By ROY HESS, Staff Writer

They just want to play.

Having the soccer season reach the postseason stage around the state, boys and girls teams would like the playoff berths they’ve earned to be tested on the field so they can prove their worth there.

But a state of limbo exists because the University Interscholastic League has halted competition in all sports and even banned team practices until at least May 4, and possibly longer, over heightened concerns regarding the COVID-19 coronavirus.

On Thursday, the UIL revised its ban on all school activities, including sports, and even athletic practices from April 14 to May 4.

The Los Fresnos Falcons, who won their first boys soccer title in school history at any classification this season, are hoping they get a chance to play in the postseason, especially since they missed the playoffs one year ago.

The Falcons took first place in District 32-6A with an 8-2 record and 24 points.

What is happening now regarding the stoppage of play and even practice as mandated by the UIL is a unique situation, Los Fresnos boys soccer coach Michael Miller said.

“As a coach, I don’t believe anyone has experienced anything quite like this (disruption of the season) before, but all the teams are in the same position,” Miller said. “I know all of the teams that have qualified for the playoffs are just hoping for the opportunity to compete and give the seniors closure on their careers.

“We have not had a team meeting since the Friday before Spring Break (started on March 13),” Miller added. “I informed my players before we dismissed to be smart over the break as to where they went and what they did. Otherwise, we are all just waiting, seeing (what’s happening) and hoping for the best.”

A NOTABLE FEAT

The Brownsville Rivera boys are back in the playoffs for the 28th time in 29 seasons as the fourth-place seed from 32-6A in 2020. The only time during that span they missed out on the postseason was 2009.

In light of the UIL’s latest announcement Thursday, Rivera boys soccer coach Salvador Garcia isn’t too optimistic the soccer season will continue.

“When we practiced for a bit March 13, I was honest with the players and told them my feelings about the whole situation with the UIL rulings and the guidelines about practices and games,” Garcia said. “The way I see it, it is all over for the spring sports. The UIL has moved everything back (to possibly May 4 now), and we know for a fact that things are not going to get better in two weeks (or so).

“The UIL’s priority, just like all school districts, is the well-being of the student/athlete, so why take a chance on an uncertain situation, and why start something like the playoffs that we are not going to be able to finish?” Garcia added. “I honestly feel that the best thing to do is shoot down the (spring sports) seasons. Since nobody was ready for a situation like this, we are all concerned with the uncertainty surrounding the remainder of the school year. It seems to me that all the planning at this point is in that direction (to end sports activities for the school year).

“All we can do at this point is pray and be patient. But as far as the athletic aspect for this school year, (I believe) it is all over.”

32-6A BOYS PLAYOFF MATCHUPS

If the soccer playoffs actually are played, four 32-6A teams would go against District 31-6A squads in bi-district.

For the boys, the matchups likely would be Los Fresnos vs. Weslaco East, Brownsville Hanna vs. Edinburg High, San Benito vs. Edinburg Economedes and Rivera vs. Donna North.

32-5A BOYS PLAYOFF MATCHUPS

For District 32-5A boys, the bi-district playoff matchups likely would be Brownsville Veterans Memorial vs. La Joya Palmview, Valley View vs. PSJA Southwest, Brownsville Porter vs. PSJA Memorial and Brownsville Lopez vs. Sharyland High.

Actually, Brownsville Veterans’ final 32-5A regular-season game at home against Edcouch-Elsa is still pending and possibly could be played sometime around May 4.

As part of a pending doubleheader, the Brownsville Veterans-E-E girls match would decide a vacant fourth-place playoff spot in the 32-5A girls race that would go to E-E or Brownsville Pace.

The outcome of the boys match would not change anything because Brownsville Veterans already has clinched the outright 32-5A boys title with a 12-1 record and 36 points. E-E already has been eliminated from making the playoffs.

32-4A BOYS QUALIFIERS

If they get to play, the four boys teams that are playoff qualifiers from District 32-4A are Brownsville Jubilee, Brownsville IDEA Frontier, Rio Hondo and La Feria.

Jubilee was the 32-4A champion.

Originally, the soccer playoffs for all boys and girls teams in all classes were scheduled to start March 30. That original date was moved back to April 14 and now to May 4 by the UIL.

