By ROY HESS, Staff Writer

Thanks to his stellar golfing performance during the past few days, Santiago Garcia is setting himself up for what figures to be an eventful and productive school year competing for the Hanna Golden Eagles.

Garcia, a junior-to-be, spent the past week playing in the 64th annual International Junior Masters at East Aurora Country Club, which is near Buffalo, New York.

The event, which has no affiliation with The Masters, is a tournament designed for select male golfers ages 14-18 and is known as the oldest international junior golf invitational in North America. It has been played at East Aurora CC since 1953 and a number of its top finishers have gone on to enjoy successful careers on the PGA Tour.

Through medal and match play, Garcia, 16, made it to Friday’s final day of competition and finished as the runner-up in the match-play consolation bracket.

“I went into it feeling confident and I’m happy with the way I played,” said Garcia, the reigning two-time District 32-6A champion, who at regionals in April barely missed out on a trip to the UIL state tournament as a sophomore. “I see myself getting better and better. My goal this (school) year is to go to state (for the first time).”

The first two days of the IJM event featured medal play and Garcia shot an 8-over-par 73-77 — 150 to finish 13th. That score advanced him to match play as one of the tournament’s top 32 golfers. A Canadian opponent edged Garcia 1-up in the opening round of match play, which sent the Hanna golfer to the consolation bracket, where he won his next three matches to reach Friday afternoon’s consolation final.

Garcia said he was particularly pleased with the shots he made using his irons and with his putting game on some quite challenging greens with numerous slopes.

“Whenever I had to hit a shot, I did,” he said.

In the consolation round of 16 during match play, Garcia defeated an opponent from Egypt 3 and 1. Next came a quarterfinal opponent from Australia that he defeated 3 and 2. Garcia then took on Christian Chapman of New York in the consolation semifinals. The two finished tied after 18 holes and Garcia prevailed on the 19th hole, having made five birdies during the match.

The consolation final was against Diego Cordova of Guanajuato, Mexico, and it became another close contest. Again, the score was tied after 18 holes. On the 19th hole, Cordova made a 35-foot putt for a birdie to win the match.

“All of the matches were amazing,” said Adrian Garcia, Santiago’s father and Hanna’s golf coach. “All of Santiago’s opponents were solid golfers, and actually, all of them (in the tournament) were. We were impressed with the way Santiago carried himself (under pressure).

“I’ve seen Santiago grow confidence-wise,” added the coach, who just completed his 18th year of guiding the Eagles. “His game is growing and improving, and we’re excited about that.”

Santiago appreciates all those who are behind him, especially the ones who sent him messages of encouragement from Brownsville during the past week.

“I would like to thank everyone who has been supporting me, including Manny Saldivar, my swing coach who has helped me for a lot of years,” the young golfer said. “I am grateful for my family and all those back home for their support.”

Roy Hess covers sports for The Brownsville Herald. You can reach him via email at [email protected]. On Twitter he’s @HessRgehess

By ROY HESS, Staff Writer

Becky Woods’ coaching and teaching career began in 1985 at Los Fresnos, and 31 years later, she’s entering the Rio Grande Valley Sports Hall of Fame.

Woods and eight other individuals will be enshrined Saturday at the 29th RGV Sports Hall of Fame banquet at Boggus Ford Events Center in Pharr. Tickets to the event are no longer available.

Tom Landry and Bobby Morrow were among the first inductees when the event began in 1988. Now more than 200 individuals who have made an impact sports-wise in South Texas have been inducted. Individuals from the Valley whose accomplishments have come elsewhere also have been recognized.

Woods, a native of Iowa, has coached a number of sports and is best known for her successful volleyball teams, which have won district championships on an almost annual basis in recent years.

In volleyball under Woods, the Lady Falcons have won 11 district titles and advanced to the state playoffs on 21 occasions. Her teams have won bi-district matches 12 times and triumphed in seven area-round contests. She has taken the Lady Falcons to the regional tournament four times, the most recent trip being 2014.

Woods attracted quite a crowd on a Saturday afternoon at the Los Fresnos Fieldhouse last Oct. 17 when she achieved her 600th career coaching victory with a three-game sweep of Harlingen High in a District 32-6A match before a festive full house of fans.

