By ROY HESS, Staff Reporter

Few soccer players ever score 50 or more goals during a season.

Brownsville Hanna’s Ana Barragan was one of the ones to do it, and she is The Brownsville Herald’s 2020 All-Metro Girls Soccer Offensive Player of the Year.

Barragan is a sophomore forward-midfielder who played for the Lady Golden Eagles for the first time in 2020 after transferring from San Marcos, where she was on the varsity as a freshman. She actually scored 51 goals this season playing for Hanna.

“This has been one of the most successful seasons I’ve had as far as goals,” she said. “It feels nice to be recognized for my efforts. I work really hard and put a lot of time, energy and love into this game.”

Eliseo Guzman, her coach at Hanna, said Barragan has made an immediate impact with the Lady Eagles.

“Ana is an amazing player that can dribble, give good passes and can score from far and close range,” Guzman said. “She also recovers a lot of balls.

“She’s a very complete athlete and is also a good friend with her teammates,” Guzman added. “I can see they have a very good bond inside and outside of the field. She came to help the team in both ways — on offense and defense as well.”

Barragan said she enjoys playing for Hanna.

“I love the camaraderie within the team,” she said. “We all support and respect each other. I also admire the spirit and type of energy my coach brings to us.

“Teamwork (is one of the best things about this team),” she added. “Soccer is not a one-player game. You have to work together to accomplish great things. Perseverance (is an important quality of this team, too). No matter what the score is, you give it 100 percent until the end of the game.

“I try to be disciplined on and off the field, and dedicated to the game, the team and our coach.”

The standout sophomore said there are a number of people to thank for helping her in her soccer career, which began when she first started playing the game at age 7. Three persons in particular to thank, she said, are her parents, Hector Barragan and Lisa Garcia, and also Luis Garza, her coach when she was younger.

“I thank my mom for her encouragement and constant support,” Barragan said. “I thank my dad for introducing me to the game and teaching me how to be a great player. Finally, thanks to Coach Garza for having a big part in my development as a player. I played for him many years, and he was a very influential coach for me.”

The Hanna girls finished fifth (4-6 with 11 points) this season in an ultra-competitive District 32-6A. Barragan believes better times are ahead for the Lady Eagles.

“We didn’t qualify for the playoffs this year, but if our team continues to put in the work, there is no doubt it can happen next year,” she said.

By ROY HESS, Staff Writer

The Brownsville Veterans Memorial Lady Chargers fielded one of the top defenses in District 32-5A girls soccer this season.

The anchor of that defense was Andrea Hurtado, a senior center back and three-year starter.

Hurtado is The Brownsville Herald’s 2020 All-Metro Girls Soccer Defensive Player of the Year. She also earned first-team all-district honors.

It’s a well-deserved All-Metro award, Lady Chargers coach Luis Troncoso said.

“The first thing that stands out about Andrea is her passion for the game and her teammates,” Troncoso said. “Her attitude, commitment and responsibility in our program quickly set her (apart) as a leader of the team. (As a sophomore) she was determined not only to be a starter, but to perform at her best every game for her teammates.

“Andrea is an example of hard work and perseverance,” he added. “(Since she was a freshman on the junior varsity) Andrea has been determined to grow as a player and continue working with a great attitude and motivation. She was given an opportunity to start as a center back in her sophomore year and has never looked back.”

The Brownsville coach said his star player’s future is bright.

“Andrea has many standout qualities, but what sets her apart and what will guide her in the future is her discipline, her humbleness and her understanding that we must be ready to learn every single day,” Troncoso said. “She has been very coachable over the last four years, and that has taken her a long way in our Lady Charger soccer program.”

The Lady Chargers didn’t quite get a chance to finish their regular-season schedule.

“I believe we ranked either first or second in 32-5A in defense with one (district) game pending against Edcouch-Elsa,” Troncoso said.

After Spring Break in mid-March, the University Interscholastic League suspended all games and even practices for all spring sports due to the dangers of COVID-19. Schools haven’t reopened to students since then, and if the state playoffs are to ever happen, possibly in May, which appears doubtful, students first would have to return to school.

The UIL suspension took effect before Brownsville Veterans could play its last 32-5A match against E-E.

