By ROY HESS | Staff Writer

After a lengthy weather delay Saturday, the Jubilee Brownsville girls soccer team finished as the state runner-up at the Texas Charter Schools Academic & Athletic League state tournament in Georgetown.

The Lady Titans lost their state final 2-0 to KIPP San Antonio University Prep at Birkelbach Field, site of the UIL state tournament in soccer later this month.

The Lady Titans closed their season with a 16-2-1 record, as 2019 marked the third year of the program.

It was Jubilee’s first appearance at state in soccer.

“We had a great year,” Jubilee coach Cesar Arizmendi said. “The girls played together as a whole, and that enabled us to get to the championship.

“We are a young team that will have great experience for the next couple of years,” he added. “KIPP San Antonio was the better team today, and congrats to them.”

To qualify for the state tournament, Jubilee won three games in the playoffs.

The Lady Titans reached the state final by rallying to defeat Houston Harmony School of Advancement 3-1 in the semifinals Friday.

Against Harmony, Jubilee was down 1-0 and evened the match at 1 on a 25-yard shot by Erika Parker, making the score 1-1 at intermission.

During the second half, a header by Jubilee’s Stephanie Aguilar put the Lady Titans ahead for good, 2-1. Another goal by Parker accounted for the final score of 3-1.

KIPP San Antonio defeated IL Texas Garland 2-1 in the semifinals Friday to reach Saturday’s title match.

By ROY HESS | Staff Writer

BROWNSVILLE — Alise Garza made a goal she will never forget.

It was a goal that lifted the Harlingen South Lady Hawks into next week’s Region IV-6A Tournament.

Garza scored with seven and a half minutes remaining from just in front of the goal while falling down as the Lady Hawks won Friday’s Class 6A regional quarterfinal soccer match 1-0 against McAllen High at Brownsville Sports Park.

Garza received a long pass by teammate Stephanie Torres from the left side of the field and controlled the ball with only the McHi goalkeeper between her and the net. Even though she was falling down after the ball went off her chest, Garza got off a shot that found the mark to set off a roar of approval from the South faithful.

“I saw the goalkeeeper coming out, and I knew I had a chance to beat her,” said Garza, a senior forward. “I timed it just right on the slide, and I definitely got it right because it went in. I chested the ball (as I received the pass), I saw it rolling and I knew I had a chance (to score). I just tapped it in.

“It’s such a blessing (to see us win),” Garza added. “We’ve worked so hard this season practicing in the hot sun and everything. Just going out there, and being able to score that goal and move on in the playoffs with our team, it’s really an honor.”

District 32-6A runner-up South (22-3) moves on to the fourth round of the 6A playoffs and plays in the regional tournament semifinals next Friday at BSP.

McHi (20-4-3) ends its season as the District 30-6A champion after becoming the first Rio Grande Valley girls team to advance to the UIL state tournament in soccer last season.

“Our girls played their hearts out, but it was South’s night,” McHi coach Pat Arney said. “Obviously, we’re disappointed.

“One of our girls said she thinks what we did last year (by getting to state) gave all the other Valley teams confidence that they could do it, too,” Arney added. “I agree with her, and it’s just the way things are now. It’s great to see for Valley (girls) soccer.”

Lady Hawks coach Omar Pedroza said he was pleased with the effort of his team.

“That’s what (a full game of) 80 minutes of soccer looks like,” Pedroza said. “I don’t think we’ve played 80 minutes of soccer so far (this season until tonight). We’ve actually been getting away with winning games by playing only 40 minutes or so.

“Today, I told the girls, ‘If we play (only) 40 minutes of soccer, we
aren’t going to be back out here next week (at the regional tournament),'” Pedroza added. “We needed a full 80 minutes to beat a good team like McHi. Sure enough, we finally played 80 minutes of soccer tonight.”