By ROY HESS, Staff Writer

If and when the University Interscholastic League allows, the Brownsville Veterans Memorial girls and boys will play their final regular-season District 32-5A soccer matches against Edcouch-Elsa.

It’s a doubleheader scheduled to be played at Brownsville Veterans, and it’s the only game action left pending on the 32-5A soccer schedule.

A UIL ruling halting games, and now even banning practices, puts things in limbo for all school spring sports due to heightened concerns over COVID-19 (coronavirus).

Other districts in the Rio Grande Valley are pending final regular-season soccer matches as well.

On Thursday, the UIL announced its ban on all school activities, including sports, has been extended until at least May 4. Previously, the UIL ban was supposed to extend until at least April 14.

With Brownsville ISD now on an extended Spring Break that figures to last until at least March 27, Brownsville Veterans girls soccer coach Luis Troncoso wonders if his team will get a chance to play at all, especially now that the new date of May 4 has been announced as the soonest time for competition.

He certainly hopes so.

“The way things are going, we don’t know if our game with Edcouch-Elsa is going to happen or not,” said Troncoso, whose Lady Chargers have qualified for the playoffs as the second-place team from 32-5A with an 11-2 record and 29 points. “Things seem to be getting more serious, not even just by the day, but by the hour, actually.

“The bottom line is just to let our student/athletes know to stay safe and to follow the steps they need to take to be safe,” Troncoso added. “Our school district is taking all of this into consideration and is trying to make the appropriate decisions.”

The last time the Lady Chargers came together for a practice and had a team meeting was March 13.

“My message to my girls (then) was to not relax on any of this and be serious about it as well,” the Lady Chargers coach said. “Everyone needs to do their part, and hopefully this is something that can go away quickly.

“This is obviously an unprecedented situation like everyone is saying,” Troncoso added. “Having sports at our schools is a big motivational thing for our kids. We should appreciate what we have because we never know when it might be taken away. Hopefully we can come back and finish our season, but if that doesn’t happen, obviously the safety of everyone is the biggest priority. We hope things will be better soon and we can resume activities as normal.”

32-5A GIRLS PLAYOFF MATCHUPS

The girls playoff qualifiers from 32-5A are set with the exception of fourth place. The two teams in contention for that 32-5A fourth-place postseason berth are Brownsville Pace (8-6, 25 points) and Edcouch-Elsa (8-5, 23 points).

Pace’s regular season is complete, but the Lady Vikings are awaiting the outcome of the Brownsville Veterans-E-E match to see if they’ll be a playoff qualifier.

Regarding the bi-district matchups involving 32-5A girls teams going against teams from District 31-5A, it would be Sharyland High vs. Pace or E-E, Brownsville Porter vs. Mission Veterans Memorial, Sharyland Pioneer vs. Brownsville Lopez and Brownsville Veterans vs. PSJA Memorial.

Due to Thursday’s UIL announcement, the soonest those playoffs could start is now May 4.

32-6A GIRLS PLAYOFF SCENARIO

The four girls teams from District 32-6A that are playoff qualifiers are Harlingen South, Harlingen High, Los Fresnos and Brownsville Rivera.

With one date for District 31-6A regular-season competition still remaining, the four girls teams that appear to be the playoff qualifiers from 31-6A are Edinburg Vela, Donna North, Edinburg High and Edinburg North.

Matchups with 32-6A teams for bi-district would be determined if and when 31-6A teams get to play their final regular-season games.

32-4A GIRLS PLAYOFF QUALIFIERS

Brownsville Jubilee, Rio Hondo, La Feria and Lyford are the playoff qualifiers for the girls from District 32-4A.

Jubilee and Rio Hondo were 32-4A co-champions. Jubilee added to the district titles it captured earlier this school year in volleyball and girls basketball.

By ROY HESS, Staff Writer

For the past few weeks, coach Joel Guzman has watched his Brownsville Rivera softball team play some of its best ball in several years to start the 2020 season.

Now, due to a University Interscholastic League ruling Monday that previously banned games and now halts even athletic team practices, it’s all on hold.

The UIL announced it was suspending practices and other school-related activities through at least March 29 due to the heightened threat of COVID-19 (coronavirus).