Still, the Lady Chargers did well enough to place second in district with an 11-2 record and 29 points. They stand 22-5 overall.

“I feel that even though our season started a little rough, we believed in each other and pushed through to do everything we could have done,” said Hurtado, who started playing soccer at age 11. “I’m proud of the girls, proud of myself and proud of the effort we gave. I know that even though we didn’t get the district title this season, I know our girls will get it next year.

“We wanted to win more than anything, and we really wanted to prove that we weren’t just a ‘whatever’ team,” Hurtado added. “We wanted to show that we could put up good competition. Some people thought that just because we weren’t in District 32-6A we weren’t that good, but I feel we could give anybody good competition when they stepped on the field with us.

It’s been real important to me to be a member of this team because we’ve been through a lot. Being able to be a team leader has been great. I’ve learned a lot from my teammates, and hopefully, they have learned a lot from me.”

Hurtado said being named All-Metro defensive player of the year is very humbling and rewarding.

“Honestly, it means so much to me,” she said. “I thank my coaches and teammates for helping me get to where I am right now. I’m so glad I was a part of the team, and I wish everything (as far as success) for them next year.”

By ROY HESS, Staff Writer

Put Alondra Lopez on the soccer field, and she plays well at all positions.

Los Fresnos’ standout senior, who has experience playing mostly on defense at stopper along with various times spent playing at forward and in the midfield, is The Brownsville Herald’s 2020 All-Metro Girls Soccer Utility Player of the Year.

It’s an honor that Lopez, a four-year member of the varsity, truly appreciates.

“That (award) is very cool, and I consider it a huge accomplishment,” said Lopez, who has started for the Lady Falcons for two years now. “I do remember that ever since I started playing in seventh grade, my coach would put me at several positions and I would just try my best and give it my all.

“On defense I’ve learned that I need to know my next move and where to place the ball (when passing to a teammate),” she added. “I think that’s one thing every soccer player should have — an idea of what they’re going to do next with the ball.”

Los Fresnos coach Diego Luna is grateful for Lopez’s contributions to his squad.

“Alondra is a player that quietly leads a team to success,” he said. “As a captain, she has been my go-to player throughout the season. Whenever the team needed someone to step into a position, I knew Alondra would be able to step into it and lead our girls. Her ability to play multiple positions and excel in each one makes her an indispensable player.

“Aside from being a threat in various positions, Alondra is a leader off the field, too,” he added. “She always made sure the girls were together, informed and ready for the next battle. This soccer season we had multiple injuries leading into district, which forced me to make lineup adjustments.

“Alondra started the season as a center midfielder, but due to player injuries, she played all defensive positions and at forward, too. As a forward, Alondra became our goal scorer in crucial district games. Alondra being named All-Metro Utility Player of the year is most deserving.”

The Lady Falcons won their final six District 32-6A games to finish second behind Harlingen South with a 7-3 record and 20 points. They are 18-7-1 overall.

Lopez said her team rebounded and came together after dropping three of its first four district matches.

“Our girls never gave up, no matter what obstacle we had in our path,” she said. “We would talk about how things needed to change, and we kept pushing and pushing. The girls worked hard, and we always had hope.

“Playing for the Lady Falcons has been a dream come true.”

The standout utility player appreciates the guidance she has received from her coaches.

“I want to thank Coach Luna and (former) Coach (Patricia) Hernandez, who was my varsity coach for three years (prior to Coach Luna),” Lopez said. “Coach Hernandez kept after me and helped me become better than I was when I first started playing on the varsity.

“Both of them push me and help me still to this day,” Lopez added. “They’ve pushed me to be better than I am. Coach Luna asked me back in seventh grade if I wanted to take playing soccer seriously. My goal was always to be on the varsity.

“I would just like to give a big shoutout to my teammates, because without them, we wouldn’t have gotten this far.”

Luna said his standout player’s future is bright.

“It’s been a pleasure to witness Alondra’s growth as a player, but most importantly, as a young woman,” he said. “There is no doubt Alondra will have a tremendous impact in her future endeavors.”

By ROY HESS, Staff Writer

Goalkeepers put it all on the line for their teams in soccer.

Andrea Calvillo did just that as a freshman starter this season who became a standout for the Los Fresnos Lady Falcons.