By ROY HESS | Staff Writer

BROWNSVILLE — The Hanna Golden Eagles survived some anxious moments in winning Friday’s Class 6A regional quarterfinal soccer matchup 4-2 against the Harlingen South Hawks.

The victory at Brownsville Sports Park advances the District 32-6A third-place Eagles to next week’s Region IV-6A Tournament at BSP.

“It feels very emotional (to win), and it’s like a dream come true because we’ve been playing since the beginning of the season (in January) as a team,” said Hanna’s Miguel Payan, a senior captain and defender who scored the Eagles’ final goal during the second half with 20 minutes left to make it a two-score game. “I really have no words right now for how good this feels. It was just a great win tonight.”

Hanna is returning to the regional tournament for the first time since 2013, the year the Eagles advanced to the state final.

The 32-6A runner-up South boys, having won in the playoffs this season for the first time in school history, saw their promising campaign come to a close.

“First of all, I am very proud of my team,” South coach Julian Robles said. “Our boys fought hard until the very end.

“We started off a little slow tonight, but hats off to Hanna,” Robles added. “They played a great game against us, and I hope they do well at the regional tournament. It was a great match, and we had a lot of fan support. We had a lot of (scoring) chances, and so did they.

“What can you expect from a District 32-6A match like this one?”

The Hawks fell behind 3-0 early as Hanna scored goals during the 12th, 17th and 22nd minutes. Scoring the goals were Kevin Ochoa, Marko Garibay and Hector Quintero.

South rallied to score goals during the 30th and 33rd minutes to make it 3-2 at intermission. Scoring the Hawks’ goals were Leo Torres and Jose Lerma.

The Eagles breathed a sigh of relief after Payan’s goal with 20 minutes left.

“It’s great, winning is always great,” Hanna coach Reyes Prado said. “We had a couple of mistakes, and Harlingen South capitalized on them (to make it 3-2). South was eager to win also.

“South is a very well-coached team by Coach Robles, and we expected that,” Prado added. “We expected a battle, and we got one. It’s always nice to win a tough game like this one, especially after all these seniors have busted their behinds throughout the season.”

The 32-6A rivals split matches during the district season.

Hanna won at home against the Hawks 2-1 on Feb. 15 before South triumphed 4-2 at home against the Eagles on March 19.

Hanna advanced to Friday’s game with a 3-2 come-from-behind win against Laredo United South during the area playoffs Tuesday. The same night, South defeated McAllen Rowe 4-1 in the area playoffs at the Warriors’ field.

The Region IV-6A Tournament starts Friday at BSP.

ROY HESS | Staff Writer

Sandra Garza and Corina Arizmendi are all smiles and their pride shows when talking about Jubilee Brownsville’s first trip to state in girls soccer.

The two sophomores are team captains for the Lady Titans squad that plays today in the semifinals of the Texas Charter Schools Academic & Athletic League state tournament in Georgetown. Their opponent is Houston’s Harmony School of Advancement.

“I’m very proud of our team,” said Garza, a midfielder on the right wing for the Lady Titans. “We’ve come a very long way (in three years of playing girls soccer at our school). We started off with some inexperienced players, and now, they’re starting to develop.

“We’re starting to work as a team as well,” Garza added. “We’re communicating and bonding.”

Arizmendi is the daughter of the coach, Cesar Arimendi. She is a center midfielder who likewise is enthusiastic about her team’s potential at state.

“To play for this team is really exciting,” the sophomore center midfielder said. “We’ve come a long way since we made it to the regional final last year, so I’m really proud of that.

“We’ve been conditioning a lot and our ball control is really decent, so I believe we have a shot to do well,” she added. “I like how we’re all close to each other and we’re all a team. We don’t argue, and being a team helps us a lot.

“I’m very happy with how far we’ve come because it wasn’t a piece of cake to get here (and be going to state).”