While it seems a bit unfair that this should happen just when the Lady Raiders are on the rise, everyone appears to agree the health and safety of students, teachers and school officials is the primary concern.

Brownsville ISD went on Spring Break last Friday. On Wednesday, at a specially called meeting, BISD decided to extend Spring Break and have students stay away from school at least until March 27.

Guzman said it’s simply an ill-timed turn of events for the Lady Raiders.

“We had a very quiet 10-5 non-district record going into district (last Friday) — perhaps Rivera’s best record in a long time,” Guzman said. “We had high expectations for this season. Regardless of what happens, the importance of our health and safety will always come first, even if that means not lacing up those dirty cleats.

“After last Friday’s game, we talked about what might happen regarding the ongoing health crisis,” the Rivera coach added. “The last thing I wanted was for parents to be worried about bringing their girls to practice while having to make lines for food, water, etc. We’ve been able to communicate in our chat group for any new information.”

Guzman said the current situation is unique to anything that’s happened before.

“We’ve heard comparisons to the H1N1 virus halting UIL competition, but this feels different, mainly because it is happening now,” he said. “The main thing I’m telling my girls is to keep up to date with all the information being given to us. There are new changes every day, and we need to be ready to go back to practice (if and when the UIL allows it).”

District 32-6A softball competition began last Friday, and of the three district games scheduled, only Rivera at Brownsville Hanna was played. The Harlingen South at Los Fresnos and San Benito at Harlingen High games were postponed/suspended.

The Hanna-Rivera game turned out to be a 12-inning thriller with the 10-3-1 Lady Golden Eagles prevailing 3-2. Camila Magaldi had 23 strikeouts as the winning pitcher.

Hanna softball coach Greg “Boomer” Larson said he hasn’t met with his team since last Friday’s game.

“When the swine flu broke out, we had a week off with no practices, but things got back to normal quickly,” Larson said. “Hopefully for the seniors we get to play again this year, but there is always the possibility of the season being over.”

The Harlingen schools didn’t play their district softball openers last Friday due to a ruling issued by Harlingen CISD taking effect that same day that suspended all school activities, including athletic competition. Just like Brownsville ISD, HCISD is on Spring Break this week, too.

“It’s tough, but it’s the right decision to delay everything,” Harlingen South softball coach Elias Martinez said. “All I told the girls (at our last team meeting on Friday) is that we worry about the things that we can control, not the things we can’t. We have to be ready for when the UIL tells us what is going to happen next.”

Harlingen High softball coach Josh Silva said he now stays in contact with the 71 athletes in his program — freshmen through varsity — by way of the school district’s “remind app.”

He agrees with Martinez that calling off all games and even not having practice is the right thing to do.

“There are more important things than athletics right now,” Silva said. “The primary concern of our school district, and actually all those throughout the state, is the well-being of the students.

“I wish all the best to not just our athletes, but all athletes throughout the Valley,” Silva added. “Hopefully we can resume our season soon. For now, this is a good time that God is giving us to reconnect with our families. That’s what we’re telling our players.”

By ROY HESS, Staff Writer

Baseball coaches in Cameron County, as well as those around the state, are trying to remain optimistic that their seasons will continue at some point soon following the University Interscholastic League’s announcement Monday that it is suspending all practices and school-related activities until at least March 29, and possibly longer.

Many ballclubs were able to get in a team meeting, and in some cases a practice, Monday before the UIL made its suspension announcement.

For many teams, district play is just beginning.

Coaches are attempting to pass along some optimism to their players to be ready to resume the season, while at the same time cautioning them to be prepared for the worst — an end to competition in 2020.

It appears any number of things could happen regarding high school sports and other activities in reaction to the heightened threat of COVID-19 (coronavirus).

The Harlingen school district started its spring break last Friday, and on the same day, HCISD announced a decision to suspend athletic competition at its schools, and that included baseball.

Harlingen South baseball coach Chris Gracia said due to Spring Break and now the latest UIL mandate, his team hasn’t come together since Saturday.

The Hawks last played in PSJA’s 20th annual Mike Rodriguez Tournament on Thursday and picked up a couple of wins against Brownsville Veterans Memorial (5-1) and Donna North (11-3) before the tournament was canceled Friday.

