLean is keeping a level head.

“That’s a big part of his success in roping and playing golf — he doesn’t choke,” Benton said. “He’s been in some situations where he had to go out and perform at a high level to win, and he did.”

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GREG LUCA | STAFF WRITER

McALLEN — Last summer, on June 1, McAllen Memorial’s Draik Banks made up her mind that she wanted to play college volleyball. She’d been playing the game at a high level for years beforehand, but that was the day she decided to truly commit.

During the summer, she doubled down in the weight room and took private lessons in a gym without air conditioning, preparing for a senior season with McAllen Memorial and the Valley Venom club team. She traveled to showcases in Las Vegas and Kansas City in search of exposure and scoured YouTube for tips on how to augment her blocking and hitting.

“I didn’t know I could pursue it as much as I did this year,” Banks said. “Getting out there with this year’s club season, I really saw that coaches like me, so maybe I could do this.”

Still, she didn’t think she would be able to play at the Division I level. Her target was Trinity University, a Division III school in San Antonio.

Then, at a showcase in Las Vegas, Banks’ hitting caught the eye of Niagara coach Vilis Ozols. Eventually, the school decided to offer Banks a full scholarship — an offer she accepted during a ceremony Thursday at McAllen Memorial.

“I thought Division III, maybe DII. That was my highest,” Banks said. “But I’m really happily surprised to get a DI scholarship. … It was shock, and a little bit of awe. This DI college wants me to play for them? It blew my mind.”

Banks has been involved in athletics at Memorial practically since birth, crawling around the gym as her mother, Stacey Siebert Banks, worked as an assistant coach. Following the footsteps of her mother, who played basketball at Texas Tech, Banks entered high school as a basketball player first. She gave volleyball a chance because she was tall, athletic and figured it would be worth a try.

“This is not something for Draik that she came in and she was just a volleyball stud,”

Memorial coach Lorena Lopez said. “She had to put in extra time during practice, after practice, outside, and during the summer to become the athlete she is.”

Lopez knew Banks — now 6-foot-1 — had potential to play at the next level because of her size and the athleticism that runs in her family.

But this season was when Banks finally started to reach that potential. Banks saw progression in all aspects of her game, and Lopez noticed a more confident player, one who wanted the ball on the attack.

“At the beginning, she was on the fence,” Lopez said. “’Do I even want to play in college? What do I want to play in college?’ Once she made that decision, that’s all it took.”

Banks enters Niagara expecting to provide offense as a middle blocker or right-side hitter. Coaches have told her that with a little development, she has a chance to see significant playing time during her freshman year.

While on her visit, she quickly found she fit in with her teammates and the environment at Niagara, a private Catholic school with less than 5,000 enrollment. She plans to study biology, potentially pursuing medicine or veterinary medicine in the future.

“It’s just about getting out and experiencing the world away from the Valley,” Banks said. “Just going out and seeing as much as I can, and getting a great education while having fun playing the sport I love.”

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GREG LUCA | STAFF WRITER

McALLEN — Whenever Mireya Garcia would watch her daughter, Mayda, play in club volleyball tournaments, she always had the same reaction.

“Nah, she’s not tall enough,” Mireya said. “She can’t do this.”

Mayda was plenty good enough to dominate the Valley at McAllen Rowe, earning All-Valley Player of the Year in 2014 and an All-Area first team nod in 2015, plus two District 30-6A MVP awards.

But being able to play in college, especially at the Division I level, was a different challenge for the 5-foot-9 outside hitter.

As time went on, trainers and coaches started to tell her she might be up to the task. Eventually, college scouts started to feel the same way.

On Wednesday, Mayda made it official, signing a letter of intent to accept a full scholarship to play at Division I Fairfield University in Connecticut.

“She’s going to be competing against other very, very good athletes,” Rowe coach Magda Canales said. “But I know she’s going to step it up, like she’s always done.”

Mayda held her ceremony in Rowe’s gym, surrounded by family, coaches and teammates from both volleyball and basketball.

She addressed the room from a podium for about a minute, thanking everyone who helped her get to this point, before signing the national letter of intent and posing for photos.

“I’m ready to leave, that’s for sure,” Mayda said. “It’s amazing seeing everyone here and supporting me, and I can’t thank them enough.”