Jubilee is 15-1-1 on the season. The Lady Titans won three playoff games to qualify for state. They opened the postseason with a 4-0 win against IDEA San Benito before prevailing 1-0 (4-3) in penalty kicks against IDEA Edinburg. Last Saturday, the Lady Titans clinched their first trip to state with a 2-1 victory against IDEA Pharr in the regional final.

“These girls have been working together, playing together and doing a really good job,” said Coach Cesar Arizmendi, who is assisted by Carolina Nevarez. “I’m proud of how far they’ve come in such a short time. We are very fortunate to be where we’re at.

“Making our first trip to state is another step forward for the program,” he added. “These girls are hard-working and they’ve stayed together throughout the season.”

Besides Arizmendi and Garza, other members of the Lady Titans’ starting lineup are Andy Parker at goalkeeper, Sofia De La Torre and Leslie Barrea as outside defenders, Luz Gallegos and Alejandra Perez as center defenders, Erika Parker at center midfielder, Jullisa Garza at left wing, and Paola Vargas and Kat Vasquez as forwards.

Among those helping off the bench are Nicole Holland, Stefanie Aguilar, Ana Escudero, Amani Bosolo and Samantha Uvalle.

“I think if we continue to be determined we can hopefully win at state,” Sandra Garza said. “I’m very proud of our team.

ROY HESS | Staff Writer

Please forgive the Harlingen South Hawks for being a little excited about the state soccer playoffs.

They waited 25 years or so to win their first playoff game. Now, they’ve won twice within a week in the postseason.

“I’m so glad to be a part of this team,” said Isaac Garza, a sophomore forward for the Hawks who scored a pair of goals during South’s 4-1 Class 6A area-round playoff win Tuesday against McAllen Rowe in McAllen.

Last Friday, the Hawks defeated Edinburg Economedes 3-2 in bi-district.

Up next for the Hawks is a regional quarterfinal matchup against fellow District 32-6A member Brownsville Hanna. The Hawks take on the Golden Eagles at 8 p.m. Friday at Brownsville Sports Park, site of this year’s Regional IV-6A Tournament.

The South-Hanna winner qualifies for next week’s regional tournament.

“We are a small district (with only six teams in 32-6A), and I think everybody took us for granted,” South coach Julian Robles said. “But now it’s showing with us and Hanna (from 32-6A) going far. It just shows we’re a real tough district to go against. (Brownsville) Rivera has done well, too.”

“Honestly, I feel that any of the six teams in 32-6A could give a battle to any of these teams we’re facing in the playoffs,” Robles added. “Our South boys are doing incredible things. It’s a group that works together, they lift each other up and they stick to our game plan, which is something you have to do in these (playoff) games.”

South was the 32-6A runner-up behind district champion Rivera. Hanna finished in third place.

During district play, South lost at Hanna 2-1 on Feb. 15 and beat the Eagles 4-2 at home on March 19.

“It’s going to be exciting for us (playing Hanna) since we know what to expect from each other,” Robles said. “Hanna is a well-coached team by Coach (Reyes) Prado that has a tradition of getting far in the playoffs.

“We understand that it will be a tough game, but we are not just happy with getting to the regional quarterfinals,” Robles added. “We really want to win just as much as Hanna wants to.”

LADY HAWKS SHINING

Conversely, the Harlingen South girls are used to going to the playoffs annually and staying around awhile.

That’s what they’re doing this season, having won their area-round game 3-0 on Tuesday at McAllen Rowe. The Lady Hawks defeated Donna North 5-3 in bi-district last Friday.

The next challenge for the South girls is a regional quarterfinal matchup against McAllen High at 6 p.m. Friday at Brownsville Sports Park. It’s the first game of a playoff doubleheader for the South girls and boys.

The South and McHi girls have a storied soccer rivalry going in the playoffs. Dating back to the late 1990s, they’ve met eight times, usually during the second or third round, and the Lady Hawks have won five of those matchups.

“It may be the only losing record we have against another Valley team,” Lady Bulldogs coach Pat Arney said.