She was named All-Valley Girls Coach of the Year at last Tuesday’s All-Valley Sports Awards Banquet in McAllen.

Woods never intended to have the longevity she’s enjoyed at Los Fresnos. It just worked out that way, she said.

“I’m not one to change things if I like the way they are, and that’s what I would say about Los Fresnos,” she said. “I like the school district, the administration, the teachers, the students, the community and everyone.

“I’ve had my coaching staff with me for a long time, and that’s an important factor,” she added. “They know what to expect from me and I know what to expect from them. It’s all come together.”

Regarding Saturday’s induction ceremony, Woods said she knows it will be an emotional time giving her speech, which is up to “10 pages or so.”

“I’m a little nervous and a little stressed, but people are telling me to just have fun with it, so I will,” Woods said. “It starts with 1985 and goes through 2016. It’ll be fun and funny.”

Last week’s keynote speech at the All-Valley banquet by former Dallas Cowboys receiver Drew Pearson mirrors exactly what she plans to say.

“Drew said, ‘It’s not what we’ve achieved, it’s the road that has led us there,’” Woods said. “That’s what I’ve planned to say all along. I know I’m going to cry.”

Roy Hess covers sports for The Brownsville Herald. You can reach him via email at [email protected]. On Twitter he’s @HessRgehess

By ROY HESS, Staff Writer

Honors and recognition in soccer continue to come Alexis Armendariz’s way following the Porter Cowboys’ 2016 state championship season.

Armendariz, who just completed his junior season as a standout forward for the Cowboys, was selected All-Valley player of the year last week and was named a nominee for Gatorade Player of the Year in Texas, an award won last year by Rivera’s Isidro “Chelin” Martinez.

Even though Armendariz wasn’t able to win the 2016 Gatorade award, there was a measure of consolation. The Cowboys defeated Frisco Wakeland’s Harris Partain, the Gatorade winner, in the Class 5A final in April at the UIL state tournament in Georgetown. Partain, a Frisco Wakeland midfielder who finished his senior season, and his teammates came up on the short end of a 3-2 score in the state final after Porter prevailed 10-9 in penalty kicks for the 5A championship.

“I was a little nervous (at the All-Valley awards ceremony In McAllen June 14) because I didn’t know if the (Valley player of the year) award was for me or not,” said Armendariz, who led the Cowboys with 31 goals and 17 assists during the season just completed. “I never thought I’d have these accomplishments in my life. Everything that has happened to me (with these awards and recognition) as a person and as a soccer player is a blessing to me and I thank God.

“Being nominated for the Gatorade award means a lot because it means being recognized as one of the top players in Texas,” he added. “It’s a privilege to be nominated for it. It’s really due to the efforts of the team and I’m grateful to my teammates for helping me receive such a nomination. It’s because of my teammates and my coaches.”

Porter finished 28-0-1 this past season and won seven games in the playoffs to capture the 5A state title, its second in school history in soccer.

Armendariz recently was named MVP in District 32-5A and MVP on The Brownsville Herald’s All-Metro Team.

“It’s rewarding to see all the accolades that Alexis has been receiving,” said Porter coach Jose Espita, who was named All-Valley 6A coach of the year at the recent awards banquet. “Of course, a lot of it is thanks to his teammates. Doing well (in soccer) takes a team effort. Midway through the season we noticed that he was scoring a lot of goals, so we decided to move him up front (from midfielder to forward). Looking back, we can only imagine what it would have been like to start him off as a forward (and consider how many more goals he would have scored).

“Alexis deserves every one of these awards,” added Espitia, who has six starters returning from the lineup that started in the state final. “We’re excited for the coming school year. We know it’s not (only) going to give us more pressure, but actually more responsibility to come back even stronger in 2017. We feel we have a pretty solid group coming back. We expect to have a target on our backs and Alexis knows he will, too, but that’s OK.”

Armendariz said he is enjoying the summer, which involves taking a vacation to Florida, being with his family and playing in a Brasa league at Brownsville Sports Park.

“Receiving these things (awards) makes me look forward to the coming school year,” Armendariz said. “We want to do well and finish at a high level again. Winning a state title is something beautiful and we’re going to fight hard for it again.”