Mayda ultimately received three Division I offers, also considering Prairie View A&M and Incarnate Word.

To reach a decision, Mayda said she weighed everything, making lists of pros and cons for each school to cover athletics, academics, class sizes and even the weather.

She said the visit to Fairfield around the start of March was what really won her over. Even the drive up Interstate 95 from New York to campus was a selling point.

“I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, this is just beautiful,’” Mayda said. “It’s totally different from the Valley. It’s totally different from what I’m used to seeing. And I got on campus, did a tour, met the girls, and everything was just wonderful. I loved it there. I knew before I even left: I’m coming here.”

Mayda enters Fairfield ready to play any position, having worked some at setter and defensively this season after playing mostly outside hitter and middle blocker.

Fairfield hasn’t suffered a losing season since 2010, winning the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference championship to advance to the NCAA Tournament in 2012, 2013 and 2015.

“That’s amazing to me,” Mayda said. “I can’t wait to be a part of that one day.”

She first got connected to Fairfield during a match with her club team, when one of the school’s coaches was there to scout one of her teammates.

Canales expects that Mayda will be able to carve out a role the same way she did at Rowe: by always being the first one there and the last one to leave. That mentality will also help Mayda off the court, as she plans to study biology before shifting her focus to physical therapy.

“We’re filled with a lot of enthusiasm, and we want to always win,” Mayda said of her new teammates. “I think that’s how I want to come in there — just working hard.”

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GREG LUCA | STAFF WRITER

GEORGETOWN — Coming into a matchup against a Palestine team that had yielded just 18 goals in 32 games, Progreso coach Margarito Jimenez knew he would need a shutout from keeper Oziel Jaramillo.

Though the Red Ants ultimately lost the Class 4A state final 1-0 in penalty kicks on Friday, Jaramillo did his part, keeping the Wildcats off the board in regulation and overtime.

“He just plays all out,” Jimenez said. “He is just an outstanding kid, and outstanding player. What we asked him was to keep a clean sheet, and he did that.”

Progreso had more shots in the game, racking up 15 to Palestine’s 7, but the Wildcats had perhaps the game’s two best scoring opportunities.

During the 32nd minute, Palestine’s Riley Harper came in on a breakaway, but Jaramillo charged forward to wipe out the chance. Later, with 14 minutes to play in the second half, Jaramillo dove to his right to swat away a header from about 10 yards by Palestine’s Chris Giron.

“The goalies did the jobs,” Progreso captain Rogelio Zamora said. “That’s what mattered in this game. The goalies were the best.”

Progreso’s defense also played a role, limiting a taller, stronger Palestine team to only one corner-kick opportunity.

“We had to be confident,” senior defender Juan Puentes said. “We had to be strong at the back, because we knew they were physical and that they could run.”

FAN SUPPORT

After watching the Red Ants pick up a win in the state semifinals in front of about 200 fans on Wednesday, Progreso mayor Arturo Aleman decided to ensure that Friday’s game would have a larger turnout.

The city of Progreso purchased about 325 tickets for adults and students, leading to a cheering section that was more than double Wednesday’s size.

“All of the people are hyped up, so we said, ‘You know what? Let’s give something back to the community,’” Aleman said.

Aleman said the city dipped into a special fund for occasions of this nature, providing a school bus for the about 40 students who wanted to make the trip.

One group of five attending the game had “GO RED” spelled out across their torsos in body paint.

Puentes said the players noticed all of the fans who had come to support them, even if he felt the Red Ants disappointed them with the loss.

“All of these people were counting on us, and I’m sorry, but we let them down today,” Puentes said. “I know they’re proud of us, because we were pioneers, but we wanted to take that trophy.”

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GREG LUCA | STAFF WRITER

GEORGETOWN — Progreso senior Juan Puentes stood surrounded by his teammates on the visiting sideline, fighting back tears and barely able to walk.

Puentes, Progreso’s stopper and team captain, had just played 100 minutes with an injured right hamstring. He spent many of those 100 minutes sprinting sideline to sideline with abandon, breaking up chance after chance as Progreso held Palestine scoreless in regulation and overtime, only to have the state title slip away in penalty kicks.