She is The Brownsville Herald’s Girls All-Metro Soccer Team Newcomer of the Year for 2020.

“Andrea is a special player,” Lady Falcons coach Diego Luna said. “This year we were fortunate to have her as our varsity starting goalkeeper. As a freshman, Andrea demonstrated exceptional goalkeeping skills and athleticism. Most importantly, she showed her mental strength. Being named All-Metro newcomer of the year is something that Andrea has earned through her dedication and hard work.

“Andrea has been in games that have gone to overtime, penalty kicks and have ended with game-winning goals,” Luna added. “Her outstanding plays and saves kept our season alive and in the hunt for first place in a tough District 32-6A.”

The Lady Falcons came on strong at the end of district play with six straight victories to finish in second place with a 7-3 record and 20 points. They posted an 18-7-1 overall mark.

“The season was bumpy for us at the beginning,” Calvillo said. “There were some rough times. A lot of mistakes were made, but we came together and we were able to pull through at the end and qualify for the playoffs.

“It’s an honor to be part of such a distinguished soccer program here at Los Fresnos,” Calvillo added. “It’s great fun with such positive teammates, no matter what mistake I might have made.

“We stayed positive at all times. There were times when we were down, and each one of my teammates kept pushing the team to do our best. The positivity vibes that everybody had on the team helped us pull through.”

Calvillo started playing soccer at age 5. She said this season was special because she got to play with her older sister, Natalia Calvillo, a senior defender for the Lady Falcons.

Winning an award such as the All-Metro newcomer just adds to it, she said.

“It’s a great accomplishment, and it feels really good,” the freshman goalkeeper said. “There are many talented girls out there across our district that work just as hard as I do. I was able to perform at my best, so I was encouraged. To me, this award represents all the hard work that I’ve invested throughout all my years playing soccer.

“(As the goalkeeper,) I was definitely nervous and I just felt like I had to go out there and do as well as I possibly could. Thankfully, I was successful in that. It was always nerve-wracking, though, but as soon as I stepped on the field for a game, I gained confidence. The pressure brought out the best in me.”

Calvillo said she wanted to thank her current coach, Diego Luna, her past coach, Patricia Hernandez, and her goalkeeping coach, Cesar Arizmendi, for helping her in her development as a soccer player.

“They’ve always believed in me, and that’s the best thing I could ever ask for,” she said.

Luna said the Lady Falcons appreciate what Calvillo did this season and look forward to her future with the team.

“Andrea’s ability to communicate with the team, analyze game situations, embrace competition and overcome tough situations make her a difference-maker,” Luna said. “She is always eager to perfect her weaknesses. She is a player who trains (to improve) her goalkeeping skills after attending school and club practices.

“Not only am I very proud of her, I expect her to become even more of a standout player in our district,” Luna added. “I look forward to watching her grow as a team leader.”

By ROY HESS, Staff Writer

The 2020 season marked a breakthrough year for Brownsville Porter’s girls soccer program.

The Cowgirls began playing UIL girls soccer in 1997, and it wasn’t until 2016 they qualified for the playoffs for the first time.

This season they captured their first district championship in girls soccer. The Cowgirls won the District 32-5A title with a 12-2 record and 34 points. They boast a 26-5-6 overall mark.

Guiding the team is Abraham Gracia, who has been the Cowgirls’ coach for 12 seasons.

He is The Brownsville Herald’s clear choice as the All-Metro Girls Soccer Coach of the Year for 2020.

“It means a lot,” Gracia said of capturing the district title and being named coach of the year. “Winning district (always) has been one of our goals, but I’m not going to lie. There have been times I felt like giving up. Luckily, I decided to stick to it, and thank God, it finally happened.

“This season has been awesome,” he added. “We’ve got a good group of girls. Their dedication has made them one of the best groups I’ve had. There’s a lot of talent on this team. The talent of these players kind of explains why we’ve done so well. I haven’t had this much overall talent before.

“Like I said before, their dedication, their hard work, their perseverance and their attitude makes this team a pretty special one.”

The players appreciate the guidance Gracia is providing to the Cowgirls.

“Coach Gracia helps us out with a lot of things,” said Denisse Romero, Porter’s standout sophomore attacking midfielder. “He helped us win the games and has taught a lot. He’s a dedicated coach who tells us what to do on the field.”