Roy Hess covers sports for The Brownsville Herald. You can reach him via email at [email protected]. On Twitter he’s @HessRgehess

By ROY HESS, Staff Writer

Juan de Dios Garcia’s influence in the evolution of Brownsville soccer is undeniable.

The longtime Hanna boys coach was there from the very beginning in 1983 when soccer started in Texas as a UIL sport. He retired from Hanna after the 2012 school year following 30 seasons of guiding the Golden Eagles, which stands as a record for a soccer coach at one high school in South Texas.

Starting in 2007, he also served as an assistant coach for the women’s soccer team at the University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College with one season (2013) as head coach. He continues as president of the Rio Grande Valley Soccer Coaches Organization.

“I feel like a 20-year-old man with 42 years of experience (in soccer),” said Garcia, 62, with a smile.

Garcia went 437-206-66 during his time at Hanna and his teams advanced to the state playoffs 20 times. Under Garcia, the Eagles had seven appearances at the regional tournament in San Antonio and made one trip to the UIL state tournament in 1990.

He was inducted into the RGV Sports Hall of Fame in 2015 and was enshrined into the Texas Association of Soccer Coaches’ Hall of Honor in 2012. A native of Matamoros who played soccer professionally in Mexico, Garcia was inducted into the sports hall of fame there in 2005.

Garcia’s impact upon South Texas soccer continues.

Perhaps the greatest testament to Garcia’s status as one of the state’s most respected coaches is the number of his former players who have become successful coaches themselves. They number approximately 20. Garcia has always been an advocate of having his players pursue a college education, and some of them have gone on to become doctors and lawyers.

Jesus Cardenas is one of those former players who became a coach. A 1992 Hanna graduate, Cardenas just completed his third season as girls soccer coach at Port Isabel. He guided the Lady Tarpons to the third round of the playoffs this season after a second-place finish in District 32-4A.

The influence of his former coach at Hanna has stayed with him.

“I was a manager/player for Juan from 1988 to 1992 and had never played organized soccer before then,” Cardenas said. “His idea of playing a short, quick passing game has stayed with me and with probably most — if not all — of his ex-players who became coaches. I remember his passion for the game and how he would come up with game plans and strategies. I got the itch to coach back then thanks to him.

“The other thing he did was to push me and many others to get an education (in college),” Cardenas added. “I do the same with my players and other students. I think all of the coaches in the Valley who graduated from Hanna (and played for him) would probably say the same thing.”

Mario A. Zamora was a standout player under Garcia who graduated from Hanna in 2004.

Zamora just completed his second season as Pace’s soccer coach. This season he directed the Vikings to a second-place finish in District 32-5A and a berth in the Region IV-5A final before coming up short 3-2 in overtime against city rival Porter, the eventual 5A state champion.

Likewise, Garcia has had an impact upon Zamora’s coaching career.

“Juan has been a big influence to me, obviously when I was a player at Hanna and now that I’m a coach,” said Zamora, previously the soccer coach at St. Joseph Academy. “I always give him a call and ask him about things I need to know, and what can I say? He’s the godfather of soccer here in the Valley.

“He taught me how to be a good person inside the field and outside the field,” added Zamora, who played college soccer at Lindenwood University in Missouri. “He is a good one to go to about tactics, rules and everything. He urged me to go for a college education. He’s been a mentor to me.”

Garcia is the first to admit it wasn’t always easy to play for him.

“The ones who played for me went through a lot because I’m practically a perfectionist,” he said. “I’ve always tried to pay a lot of attention to details and I would always tell them, ‘Sooner or later, some of you are going to become a coach, and I don’t want these things to happen to you (as far as not playing the game the way it should be played). I’m pointing them out to you now so you can be successful.’ I wouldn’t let them get away with anything, really.”

There are approximately 20 of Garcia’s former players and assistants who have become coaches. Garcia doesn’t mind sharing his soccer knowledge with them and anyone else who is interested.

“I have coached at different levels and I have a certain amount of experience, and I don’t mind sharing it,” he said. “I am so happy to share my knowledge with my former players and to have them as friends.

“It’s very satisfying to me that they graduated from Hanna and went on to become coaches,” he added. “They continue to improve their knowledge of soccer, and that’s important. Sooner or later, it becomes their time to share their knowledge with somebody else (who will go on to coach). It’s the cycle of life.”