“I am only able to communicate with the team (now) over our (school district’s) ‘Remind App’” Gracia said. “It helps me keep the players informed of all the updates occurring.

“The last games we got to play were on Thursday, and we got in a short practice on Saturday,” Gracia added. “We had planned to practice this week, but that got suspended by the UIL on Monday. It’s really just crazy because things are happening so quickly.

“When we last met together we discussed the possibility that this (practice suspension) might happen, which is really unfortunate, but it’s nothing we can control. All we can really do is control how we stay mentally and physically prepared for when we are able to resume. And now we have to do that individually at home.”

Gracia said it’s a new experience for everyone involved.

“I’ve never experienced anything like this before, but hopefully we can get back on the field soon,” he said. “Until then, I told the guys to enjoy the time with their family and do something, whatever they can do on their own, to stay prepared.”

Brownsville ISD is on Spring Break this week, too. Brownsville Porter was one of the area teams getting in a practice Monday before the latest UIL ruling went into effect.

“Unfortunately, Monday was the last day we were allowed to have practice, and we left campus with the thought that we were meeting Tuesday,” Porter baseball coach Oscar Cortez said. “The kids are sad about the season coming to a halt, but they also understand why we are doing it.

“Of course, the most concerned are the two seniors that we have on the team,” Cortez added. “They hope the season will resume, knowing they have a real good shot at a playoff appearance.

“This is the first time in my 15 years (as a coach) that I have experienced something like this. But I have to remind myself that God has a perfect plan, even in this situation.”

San Benito baseball coach Jimmy Young voiced similar thoughts.

“No team meetings are allowed at this point,” he said. “After Monday’s practice in the morning, we told the guys to expect the worst-case scenario and to continue to do the things they need to do (on their own) to stay sharp in their baseball skills set and to take the necessary precautions to stay safe and clean.

“I’ve never experienced this in my life, coaching for 12 years,” Young added. “It’s definitely something I hope we all never have to go through again.”

Los Fresnos baseball coach Rene Morales said it is important for the players to be aware of the possibilities that exist, even the possibility of an early end to the season.

“We practiced Monday morning, and that is when we discussed the different options (regarding the season) we might have based on the impact of the ‘C Virus,’” Morales said. “We talked about taking it one day at a time as we deal with the realization that we can only control so much. Also, we encouraged the players to take care of their families, and if they needed something, I was a phone call away.

“Overall, we still need to work on the little things, including the mental part of the game,” Morales added. “It also includes throwing, hitting, fielding and conditioning.

“I have never seen or experienced anything like this before, especially on such a grand scale with the college and professional leagues being impacted. I hope this all passes soon and we can begin to get back to some normality.”

By ROY HESS, Staff Writer

The Brownsville Porter Cowgirls’ solid play throughout the soccer season was rewarded Friday when they captured their first district championship.

The Cowgirls led the District 32-5A girls race from start to finish. A 2-1 victory at home Friday against Brownsville Pace gave the Cowgirls a 12-2 record with 34 points in 32-5A, which clinches their first district championship.

The Porter-Pace girls game, the final one on the 32-5A schedule for each team, originally was scheduled for Tuesday, but it was moved to Friday due to the threat of COVID-19 (coronavirus).

Likewise, the Porter-Pace boys game also was played Friday and was won by the Cowboys 2-1 on goals by Jose Mateos and Julian Gallegos. The Cowboys will be the third-place finisher from 32-5A with a 9-5 record and 29 points.

Still, the big news for the area in soccer this weekend was the Porter girls gaining their first district title. It’s a remarkable feat considering the Cowgirls began playing UIL soccer in 1997 and didn’t even make the playoffs for the first time until 2016.

Now the girls soccer program at Porter has another important achievement to take pride in.

Cowgirls coach Abraham Gracia said a couple things stand out as factors behind why his team won district this season.

“The main reasons I think our girls won district was their hard work and dedication,” he said. “These girls worked hard all offseason and during the season. All the girls showed up to every practice when injured, to Saturday practices, and even when we had to have 6 a.m. practices.

“Their dedication was awesome, and our coaching staff helped a lot as well, “ Gracia added. “I would like to thank everyone for their support — my wife, my parents, our administration and the coaches. God’s timing is always perfect.”