The past two seasons McHi has beaten the Lady Hawks in the regional quarterfnals (2-1 in 2018 and 1-0 in 2017). The Lady Bulldogs became the Valley’s first female team to advance to the UIL state tournament last season.

“McHi has an outstanding team and it’s going to be a tough matchup,” Lady Hawks coach Omar Pedroza said. “They have speed everywhere. If we can play well defensively like we did against Rowe, we should be OK. Our defensive play will be a key because McHi has so much speed.”

Added Carolina Grannum, South’s junior forward who scored the first goal for the Lady Hawks against Rowe, “I really think we can beat McHi if we just play our best throughout the entire game. I’m pretty sure we have a good chance to beat them.”

HEARTFELT THANKS

The soccer season came to an all-too-soon end for the Harlingen High Lady Cardinals on Tuesday in a 4-2 area-round playoff loss to La Joya Juarez-Lincoln at Sharyland High. The Lady Cardinals were up 2-1 early in the second half, but could not hold the lead.

Lady Cardinals coach Debra Galvan said she appreciates the strong effort her players gave throughout the 2019 campaign.

“The girls worked hard all season and gave so much heart when they played on the field,” Galvan said. “They gave lots of effort this year and played as a team.”

(Photo of South seniors courtesy of Alex Mendez)

By ROY HESS | Staff Writer

It took a comeback effort for the Hanna Golden Eagles to advance to the regional quarterfinals of the Class 6A soccer playoffs.

The Eagles trailed 2-1 at halftime against Laredo United South during Tuesday’s area-round playoff game in Roma.

With Miguel Payan, one of their senior captains, sitting out a red card against United South, the Hanna players were determined to keep the season alive for him, and that’s just what they did.

Scoring goals for the Eagles on Tuesday were Kevin Ochoa, Aldo Gonzalez and Marko Garibay. Garibay’s tally with a little more than 22 minutes remaining put Hanna ahead for good 3-2 against United South.

The Eagles now play Harlingen South in Friday’s 8 p.m. regional quarterfinal at Brownsville Sports Park, site of next week’s Region IV-6A Tournament.

It will be a playoff doubleheader as the South girls go against McAllen High in another regional quarterfinal at 6 p.m. Friday at Brownsville Sports Park.

“It is very special to be at this stage of the playoffs, but we are not satisfied,” Hanna coach Reyes Prado said. “Our guys want to keep practicing and playing for as long as possible.

“God willing, we want to show our school, community and fans how proud we feel to represent them,” he added. “Our team wants to make history this year. I am so proud of how humble and dedicated this group is. It is an honor leading these young men.”

Hanna opened the playoffs with a 3-0 win at Edinburg High last Thursday in bi-district.

South was the District 32-6A runner-up behind district champion Rivera. Hanna finished in third place.

During district play, South lost at Hanna 2-1 on Feb. 15 and beat the Eagles 4-2 at home on March 19.

REMATCH SET

The Brownsville Veterans Memorial Chargers are playing the Corpus Christi Veterans Memorial Eagles for the third straight season in the Class 5A playoffs.

The Chargers advanced to the regional quarterfinals with Monday’s 5-1 area-round triumph against Laredo Cigarroa at Corpus Christi’s Cabaniss Field, site of next week’s Region IV-5A Tournament.

The Chargers are returning to Cabaniss for their regional quarterfinal matchup at 8 p.m. Friday against the Eagles, who defeated La Joya Palmview 2-1 in the area round.

Brownsville Veterans is trying to reach the regional tournament for the third straight season.

“Our guys played very well on Monday (against Cigarroa),” Chargers coach Alberto Vasquez said. “Things got interesting when Cigarroa tied the game on us, but we were able to keep our composure and eventually capitalize on some (scoring) opportunities.

“We’ve had great games vs. CC Vets the last two years,” Vasquez added. “They are a solid, well-coached team, so it should make for a great matchup.”