Garcia’s most successful Hanna team advanced to the state tournament at Austin Westlake in 1990. The Eagles were edged 4-3 by Tyler Lee in the Class 5A semifinals following a marathon 22-player shootout when the match remained tied 3-3 after 100 minutes of regulation and overtime.

Four of Garcia’s former players have taken teams to a UIL state final as coaches. They are Lopez’s Amadeo Escandon (2004 and 2009), Sharyland High’s Reveriano Hernandez (2012), Hanna’s Reyes Prado (2013) and Rivera’s Salvador Garcia (2015). Escandon, Hernandez and Salvador Garcia each brought home a state title.

“One of the things I have learned from Juan de Dios is that he always attends soccer clinics and workshops to learn more,” said Escandon, a 1987 Hanna graduate. “With all his years of experience, one would think that he would be content with the amount of knowledge he possesses, however, he is always taking notes and trying to learn more. Just by watching him do that, I have learned that one should always keep on learning more about all aspects of our sport.”

The former longtime Hanna coach said the future looks bright for soccer in Brownsville.

“We are strong in soccer in our city because our foundation is strong (starting with the youth leagues),” he said. “We have so many people helping the teams, including a lot of former players.”

Those former players, now coaches, are happy to carry on Juan de Dios’ winning tradition.

“It’s a great honor to know Juan and especially to consider him a friend,” said Hernandez, a 1986 Hanna graduate. “After all these years, and after his retirement (from Hanna), he’s still involved with soccer in the RGV. His love for the sport and his love for helping people is what I admire most about him. ‘Futbol’ (soccer) and Juan go hand in hand in the Valley. Thank you Juan for everything you’ve done.”

Roy Hess covers sports for The Brownsville Herald. You can reach him via email at [email protected]. On Twitter he’s @HessRgehess

By ROY HESS, Staff Writer

A little more than 10 years ago, a sports writer from The Brownsville Herald was interviewing Porter soccer players Jorge Briones and Diego Rodriguez at the start of the 2006 high school season.

The two captains for the Cowboys expressed a strong belief that their team was going to win state that year.

“That’s a worthy goal,” the reporter thought to himself. “Good luck with that.”

Sure enough, a few months later, the Cowboys brought home the Class 5A championship, rallying to upset a favored Coppell team 2-1 in overtime in the state final at Round Rock.

The Lopez Lobos had won the Class 4A state title just two years earlier, and the victory by Porter in 2006 at the 5A level seemed to signal a trend that there were even more good times ahead for Brownsville soccer.

That was a few UIL state championships ago. The title count is now up to four and counting.

As a result, there is no doubt high school soccer in Brownsville has become something special.

Many would readily agree with the frequently heard saying “Brownsville es Futbol.”

With each passing UIL state championship, Brownsville’s most successful high school sport continues to add to its uniqueness and distinction as a shining source of pride for the city.

While no one can deny football is king in Texas, “futbol” in Brownsville occupies an esteemed spot as well, and justifiably so considering the top showings its teams churn out in UIL competition almost annually.

So why not take a little time to recognize and celebrate the success and impact of Brownsville soccer?

That is the idea behind The Herald’s summer-long soccer series that kicks off today. A story in the series is planned for every Sunday through July. The primary focus is on the achievements of Brownsville’s high school boys teams since the UIL sport began in Texas in 1983. The series will culminate with a look at some of Brownsville’s all-time best teams and players and dig deeper into what make’s Brownsville soccer stand out.

It should be fun.

Let’s not forget the girls. They started playing UIL soccer in the Rio Grande Valley in 1997 and gradually are catching up to the accomplishments of the boys. The Valley appears to be close to sending its first girls team to state sometime soon.

Perhaps Valley girls soccer can draw inspiration from the recent state-qualifying breakthroughs made by the softball teams of San Benito and Weslaco High.

And yet, by comparison, the way expectations exist right now for Brownsville boys soccer teams, just getting to state is simply not enough. They go to state these days with a well-founded confidence, a strong determination and an expectation of winning it all.

That says everything about the high level of soccer played in Brownsville, and actually in the Valley. It also helps explain how Rivera pretty much cruised to the inaugural Class 6A state title in boys soccer in 2015 with a 28-0 record and how Porter was able to follow up Rivera’s feat by capturing its second 5A state title this season with a 28-0-1 mark.