Gracia’s assistant coaches are Gabriel Sanchez, Joe Valdez and Mike Hernandez.

The Porter coach, who served as an assistant for the boys soccer team at Rivera under Salvador Garcia for two years prior to coming to Porter, said this has been a season to savor.

Unfortunately, he said, it’s doubtful the season will continue into the playoffs because of the threat posed by COVID-19. Day by day, it appears more unlikely schools will reopen anytime soon so the students can complete the 2019-2020 school year on their campuses.

He said athletics, justifiably, has become secondary.

“The girls are very disappointed,” Gracia said. “They are constantly calling me and texting me (for updates). They want to have a chance to see what we could do in the playoffs.

“I’m really proud of our girls,” Gracia added. “Being the coach of the year and our success is because of them.”

By ROY HESS, Staff Writer

A rumor, if it proves true, could see the 2020 University Interscholastic League soccer playoffs take place starting in late May.

Local coaches say they have heard about a plan to resume the soccer season, and although it’s just a rumor at this point, they hope it proves true. They say their optimism that the playoffs could actually happen is tempered by reality.

The UIL suspended games and even practices for all spring sports in March due to the threat of the COVID-19 coronavirus.

School campuses have been closed to students since spring break in mid-March. For the playoffs to actually have any chance of happening, students would first need to be allowed to go back to school.

The coaches have heard that the UIL and the Texas Association of Soccer Coaches apparently have been discussing a contingency plan by which the state playoffs in soccer would start May 21 after allowing teams a period of time to get back to practice and play final district games for some of them between May 4-20. The second round of playoffs would be May 25-26 with the third round May 29-30. Regional tournaments would be played June 5-6.

“That is their plan,” Porter boys soccer coach Jose Espitia said. “I really hope it happens.

“(But) as per several medical experts, the chances are very slim,” Espitia added. “Those experts feel and predict all of this (COVID-19 danger) will clear up by late June.

“Let’s leave it in God’s hands. Our student-athletes really deserve the opportunity to play, especially the seniors, but safety should be our main priority.”

Reyes Prado, the Hanna boys soccer coach, said he also is aware of the contingency plan.

“I heard a strong rumor about that,” he said. “I hope that it is true, but for the safety of everyone, I don’t think it will happen. The most important thing here is the complete safety of our community.

“That (May 21 start date for the playoffs) is what the UIL apparently was saying about two weeks ago, but we haven’t heard anything (else) from them lately,” he added.

William Huerta, the San Benito boys soccer coach, believes it’s very unlikely the 2020 playoffs will ever take place.

“I have only heard some unofficial reports that May 15 may be the last day of school,” he said. “If May is supposed to be the peak time for this virus, I don’t see the playoffs happening. I am sure they are discussing it. I hope and pray it would be possible.”

Alberto Vasquez, the boys soccer coach at Brownsville Veterans Memorial, said while the playoffs most likely won’t happen, it would be something to remember for the ones who are graduating.

“All I’ve heard are rumors, nothing official,” Vasquez said. “If it’s safe to do, it definitely would be great for our seniors.”

By ROY HESS, Staff Writer

Brownsville Jubilee continues to make an impact during its inaugural school year of University Interscholastic League athletic competition after previously playing in a Texas charter school league.

Earlier this school year, Jubilee captured district titles in volleyball plus boys and girls basketball.

In soccer this season, Jubilee’s boys were District 32-4A champions and the girls were 32-4A co-champions. The Titans, 17-1-2 overall, claimed the district title with a 13-1-2 record.

The Lady Titans were 32-4A co-champions with Rio Hondo. The Jubilee girls, 18-1 on the season, finished tied for first place with the Lady Bobcats as each went 17-1 in district with 51 points.

As with other UIL spring sports, the soccer season is in limbo right now. The UIL has suspended all games and even practices due to a heightened concern regarding the COVID-19 coronavirus.

Originally in soccer, the playoffs were scheduled to begin at the end of March.

Schools aren’t even in session right now, and the possibility of spring sports continuing is beginning to look more unlikely day by day.

Still, the Jubilee boys and girls would like to play. They’re proud of capturing district titles, and they don’t want to see it end there with the possibility of the playoffs still ahead of them.