The Chargers defeated the Eagles 2-0 last year in Mercedes in the regional quarterfinals. In 2017, the Chargers beat the Eagles 3-0 in the second round of the playoffs at Sams Memorial Stadium.

OFF TO STATE

The Jubilee Brownsville girls soccer team is playing in the Texas Charter Schools Academic & Athletic League state tournament beginning Friday in Georgetown.

The Lady Titans won three games in the playoffs to reach state, including last Saturday’s 2-1 regional championship victory against IDEA Pharr.

The Jubilee girls go against Harmony of Houston in the state semifinals on Friday in Georgetown.

ALL DONE

The soccer season came to a close in the area playoffs for four Brownsville teams Monday and Tuesday.

On Monday, the Pace girls lost to Flour Bluff 3-2 in overtime at Raymondville.

On Tuesday, the Rivera boys fell short against Laredo LBJ 3-1 in San Antonio, while the Hanna girls were edged 1-0 at McAllen High. Also, the Lopez girls suffered a 4-0 setback against Corpus Christi Veterans in Corpus Christi.

The Hanna boys and Brownsville Veterans boys are the only two teams still alive besides the Jubilee Brownsville girls.

By ROY HESS | Staff Writer

McALLEN — One goal would have been enough. Yet the Harlingen South Lady Hawks wound up adding two late scores to win 3-0 during Tuesday’s Class 6A area-round soccer match against McAllen Rowe on the Lady Warriors’ home field.

All three goals came during the second half.

The first one was scored on a header by Caroline Grannum with 26 minutes left in the second half, which was the 54th minute. Teammates Alise Garza and Mellory Grannum, Caroline’s older sister, tallied one goal apiece during the final eight and a half minutes to account for the decisive final score.

“I was a little unsure about that one because I kind of suck at headers,” said Caroline Grannum, a junior forward. “My friend Alise crossed it to me. I hardly ever score a header, but for some reason I was able to hit the ball with my head, and, thankfully, it went in.

“It felt really good (to score),” she added. “I just wanted us to not let up, so I just kept playing hard.”

The victory advances the District 32-6A runner-up Lady Hawks to a third-round matchup later this week against District 30-6A champion McAllen High.

“I think it was the fact that we stayed with it tonight,” Lady Hawks coach Omar Pedroza said. “We didn’t play well the first half, but I have some smart girls and we knew there were some things we needed to do in the second half, and that’s what we did.

“We got rid of the ball a lot quicker, we made some better passes and we tried to open up things (during the final 40 minutes),” Pedroza added. “We were holding on to the ball too much in the first half. We got together and talked about it (at halftime), and things opened up for us.”

With eight and a half minutes remaining, Garza sent a crossing shot from the left side into the right corner of the net to make it 2-0.

One minute or so later, Mellory Grannum, a senior forward/midfielder, added her goal and the Lady Hawks were on their way to a 3-0 victory.

Lady Warriors coach John Martinez said he greatly appreciates the strong effort his 30-6A fourth-place Lady Warriors gave throughout the season.

“The final score doesn’t really show how close the game was,” he said. “We had a good game plan coming in and the girls fought hard, even though South added those two late goals.

“I’m thankful for the seniors and all the hard work and determination they’ve given me throughout these four years,” Martinez added. “I’m blessed to have these girls as a coach.

“(Losing eventually) happens to all of us.”

By ROY HESS | Staff Writer

McALLEN — The Harlingen South Hawks scored early and late to win their Class 6A area-round soccer playoff game 4-1 Tuesday at McAllen Rowe.

The District 32-6A runner-up Hawks tallied their first goal with about 40 seconds gone during the opening half. The Hawks scored their fourth goal with 1:08 remaining.

In between, the South boys scored back-to-back goals within less than one minute early in the second half to take a commanding 3-1 advantage.