Eventually, Puentes let the tears flow, but not without holding the state runner-up trophy proudly overhead.

Though Progreso had fallen one step short of its ultimate goal, losing the Class 4A state championship game 1-0 (4-3 in penalty kicks) to Palestine on Friday at Birkelbach Field, the team took solace in producing by far the best season in the school’s 18-year history and earning a trophy to bring home.

“I’m so proud of my team,” Puentes said. “We played as a family — like what we are. We aren’t just a team. We’re a family. And that’s how we’ve played since the season started.”

Throughout Friday’s game, Progreso coach Margarito Jimenez gave Puentes the opportunity to sub out. Puentes had tweaked his hamstring during Wednesday’s semifinal win, reigniting an injury that cost him a month of playing time earlier in the season. Jimenez said Puentes struggled to even get out of bed Thursday night.

“He is a true warrior. A lion,” Jimenez said. “He told me, ‘No.’ ‘Juanito, you want to get out?’ ‘No, coach, I’m going to finish this game.’ When it came down to PKs, I wasn’t going to use him, but he said, ‘Let me take it.’ And you saw what he did.”

Puentes took and made the first attempt of the penalty shootout, sending the ball into the right side of the net. His was the first of three straight makes for Progreso, but Palestine answered by also sinking its first three attempts.

Going with the same penalty lineup he had used in each of the team’s shootouts this year, Jimenez sent Jesus Treviño to the line, only to watch his shot low and to the left be saved by Palestine keeper Bennett Gierkey.

After Palestine’s Edgar Ayala scored to put the Wildcast in front 4-3, the Red Ants’ Rodrigo Blanco missed high and left, sealing the game for Palestine. Blanco lifted his jersey to cover his mouth as Progreso’s other shooters collapsed face-first to the turf at midfield.

“We were sad. We really worked hard for this,” said Progreso captain Rogelio Zamora, who connected on the Red Ants’ second penalty try. “I think it was a pretty good game. Both teams were good. I just didn’t want to cry. We were proud of being here in the final.”

As happy as the Red Ants were to reach the final, Zamora came away feeling like the game was theirs for the taking.

Although Jimenez felt his team grew nervous against the Wildcats’ larger, stronger lineup and deviated from the game plan of keeping the ball on the ground, Progreso outshot Palestine 15-7 overall.

The Red Ants put nine of those shots on target compared to four for the Wildcats.

“I really think, honestly, they weren’t better than us,” Zamora said.

Progreso finishes the winningest season in program history 22-6-2 overall.

The Red Ants advanced to the regional semifinals, the regional finals, the state semifinals and the state finals all for the first time.

“Unforgettable,” Jimenez said. “I think this is one the kids will remember until the day they die. I know I will.”

Jimenez expressed optimism that the Red Ants would return to this point next season. Progreso graduates just four seniors from its starting 11, bringing back its leading scorer in Zamora.

The biggest turnover will be on defense, where Puentes is one of three graduating starters. Puentes didn’t offer his teammates any parting words on the field Friday, overwhelmed by the emotions of the loss. But as the Red Ants met with friends and family and readied for the trip back to Progreso, he formulated a short speech in his head.

“I know in the bus right now, I’m going to tell them how much I’m proud of them,” Puentes said, looking down at the runner-up trophy in his hands. “Thanks to them, we’re taking this back to Progreso.”

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GREG LUCA | STAFF WRITER

GEORGETOWN — Progreso senior Juan Puentes was sprinting after the ball when he felt pain in his hamstring. The twinge reminded him of the pain he felt earlier in the season, when a hamstring injury cost him about a month of playing time.

Still, Puentes wasn’t about to stop. Not with a berth in the Class 4A UIL State final on the line during Wednesday’s game against Argyle.

He knows that playing through the pain made the injury worse, although he still considers it minor. Although the senior stopper was being helped off the field while his teammates celebrated a 3-2 win, Puentes quickly shot down any thoughts that he might miss the state final against Palestine at 2:30 p.m. today in Georgetown.

“No,” Puentes said. “I’m playing.”

Coach Margarito Jimenez was hopeful Puentes would be able to go, and with good reason. Throughout the season, Puentes has been Progreso’s rock on the back end, the most stable defensive player on the roster and one of the team’s hardest workers, Jimenez said.