“I’m honored to be a player in this soccer program,” said Sebastian Pulido, a defender and senior team captain for the boys squad. “I’ve been a part of the soccer program here for four years. It’s great to be in UIL now and win a district title. We were able to dominate (in 32-4A) and show what we can do. This team is based on dedication (to the sport).”

Added Eduardo De Ledesma, a junior utility player for the Titans, “For me, it means a lot to be part of this team. Everyone has put so much dedication into it, and we managed to get the district title. We like the way the sport of soccer is, and we play with a will to win.”

Besides Pulido and De Ledesma, who plays mostly defender, other members of the Titans’ starting lineup are Cameron Davila at goalkeeper, Rafael Palomo and Jose Gallegos at defender, Diego Araujo, Noe Robledo, Daniel Morales and Kevin Ramirez in the midfield, and Luis Garza and Fabian Covarrubias at forward.

Key contributors off the bench include midfielder Luis Vergara and defender Diego Garza.

Roberto Coronado is in his second year coaching the Jubilee boys in varsity soccer. He previously coached the Titans on the subvarsity level, so many of the players already knew him before he became the varsity coach.

“Most of the guys have been with me since middle school, so I knew them before they came to the varsity,” Coronado said. “Together we’ve made a better team. Most of the players were used to the system I have.

“At one time soccer was not a very big thing here at our school, but in Brownsville, soccer is, like, the main sport, so we had to make it happen,” he added. “The players wanted to make it happen. We struggled a little bit last year, but this year we’ve had a complete team with about 20 players on the varsity, and it has worked.

“I give a lot of credit to our players. They know about soccer and what soccer success should be. Soccer is (now) something we like to play here.”

The same holds true for the Jubilee girls soccer squad.

“This year we switched some of the players’ positions because my assistant coach and I thought it would give us a better chance to score, and it did,” said Jennie Maldonado, the Lady Titans’ first-year coach. “We have a very versatile team. We could put a player in any position, and she would do her job.

“(Winning a district title my first year as coach) is very exciting, and it’s very humbling, too,” Maldonado added. “This was a successful program before, and I came on (as coach), and I had a great group of girls. It was a little rough at first having the girls gain my trust, but it’s worked out. Winning district in our first year in UIL is just very humbling, and it’s an honor, too.

“This team is young and eager (to win). It’s a team that constantly wants to be the best it can be. I think that constant desire to be better is what has made the difference for us this season. The players have that drive, and they’ve pushed themselves to be great.”

Seeing action in the lineup for the Lady Titans are Katherine Barraza at goalkeeper, Luz Gallegos at stopper, Paula Vargas at sweeper, fullbacks Sofia De La Torre, Stephanie Aguilar and Grecia Almaguer, center/defensive midfielders Pricila Hernandez and Alejandra Perez, wings Sandra Garza, Julissa Garza and Leslie Barrera, attacking midfielder/forward Corina Arizmendi, and forwards Mariana Espinosa and Angela Quintero.

“Playing at Jubilee for three years, it means a lot (to be on this team), especially since it is my senior year,” Luz Gallegos said. “Winning district as a player on this team means our hard work, skill, talent and perseverance as a team has been paying off.

“We played with our heart each game, and for me, that was enough,” she added. “It is an amazing accomplishment (to win district) that my teammates and I definitely earned.

“We could not have done it without our coaches this season. They were a big part of it as our supporters, and they taught us what it is to be a soccer player.”

By ROY HESS, Staff Writer

HARLINGEN — Having won the District 32-6A championship this season in girls soccer, the Harlingen South Lady Hawks are hoping for a chance to have another strong showing in the playoffs, if possible.

It was their first district title since 2011 and the program’s 14th overall.

One year ago, the Lady Hawks, second-place finishers in 32-6A, put together a 23-4 overall season and advanced to the final of the Region IV-6A Tournament, missing out on a trip to the state tournament in Georgetown by just one victory.

With five starters returning this year and six newcomers in the lineup, mostly up from the junior varsity, the Lady Hawks faced a difficult challenge in a highly competitive 32-6A race, but they pulled it off, winning their final four matches to take first place in district with an 8-2 record and 23 points. They stand 18-6-1 overall.