The Porter girls trailed Pace 1-0 at halftime on Friday, but second-half goals by Dennise Romero and Azaneth Perez lifted the Cowgirls to victory.

Despite the setback, the Pace girls (8-6, 25 points) still have a shot at the playoffs.

A 32-5A boys and girls doubleheader with Brownsville Lopez at Mercedes was played Saturday instead of Tuesday, with the Lopez girls winning 5-0 and the Lopez boys triumphing 3-1.

The Lopez boys (9-5, 26 points) and the Lopez girls (9-5, 28 points) are both in the playoffs.

In another 32-5A doubleheader Saturday, Donna High’s boys and girls were at Valley View, but scores from those matches were not immediately available.

The final 32-5A doubleheader with Edcouch-Elsa at Brownsville Veterans Memorial is pending and possibly could be played March 30.

Under the UIL’s revised playoff schedule, the postseason is now scheduled to start sometime after March 30, which was the original date to begin.

By ROY HESS, Staff Writer

After many close battles, the championship races are complete in District 32-6A soccer.

The winners are the Los Fresnos boys and the Harlingen South girls.

The story behind Los Fresnos’ success in 2020 is remarkable. The Falcons have captured their first district title in boys soccer at any classification during Michael Miller’s first season as coach.

The Lady Hawks are district champions one year after going 23-4, finishing second in 32-6A and advancing to the Region IV-6A Tournament final for the first time since 2003.

It’s been an eventful soccer season for all involved. Tuesday was the final day of 32-6A competition.

“We have six new starters this year, and four of them played on JV Dark last year,” Lady Hawks coach Omar Pedroza said. “We have two players who were on the varsity as a freshman and a sophomore last season.

“The whole team has stepped up and everyone is playing well,” Pedroza added. “The playoffs will be a new experience for (many of) them.”

South captured the 32-6A title with an 8-2 record and 23 points, having won its last four matches in district.

This is a special group of girls, and I’m proud of them,” Pedroza said. “We were picked to finish in fifth place in district, but these young ladies had other plans.

“This is our first district title since 2011 and 14th overall,” the Lady Hawks coach added. “I don’t think anyone expected us to do all that well this year.”

Behind the Lady Hawks in the final girls standings, it’s Los Fresnos (7-3, 20 points), Harlingen High (6-4, 19 points), Brownsville Rivera (5-5, 17 points), Brownsville Hanna (4-6, 11 points) and San Benito (0-10, no points).

South, Los Fresnos, Harlingen High and Rivera are the playoff qualifiers from 32-6A for the girls.

Meanwhile, Los Fresnos’ boys teams always have been grouped in the same district with Brownsville teams, and in reality, no one has ever thought too seriously about the Falcons as being district championship contenders — playoff qualifiers maybe, but not as a team that could win it all at the district level.

That, of course, has all changed in 2020.

“Honestly, I knew we had the talent here (to win district),” Miller said. “I’ve been part of the program for two years coming into this season, so I knew we had the talent here. Last year we had a coaching change, and it was just kind of like a grenade that blew the season up (and we missed the playoffs).

“I told the boys when I got hired that we’d be shooting for the district title from Day 1,” Miller added. “Yes, you’re surprised by talking big like that (and actually doing it), but I did know we had an opportunity to challenge for it this year. The boys bought into the idea (that we could do it).”

The Falcons won 32-6A with an 8-2 record and 24 points. Behind Los Fresnos in the final boys standings, it’s Hanna (6-4, 20 points), San Benito (6-4, 17 points), Rivera (6-4, 17 points), South (3-7, nine points) and Harlingen High (1-9, three points).

The four boys playoff qualifiers from 32-6A are Los Fresnos, Hanna, San Benito and Rivera, which will be making its 28th appearance in the postseason in 29 seasons.

San Benito and Rivera tied for third place in district. The Greyhounds defeated the Raiders twice in district this season, so San Benito goes into the playoffs as the No. 3 postseason seed from 32-6A.

32-5A UPDATE

District 32-5A is open today and is scheduled to complete its final day of competition Tuesday.