The score was 1-1 at intermission.

Isaac Garza, a sophomore forward for South, scored his team’s first goal from close range on a header. He scored South’s third goal (45th minute) with his foot.

Also for South, Eric Lopez Jr., a senior captain, had the second goal (44th minute) and Joaquin Ovalle, a freshman, had the final one.

“It felt good (to score so early in the game), and it was a surprise,” Garza said. “I was close (by the goal), and I kind of flicked the ball back with my head (and into the net).”

The Hawks have now won two games in the playoffs after waiting approximately 25 years to capture their first postseason victory.

“It’s very special to be with this team,” Garza said. “The first half we didn’t really play as a team, but the second half we really pulled through.”

South advances to play Brownsville Hanna, a come-from-behind 3-2 winner Tuesday against Laredo United South in the area playoffs.

The South-Hanna match is expected to be played Thursday or Friday at Brownsville Sports Park, site of the Region IV-6A Tournament. Details for the match are expected to be finalized today.

“I think we settled down and started playing our type of game in the second half,” South coach Julian Robles said. “It was an emotional thing (early in the match), and then we started using our heads a little better. Our game started to come through, and we started to see results.”

District 30-6A fourth-place Rowe’s lone goal was scored on a penalty kick by Brandon Vasquez during the 10th minute to eventually make it a 1-1 deadlock at intermission.

It was an area-round sweep for South’s girls and boys Tuesday at Rowe. Earlier, the Lady Hawks won their playoff game 3-0 against the Lady Warriors.

By ROY HESS | Staff Writer

RAYMONDVILLE — It was an all-too-soon end to the state soccer playoffs for the Pace Lady Vikings.

A 3-2 overtime loss to the Flour Bluff Lady Hornets at Raymondville‘s Burnett Stadium on Monday night left the Pace girls short of achieving their goal of reaching the Region IV-5A Tournament this season for the first time.

Instead, the Lady Vikings (23-9-3) concluded their season in the second round of the postseason, having captured back-to-back District 32-5A championships in 2018-19.

“I’m going home with the idea that our girls gave everything they had,” Lady Vikings coach Jesus O. Villarreal said. “Like we expected it to be, it was an even game that could have gone either way.

“We had our chances (to score) and we just couldn’t make them,” Villarreal added. “We didn’t get dominated, and I do want to give some credit to Flour Bluff because they have a very well-structured team and their formation is very well-defined. We knew what to expect and what they were capable of. I’m calm because it was a very even game.”

District 29-5A runner-up Flour Bluff advances to the third round of the Class 5A playoffs later this week and is expected to play Victoria East.

Pace defeated Flour Bluff 4-1 in the area round of the playoffs one season ago, also at Raymondville, so the Lady Hornets were pretty happy.

“This win feels good, especially for the girls, who have put in a lot of effort,” Flour Bluff coach Mario Lopez said. “Honestly, both teams played hard and it was back and forth.

“Brownsville Pace and Coach Villarreal really have a good thing going over the last couple of years, and you could really tell it by the way their team played tonight,” Lopez added. “It feels good to come out on top, and that’s really all I can say.”

The Lady Hornets broke out early to take a 1-0 lead during the fourth minute of the match as Meena Luis scored from close range near the right post. Pace’s Arianna Garcia evened the match at 1 during the 23rd minute on a long-range goal that caught the right corner of the net.

During the 28th minute, Pace’s Paloma Zamora sent a shot toward the goal from the left side that found the mark for a 2-1 lead after the ball hit the right post and bounced in.

The Lady Vikings’ took a 2-1 advantage into intermission.

The Lady Hornets scored their second goal soon after the beginning of the second half. During the 44th minute, Flour Bluff’s Olivia Cerna won a 1-on-1 matchup with the Pace goalkeeper to make it 2-2.