The soccer season has been put on hold by the University Interscholastic League’s suspension of games and even team practices due to a heightened concern regarding the COVID-19 coronavirus. The playoffs originally were scheduled to start at the end of March, but now it appears the earliest the postseason could begin would be early May, if at all.

Right now, schools aren’t even in session. There appears to be a strong likelihood that soccer plus other spring sports are over for this school year.

Korynne Reininger, a junior sweeper for the Lady Hawks, is one of the players who would like to see her team get an opportunity to prove itself in the postseason.

She said the South girls beat the odds by capturing the district title.

“What I love about my team this year is that every single girl who played gave 100 percent on the field, and we never gave up, even if the other team scored first,” Reininger said. “We showed that we are fighters, and even though the predictions this year were that we would come in fifth in district, we did not let other people’s opinions get in the way of what we knew we could do.

“To win district was an amazing experience, but it was not a surprise for me,” Reininger added. “The experience of our coaches and of the girls from last year’s team reaching the Elite Eight level really translated to the upperclassmen as we all gave advice and showed what we had to do in order to get a district championship.

“The 2020 district title is an achievement our team will be proud of forever.”

Besides returning starter Reininger at sweeper, other members of the Lady Hawks’ starting lineup include Joana Marquez at goalkeeper, Dell Davis and Haley Danner at defender, Kimberly Torres, Gabrielle Martinez, Sandra Lopez and Olivia Olivarez at midfielder, Sarah Grace Flores-Garza at midfielder/forward, and Caroline Grannum and Isabel Aldan at forward.

Key contributors off the bench include Anahi Posada at forward and Samantha Pitts at defender.

It’s Omar Pedroza’s 24th year as the Lady Hawks’ coach. They’ve qualified for the playoffs during every one of his seasons in charge. Back in January, Pedroza recorded his 500th career coaching victory while guiding the team.

He said his 2020 squad was a determined group.

“We had such a great season last year, but we graduated a lot of good players,” the South coach said. “Coming into this season, I felt that we had five good girls who were coming back. I felt that if the other ones came along and we didn’t have any injuries, I believed we could do something. My main deal was just to make the playoffs, not win district, so that was nice (to do it).

“One thing that stands out about these girls is they’ve been very optimistic from the get-go,” Pedroza added. “They just fought like hell. Our district was so even. Every game was a fight every night. Our girls played so hard and never gave up. They were optimistic about our chances from the very beginning of the season. The girls never gave up, and things worked out well for us. We got better as the season went along.”

Added assistant coach Monica Silva, “Many people predicted that this team wouldn’t even make the playoffs because we only had five starters coming back, but our girls made it their mission to prove everybody wrong. They did it by coming together as a team and became a force to be reckoned with. They brought the 32-6A championship back to South.”

By ROY HESS, Staff Writer

Jason Strunk’s time at Port Isabel as football coach/athletic director has come to an end.

He is returning to his native state to become strictly an athletic director at Manheim, Pa.

Strunk’s last day at Port Isabel is today. He said he’ll start his new job Wednesday and work from home for the time being.

The Tarpons are expected to begin the search for Strunk’s replacement immediately.

Strunk said not coaching and serving strictly as an athletic director at his new job will allow him more time to go watch his son, Mac Strunk, a graduating Port Isabel senior, play football at The Citadel and also help give him time to complete his master’s degree in athletic leadership from Clemson.

The departing coach said he is grateful for his time as the Tarpons’ coach.

“I’ve loved my time at Port Isabel,” Strunk said. “There are great kids here. We got to do a lot of good things with these guys. We got the offseason program rolling. Our freshman football team was undefeated, our junior varsity team had a good year and we had a bunch of sophomores starting on the varsity, so we’ve built for the future. It’s been fun building things up, and it’s a shame that I’m going to leave before seeing the fruits of the labor, but that’s life.

“These kids have been absolutely great,” he added. “They’re like my sons, and they’re an extension of my family. There were a lot of tears when I was talking to them (and letting them know about my plans). I can’t thank them enough.”

Strunk was Port Isabel’s football coach for two seasons and leaves with a 7-13 overall record guiding the Tarpons. He went 4-6 his first year in 2018 and 3-7 this past season.