For the boys, Brownsville Veterans Memorial (12-1, 36 points) already has won the outright 32-5A title, while for the girls, Brownsville Porter (11-2, 31 points) and Brownsville Veterans (11-2, 29 points) go into the last day with a chance to capture the district title. The Cowgirls play host to Brownsville Pace and the Lady Chargers are at home against Edcouch-Elsa.

Behind Brownsville Veterans in the 32-5A boys standings, it’s Valley View (10-3, 30 points), Porter (8-5, 26 points), Brownsville Lopez (8-5, 23 points), Donna High (7-6, 19 points), Pace (5-8,15 points), Mercedes (1-12, four points) and E-E (1-12, three points).

The four boys playoff qualifiers from 32-5A are Brownsville Veterans, Valley View, Porter and Lopez.

Behind Porter and Brownsville Veterans in the 32-5A girls standings, it’s Lopez (8-5, 25 points), Pace (8-5, 25 points), E-E (8-5, 23 points), Valley View (4-9, 14 points), Donna High (2-11, nine points) and Mercedes (0-13, no points).

Only the Cowgirls and Lady Chargers have secured playoffs spots.

Pace, Lopez and E-E will go into the last day of competition Tuesday with shots at the district’s two remaining playoff berths.

The postseason is scheduled to begin March 30 for Class 6A, Class 5A and Class 4A boys and girls teams.

By ROY HESS, Staff Writer

With just one returning starter, the San Benito Greyhounds are a work in progress this baseball season.
“We’re mostly a sophomore/junior team,” said San Benito coach Jimmy Young, who is in his second stint as coach after guiding the Greyhounds from 2008-09. “We want to be playing well at the right time and hopefully surprise some people.”
The lone returning starter is Gabriel Sandoval, a junior third baseman and right-handed pitcher.
Among the other top players for the Greyhounds at this point of the season are sophomore shortstop and right-handed pitcher Mauricio Padilla, sophomore catcher Armando Hernandez, junior left-handed pitcher and first baseman Brian Lopez and sophomore Nickolas Gonzales, a right-handed pitcher who will also spend time at first base and in the outfield.
The Greyhounds are 3-9 on the season. They went 2-2 in the La Joya Tournament and 1-4 in the Laredo Tournament. They opened District 32-6A competition on Tuesday at Harlingen High and suffered a 4-0 setback. In other 32-6A openers Tuesday, it was Brownsville Rivera over Brownsville Hanna 6-3 and Los Fresnos over Harlingen South 3-2.
Young said what he likes about his squad right now is its team chemistry and camaraderie.
“Getting better game by game is our goal,” Young said. “We want our guys to gain experience and be playing well at the right time.”
The next action for the Greyhounds is 1 p.m. today against Bishop in the 20th annual Mike Rodriguez Tournament in Pharr. The Greyhounds open tournament play at PSJA North.

THUMBS UP FOR BISD TOURNAMENT
The past week’s Brownsville ISD Softball Tournament was described as a success by two softball coaches from Brownsville — Greg “Boomer” Larson of Hanna and Joel Guzman of Rivera.
The three-day event attracted 20 teams with games played at four Brownsville high school fields.
Bryan High defeated Edinburg Vela 8-1 in Saturday’s championship game at Hanna.
“The tournament went very well,” Larson said. “All the Brownsville coaches helped out to make things run smoothly. The championship game between Bryan and Vela was very good.
“Our Hanna team had a good tournament, with the exception of losing (4-1 Thursday) to a tough Weslaco East team,” Larson added. “(Hanna’s) Jessica Zamudio and D.D. Guerrero were our standout hitters, while D.D., Camila Magaldi and Cammy Delgado handled the pitching duties.
“It was a good weekend and hopefully has us prepared for our District 32-6A games.”
District 32-6A competition starts at 6:30 p.m. Friday as the Lady Golden Eagles play host to Rivera. Other 32-6A openers at 6:30 p.m. Friday have San Benito at Harlingen High and Harlingen South at Los Fresnos.
Guzman said Rivera enjoyed a productive BISD Tournament as well.
“We went 4-1 in the tournament and we are sitting at a quiet 10-5 non-district record, perhaps Rivera’s best start in a long time,” Guzman said. “However, our district is arguably the toughest around and we will be tested game after game.
“Our only loss (of the tournament) came against Vela,” the Rivera coach added. “We were 0-0 headed into the third inning, but Vela’s bats came alive and we couldn’t contain them as we lost 12-2.”