The game-winning goal was scored by the Lady Hornets five minutes into the first half of overtime, which was the 85th minute. Flour Bluff’s Catherine Cutbirth lined up for a free kick in the middle of the field from 30-plus yards away. She placed the ball perfectly as her kick came in high and cleared the outstretched arms of the Lady Vikings goalkeeper before settling into back of the net.

Fifteen more minutes of OT was played, but neither team managed to score again.

An injury to a Pace player, who appeared to hurt her back in a collision with a Flour Bluff player, stopped the match for approximately 45 minutes with 19:13 remaining in regulation. The player was taken by ambulance to a hospital in Harlingen.

Pace athletic coordinator Danny Pardo said the girl appeared to be in stable condition and was transported to the hospital for precautionary reasons.

By ROY HESS | Staff Writer

Harlingen High’s 2-0 bi-district win last week over District 31-6A champion Edinburg North in the Class 6A girls soccer playoffs may have been a surprise to some, but not to the Lady Cardinals.

The Harlingen High girls came into the playoffs as the fourth-place team from District 32-6A. They were trying to reverse their fortunes after finishing 32-6A action with a four-game losing streak.

The Lady Cardinals came alive last Friday at home at just the right time.

“It wasn’t a surprise to us because we already know what we can do,” said Aaliyah Torres, a senior stopper for the Lady Cardinals. “It was all very good to win. We’ve worked hard for it all season, practicing non-stop out here in all kinds of weather. It’s great for our hard work to finally show, especially in a playoff game.”

Added teammate Serena Escobar, a junior midfielder/defender, “It was a good feeling to win, actually, because we care a lot about our coach (Debra Galvan) who might not be coming back (due to her pregnancy) and our seniors. We really want to take them far (in the playoffs) this year and get to the Sweet 16, so it was real important for us to win.”

The Lady Cardinals won their bi-district match thanks to second-half goals by Monique Rodriguez and Escobar.

One of the scores happened on Escobar’s perfectly placed, long-distance free kick from the right side that came in high and caught the upper left corner of the net.

“Before I kicked it, my thought was that I could do it,” Escobar said. “I was thinking, ‘I’ve got this,’ and my coach always boosts me up before I do something like that. She makes me think positive about what I’m going to do. That’s what I did, and it went in. It just felt great to make that shot for everyone.”

Galvan said the return of some previously injured players helped her team.

“Winning was a big confidence booster,” said Galvan, now in her third season as the Lady Cardinals’ head coach. “Now the girls know we can beat that (Edinburg North) team and any others we might face, so we’re ready to go.

“I think having these injured players back makes us a different team,” Galvan added. “It gives us more confidence and helps us control the game more. We’re also able to play some girls back in the positions they’re used to, so it changes the game for us.”

The Lady Cardinals (16-5-1) face their next challenge in the area round of the 6A playoffs against District 30-6A runner-up La Joya Juarez-Lincoln (20-1). The match is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. today at Sharyland High. The winner advances to the third round to play Edinburg High or Laredo Alexander.

“Juarez-Lincoln is a very good team,” Galvan said. “We’ve been reading up about them. They only have one loss. We’re hoping to make it two.”

Captains for the Lady Cardinals are Escobar, Torres and Kay-Lani Vasquez.

“We have a team of girls that have very, very good skills,” said Vasquez, a junior forward/winger. “We all have our individual talents, and it was incredible to see us put them out on the field (in our bi-district win).

“I can’t wait to see what we put out there (against Juarez-Lincoln),” Vasquez added. “It should be interesting, and it should be a good game between two good teams.”

Added teammate Brianna Garza, a senior winger/defender, “I think we have a really high potential. Even without the injured players we were a pretty good team, although our (32-6A) standings didn’t really show it. We just beat a district champion (in Edinburg North), so I think we can do really well.

“About this team, we’re all good friends and we have a really good chemistry together on and off the field,” Garza added. “It’s my senior year, and I’m really happy (playing for the Lady Cardinals).”