One of the most memorable games during his tenure was a 57-56 back-and-forth, bi-district setback against Corpus Christi West Oso on Nov. 16, 2018, in Mercedes. There were more than 1,100 yards of offense combined by the two teams in that game, and at the end, the Tarpons barely missed a 27-yard field goal with seven seconds left.

Now Strunk moves on to his new employment opportunity.

“I’m excited about this new job,” he said. “It’s something I’ve been looking forward to, just being an athletic director and no more coaching. I’ve coached 25 years, and I’ve had a lot of fun doing it. I’ve enjoyed the athletic director part of the job (at Port Isabel, too). I’m just looking for a new adventure.

“This is a job opportunity that happened pretty quick,” he added.

By ROY HESS, Staff Writer

A new day in boys soccer has dawned for the Los Fresnos Falcons.

They’ve captured their first district title in school history at any classification this season. They won District 32-6A with an 8-2 record and 24 points. They are 20-8-2 overall.

Now, in the wake of the latest University Interscholastic League ruling that has pushed back the start of the state playoffs until at least May 4, the Falcons see a distinct possibility that the sun may be setting prematurely on their memorable season.

They take pride in what they’ve accomplished, and they just want to play again in 2020 to finish out their stellar campaign.

Obed Sepulveda and Jose “Chepo” Casanova are senior captains for the Falcons. They are grateful to be a part of the boys soccer team that has made history at their school.

“What we went through by going from not even making the playoffs last year to winning district for the first time this season is something special,” said Sepulveda, a midfielder/forward. “It’s hard to put into words just how good it feels to be a part of this championship team. I’m very happy.”

Casanova said the Falcons have formed a brotherhood of soccer.

“For starters, this is a really good team,” said Casanova, a defender. “We’re part of a family of Falcons. We’re pretty much brothers, because most of us have been here (together) since we were freshmen and sophomores. We know each other very well, and we have a good relationship between each other.

“Winning the district title shows how much we’ve worked,” Casanova added. “We’ve been working super hard, and we have the spirit and the passion for the game. We’ve been communicating very well on the field and focusing on scoring a goal.

“I feel we have the potential to go far in the playoffs (if we get a chance to play). We just need to keep doing what we’ve been doing. Whatever it takes (to do well), we’re going to try our best.”

Besides Casanova and Sepulveda, other members of the Falcons’ starting lineup are goalkeeper Alexis Gonzalez, defenders Edwin Segovia, Jorge Hernandez and Adrian Longoria, plus midfielders Annderson Rocha, Thomas Sauceda and Humberto “Tito” Trinidad, and forwards Joe Garza and Angel Mancillas.

Important contributors off the bench include forward Dante Esqueda, defender Gilberto Garza and midfielder Marco Moreno.

Gonzalez allowed 0.95 goals per game in 10 district matches with five shutouts. Mancillas led the Falcons with five goals in district. He’s scored 10 goals on the season and had four assists despite being injured for much of the Falcons’ non-district schedule.

Michael Miller, who came to the Rio Grande Valley from Minnesota in 2014, is in his first season as the Falcons’ coach. He said the belief he had that the Falcons would be fielding a strong team in 2020 was reinforced to him during his squad’s second 32-6A game Feb. 4. The Falcons went ahead 3-0 at Brownsville Rivera and eventually prevailed 3-2.

“If you go into Rivera and you go up 3-0 on them, you know you’ve got a pretty good team,” Miller said. “I had been part of the program here for two years coming into this season, and I knew we had the talent here, and even last year, too. To take a 3-0 lead at Rivera, we knew we were headed in the right direction (as a program).

“From Day 1 after I moved down here, I could see we have some unbelievable soccer here,” he added. “I look at these (Valley) coaches, and I think it’s just an honor to be able to coach here.

“There’s so much history and tradition here (in high school soccer). For us to accomplish what we’ve accomplished is beyond my wildest dreams. To have the boys buy into this program and have this kind of success, it’s just an amazing feeling. It’s incredible to be part of the first district champion in boys soccer at Los Fresnos. The community is embracing us, and, if possible, we want to keep going. We’re happy, but we’re not satisfied.”

If the playoffs do take place, it appears the Falcons would go against Weslaco East or Edinburg North in bi-district. The Wildcats and Cougars are in contention to be the fourth-place finisher from District 31-6A with one conference game pending on their regular-season schedules.