By ROY HESS, Staff Writer

SAN BENITO — The San Benito Greyhounds are proving their competiveness in District 32-6A boys soccer this season.

Although Los Fresnos scored a goal by Annderson Rocha just 1 minute, 31 seconds into the match for a 1-0 lead, the Greyhounds didn’t flinch. They scored three times within seven minutes during the second half (47th, 53rd and 54th minutes) to earn the come-from-behind victory Tuesday at Bobby Morrow Stadium.

Scoring the San Benito goals were Adrian Martinez (two) and Senovio Cerdan, on a free kick.

Both teams have qualified for the playoffs, with Los Fresnos being the district champion.

“We won our last three games of the regular season, and I feel that is a great confidence-builder going into the postseason,” San Benito coach William Huerta said. “Now we will wait and see who we will face next in the playoffs and focus on that team.”

Regarding the difference for San Benito from the first half to the second Tuesday, Huerta said, “We came out a little slow and flat in the first half. We readjusted our personnel and told the boys they had 40 minutes to gain three points and close the regular season with a win, and they played well in the second half.”

After the game’s finish, the Los Fresnos players displayed the district championship trophy, which they had won prior to Tuesday, to their cheering fans on the visitors’ side of the stadium.

Despite the setback, Falcons coach Michael Miller was upbeat.

“You have to look at the overall picture, and we got what we wanted (in capturing the 32-6A trophy),” Miller said. “That’s the main thing. This loss didn’t take away from what we’ve accomplished.

“San Benito is a very good team with some speed,” Miller added. “I think they’ll do well in the playoffs.”

Los Fresnos finished 32-6A competition in first with an 8-2 record and 24 points. Brownsville Hanna, a 6-4 winner over Harlingen South on Tuesday, ends up in second with a 6-4 record and 20 points.

San Benito and Brownsville Rivera, a 4-1 victor against Harlingen High on Tuesday, end up tied for third, each with a 6-4 record and 17 points.

The Class 6A state playoffs start March 26.

By ROY HESS, Staff Writer

Harlingen High is sending two of its top senior soccer athletes to the college ranks to play at the next level.

Serena Escobar of the Lady Cardinals and Jacob Garza of the Cardinals signed college scholarship agreements Friday to play at Ranger Junior College in Ranger, Texas, next school year.

Each has been a four-year member of the varsity, with Escobar starting three years and Garza four.

Cardinals coach Johnny Guillen said Garza is a unique player who performs well all over the field and twice has been voted utility player of the year. Garza, who is mostly playing in the midfield this season, has been a team captain since he was a sophomore.

“Jacob is someone who plays well all over,” Guillen said. “He brings a lot to the team and is a very skilled player. He is a great team leader for us on and off the field.”

In addition to soccer, Garza also has kicked three years for the Cardinals football team.

“I’ve always thought about this (signing) day as being a dream come true,” said Garza, who plans to major in kinesiology in college. “This is the best thing that could happen. I’m just happy to get a chance to play at the next level.

“It’s just a blessing and (the fulfillment of) a family tradition,” Garza added. “I’d like to thank my coaches, my parents and my family. They’ve always been there for me. I’m going to keep pushing myself (to do well) in college. Just like I said before, I’m not done yet.”

Escobar, a center midfielder this season who played defense before, said she was excited and a little surprised about Friday’s signing.

“I didn’t ever think I’d be signing to play in college until a few years ago when I went to some showcase events (and was noticed),” said Escobar, who plans to study nursing in college. “I’m grateful to my coaches and family for pushing me to do well.

“It’s meant a lot to play for the Lady Cardinals,” Escobar added. “We got a new coach several years ago (in Debra Galvan), and it’s brought a new attitude to the team. We’ve seen so much growth and positiveness.”

Galvan said Friday’s signing was special to her because Escobar is the first player who has been with her four years that is going to play in college.

“Serena has a lot of skills and leadership, and she pushes the team,” Galvan said. “This (signing) is a huge event for us, and we’re thrilled about it. We’re happy for her, we’re proud of her and we wish her all the best.”