“He’s my leader,” Jimenez said. “He’s my backbone on defense.”

Puentes has taken on that stabilizing role since his sophomore year, when Jimenez named him one of the team’s captains for the first time.

With age and experience, Puentes has become more and more comfortable with the requirements of the role, including directing traffic on the field.

“Every year I have grown my character, my leadership, and playing with my teammates,” Puentes said. “I have been playing with them since I was in seventh grade, and I know them better, and I know how we communicate with each other pretty well.”

In tournaments and early season play, Puentes was slotted in as a midfielder because of his quickness, decisiveness and effectiveness attacking the ball, Jimenez said.

But, when the playoffs came, Jimenez slightly tweaked his philosophy to become more defensive, focused on shutting out the opposition at every opportunity. As a result, Puentes moved back to stopper, serving as the Red Ants’ last line of defense.

“I like more defending as a stopper,” Puentes said. “I like it too as a midfielder, but it was more challenging, because I’d never played there. I got back to my position, and I think I’m doing better.”

Although he doesn’t have anything lined up yet, Puentes is hoping he can earn a spot on a college roster, where he’d like to study engineering.

The rise to become one of the elite players on a state-qualifying team has been a relatively fast one for Puentes, who didn’t discover the game until some friends invited him to play in a local park during sixth grade.

“Before that, I hadn’t played at all,” Puentes said. “I started playing in school, and I just liked it. Now, it’s my favorite sport.”

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GREG LUCA | STAFF WRITER

GEORGETOWN — Looking to rest up before playing in the Class 4A state final against Palestine at 2:30 p.m. today, Progreso took it easy on Thursday.

The Red Ants ran through only a light practice in the morning, meeting for about an hour at Old Settlers Park in Round Rock.

“It was nice, we had a short practice,” coach Margarito Jimenez said. “Very, very little ball handling. Just stretching, a brisk jog and very little soccer drills.”

From there, the team went back to the Hyatt Place Austin-North Central hotel to have lunch and watch McFarland, USA.

The food menu has been about the same as what the team usually eats in the Valley, typically including spots like Jason’s Deli, Whataburger and Pizza Hut, plus bananas, oranges and water or Gatorade, Jimenez said.

In the afternoon, Jimenez took the team on an informal tour of his alma mater, St. Edward’s University in Austin, before bringing the group back to Georgetown to catch Brownsville Porter’s Class 5A state semifinal against El Paso Eastlake.

“At the end of the day, our goal is for them to finish their schooling, and hopefully they can get inspired not just on the field, but off the field as well,” Jimenez said.

Progreso got a glimpse of today’s opponent on Wednesday, watching the end of Palestine’s win against Kilgore before the Red Ants’ match got underway.

Jimenez noticed that Palestine played a physical style of soccer, and senior defender Juan Puentes saw that the Wildcats like to attack with long passes.

“I know it’s going to be a physical game. It’s going to be tough,” Puentes said. “We’re going to give it our best to take the trophy back to Progreso.”

STATE JITTERS

Less than a minute into Wednesday’s state semifinal, Progreso gifted Argyle a prime opportunity at an early lead. What should have been an easy pass from one Red Ants defender to another missed the mark, giving the Eagles’ Chad Book a free run at goal.

“It did seem a little bit at the beginning that they were nervous, but it went away,” Jimenez said. “We told them since minute one, ‘You belong here.’ And it showed.”

Puentes said he felt a little shaky for the game’s first 20 minutes, given that he was playing at state for the first time in front of about 200 Progreso fans.

Senior Christian Chavez, who eventually scored the game-winning goal in overtime, was one of the players who helped the Red Ants maintain composure.

“Sometimes, some players tell us, ‘I’m nervous about the game,’” Chavez said. “We tell them, ‘Don’t be nervous. It’s just a regular game. You’ve been playing the game for 10 years, 15 years, or all of your life.’”

COMEBACK PLAYERS

The Red Ants have learned to play from behind in the playoffs, erasing deficits in each of the past two games. Although cruising through most of the season, Progreso faced a 2-0 deficit in the Region IV-4A final against Giddings and a 2-1 hole Wednesday against Argyle.