By ROY HESS, Staff Writer

The landscape in District 32-5A boys soccer has changed somewhat during the past week or so.

Valley View, considered by some to be the No. 1 boys team in the Rio Grande Valley for at least last season and the current one, has lost its last two matches to Brownsville teams and dropped out of first place in the 32-5A standings.

Brownsville Porter won at Valley View 2-1 last Friday, and Brownsville Veterans Memorial triumphed at home 4-1 over the Tigers on Tuesday.

The end result has left Brownsville Veternas in sole possession of first place with a 10-1 record and 30 points. Valley View is second at 8-3 with 24 points, while Porter, coming off Tuesday’s 2-0 win against Brownsville Lopez, is third with a 7-4 record and 23 points.

Lopez is fourth with a 7-4 record and 20 points.

Rounding out the 32-5A boys standings, it’s Donna High (6-5, 16 points), Brownsville Pace (4-7, 12 points), Mercedes (1-10, four points) and Edcouch-Elsa (1-10, three points).

Brownsville Veterans coach Alberto Vasquez said Tuesday’s 4-1 win has provided a big boost for his team, especially after the Chargers didn’t play their best in losing 3-1 at Valley View during the first round of district Feb. 4.

“It’s always great to see your team come out and play a game with such determination (as we did Tuesday),” Vasquez said. “We did not play very well when we played them at their house, so we wanted to prove that we could play with them.

“The two-game lead in the standings is great, but honestly, all that we have been trying to do is stay focused on the next game,” Vasquez added. “Our district is extremely competitive, and we can’t afford to lose our focus. I hope we continue to play well and close district play strong.”

The Chargers made a strong statement Tuesday by surging to a 3-0 halftime lead. Scoring goals for the Chargers were Felipe Esquivel, Javier Ballesteros, Mark Boswell and Albert Maradiaga.

32-5A GIRLS

The Brownsville Veterans Lady Chargers continue to stay on the heels of the Porter Cowgirls in the 32-5A girls race.

The Cowgirls have led virtually the entire way and boast a 10-1 record and 28 points. Brownsville Veterans is close behind in second place at 9-2 with 24 points. The Lady Chargers have gone to penalty kicks three times and won all three times.

Lady Chargers coach Luis Troncoso said a big motivation for his team this season is having missed the playoffs one year ago. Also, he said the Lady Chargers have been far healthier this season than last.

There are nine returning starters, including some who are coming off injuries from last year.

“The idea has been for us to do better and correct the things that kept us out of the playoffs last year,” Troncoso said. “The mindset has been to do better in the things that hurt us last year. Keeping the team healthy also has been a big factor.”

The Lady Chargers have been sparked by the play of center midfielders Vivian Gutierrez, a sophomore, and Areli Guzman, a senior.

“All the girls have been playing well, and those two have been key performers,” Troncoso said of Gutierrez and Guzman.

The Lady Chargers have a key showdown coming up at 5:30 p.m. today at Porter in a game matching the district’s top two teams.

Actually, the boys match between the Chargers and Cowboys at 7:30 p.m. today at Porter is a pretty huge one, too.

Rounding out the 32-5A girls standings, it’s Lopez in third (7-4, 22 points), E-E (7-4, 20 points), Pace (6-5, 19 points), Valley View (4-7, 13 points), Donna High (1-10, six points) and Mercedes (0-11, no points).

32-6A UPDATE

Life continues to be a tight logjam in the District 32-6A boys and girls races.

In the boys standings, it’s Los Fresnos (7-1, 21 points), Brownsville Hanna (5-3, 17 points), Brownsville Rivera (5-3, 14 points), San Benito (4-4, 11 points), Harlingen South (2-6, six points) and Harlingen High (1-7, three points).

In the 32-6A girls standings, it’s Harlingen High (6-2, 18 points), Harlingen South (6-2, 18 points), Los Fresnos (5-3, 14 points), Rivera (3-5, 11 points), Hanna (4-4, 11 points) and San Benito (0-8, no points).

There are a couple of 32-6A No. 1 vs. No. 2 showdowns on tap today. For the boys, Hanna is at Los Fresnos at 5:30 p.m. For the girls, Harlingen High is at Harlingen South at 7:30 p.m. for the latest edition of the Bird Bowl.