In both cases, the Red Ants came from behind to win.

“Like in Giddings, we never gave up,” senior Rogelio Zamora said. “We were down. This time, we were down, too, but we never gave up. We knew we could go all the way through.”

Chavez said the solution was simply staying the course — doing the same things that helped the Red Ants advance this far in the playoffs. Jimenez didn’t panic, keeping the tactics and formations the same.

“Just remain calm,” Jimenez said. “We knew we could score. It was just, ‘Stay calm.’ We knew the goals were coming.”

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GREG LUCA | STAFF WRITER

GEORGETOWN — During the five-minute break between the end of regulation and the start of overtime, Progreso senior Cristian Chavez told his teammates about a hole he saw in the Argyle defense.

“I told them, ‘If you’re going to dribble the ball to the corner, try to send it to the middle, or send it back to a midfielder or defender,’” Chavez said. “’Somebody is going to be open.’”

For Progreso, that somebody was Chavez. At 2:01 of the first overtime period, the midfielder blasted in the game-winning goal from about 30 yards out, lifting Progreso to a 3-2 win against Argyle in a Class 4A state semifinal on Wednesday at Birkelbach Field in Georgetown.

Chavez said he could feel that the ball was going in as soon as it left his foot.

“It was very emotional,” Chavez said. “When I saw that ball going in, I wanted to cry.”

The victory advances Progreso to the state final, where it will face Palestine at 2:30 p.m. Friday in Georgetown. Palestine advanced to the state final by beating Kilgore 1-0 in penalty kicks on Wednesday.

The Red Ants now have a school record 22 wins, advancing to the regional semifinals, regional finals, state semifinals and state finals for the first time in program history.

“Since the beginning of the season, we knew the type of team we had,” Progreso coach Margarito Jimenez said. “We always set our goals high, and it was to come to state. It became a reality last Saturday. Now we’re going for the bigger goal, which is to win it all.”

Jimenez has said throughout the year that Chavez has the hardest kick in the Valley. Also Progreso’s football kicker, Chavez said he’s been focused on developing a stronger shot since his eighth-grade year.

This season, he remembers scoring from as far as 45 yards out during a district match against La Feria.

“I had faith that he could score at any minute,” Jimenez said. “If he gets a clear shot, more than likely it’s going to go in.”

Progreso captain Rogelio Zamora said he knew the third goal was going to be the winner. The Red Ants continued to control play during the final 18 minutes, allowing just two Eagles shots, even as Argyle brought its goalie all the way into the attacking box to try to apply extra pressure. Throughout the night, Argyle’s offense was based on sending long passes to its taller forwards.

“We prepared for that,” Jimenez said. “We knew what was coming. … Our boys are bigger than you see them. They are bigger because they have the heart of a lion.”

Although Jimenez felt his team opened the game with some nerves, Progreso found the back of the net first.

During the eighth minute, Zamora volleyed in a corner kick from Fabrizzio Gonzalez.

“I’m not good at heading, so I just waited for the ball, I got my chance, and I got it,” Zamora said.

Argyle needed less than four minutes to take over the lead. Dylan Sadler scored twice, first on a deflected free kick from 25 yards out with 30:37 to play in the half and then again on a header with 29:05 remaining.

For the second game in a row, Progreso was facing a first-half deficit.

“We felt frustrated, but not for too much,” Zamora said. “We know how to control the game, and that’s what we do.”

Zamora didn’t need long to answer with a second goal of his own, volleying the ball out of the air and into the right half of the net from about 25 yards out during the 16th minute. Zamora said he wasn’t sure he could score from that range but felt he had no other choice than to try.

“They always tell us if we have a chance, take it,” Zamora said. “And I took it. I helped the team a lot. I’m really happy.”

Both teams had eight shots in the first half, while Argyle had four corner kicks to Progreso’s three.

Although the second half finished without a score, Progreso seemed to take control of the game, tallying nine shots in the period to Argyle’s four. The Red Ants also earned four corner kicks in the second half compared to two for Argyle.

That pressure paid off with Chavez’s goal early in overtime.

“This means a lot to us,” Chavez said. “We made history. For Progreso, this is the first team going to state and making it to the final. We’re very proud of the team.”

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