The beauty of it all is it’s not just one Brownsville school always going to state.

Brownsville has sent Southmost neighbors Lopez and Porter to state a Valley-record four times each, including both of them this season in 6A and 5A, respectively, which was a first for the city. Rivera has gone to state three times and Hanna twice. And on three occasions, Pace has come within only one win of earning a trip to state. Each of those three times (2006, 2007 and 2016), the Vikings were edged in a regional final by another Brownsville team.

Four of the six current boys coaches at Brownsville’s largest public high schools have coached in at least one UIL state final. That’s actually pretty amazing. What other city in Texas can boast of such an achievement within its school district?

Which prompts the question, after seeing Rivera and Porter win back-to-back state championships with unbeaten records these past two seasons, does it mark the high point of a golden era for the sport in Brownsville?

Then again, maybe the answer is the best is yet to come.

Roy Hess covers sports for The Brownsville Herald. You can reach him via email at [email protected]. On Twitter he’s @HessRgehess

By ROY HESS, Staff Writer

Welcome to Brownsville, the “Soccer Capital of Texas.”

For the record, Rio Grande Valley teams have captured six UIL state championships in soccer since 2004, and four of them belong to Brownsville.

Thanks to its success in the sport, particularly by boys teams at the high school level, the city has gained a reputation for its soccer prowess.

And it’s clear such success simply hasn’t come about overnight.

The Lopez Lobos won the Valley’s first UIL state soccer title in 2004 and additional state championships found their way to Brownsville thanks to Porter in 2006, Rivera in 2015 and Porter again in 2016.

Also worthy of mention is the fact that Lopez made it back to the state final in 2009 and Hanna accomplished the same feat in 2013. Other Brownsville teams making it to the state semifinals were Porter in 1984 and 2011, Hanna in 1990, Rivera in 2005 and 2007, and Lopez in 2014 and 2016.

In addition, the St. Joseph Academy Bloodhounds have reached the TAPPS state semifinals during each of the past two seasons.

The Valley’s two other UIL state championships in soccer were captured by Hidalgo in 2009 and Sharyland High in 2012.

Still, as far as enjoying success on the high school soccer stage in South Texas, no one comes close to Brownsville.

There are several factors that would seem to explain the rise of soccer in Brownsville since the UIL sport began in Texas in 1983.

Some of the reasons for that success can be attributed to the passion that exists for the sport on the border, Brownsville’s well-organized youth leagues and the presence of experienced high school coaches who have played the game themselves and have guided teams to the highest levels of UIL competition. Plus, there’s unwavering support for soccer in the community and throughout the Brownsville ISD school administration.

All those factors have combined to create an atmosphere of some pretty high expectations for Brownsville soccer teams. With each passing state title, all teams from the city — and actually from across the Valley — become more and more convinced that they can do it, too.

Coaches many times say advancing out of the Valley in the playoffs is the toughest part of reaching the state tournament.

“Brownsville has always had great talent in soccer,” said Porter coach Jose Espitia, whose Cowboys won the Class 5A state title April 16 in Georgetown and finished with a 28-0-1 record. “We have always had great (youth) leagues that help with the development of athletes. I honestly feel that all those leagues and club coaches have greatly contributed to the success (of the high schools), and I think it also has to do with the fact that all the coaches out there have played soccer and know the sport.”

BUILDING CHEMISTRY

It’s typical that a high school team winning state often has players who have spent years together playing on youth squads. The familiarity players develop with one another as teammates over time becomes invaluable.

Such a team was the 2015 Rivera Raiders, who captured the inaugural Class 6A boys championship in soccer with a 28-0 season mark. They were the first Valley team to win state with an undefeated record.

“I believe most of the high schools (in Brownsville) have talented players,” said former Rivera standout Isidro “Chelin” Martinez, an attacking midfielder/forward on the Raiders’ championship squad of two seasons ago who now plays at the University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley. “Of the team from 2015, we had played together on the same club team since we were young and it helped build a strong chemistry between us. You get to know your teammates’ abilities and disabilities.

“I think Brownsville high schools have done so well because of their dedication to the game and because there are coaches who know what it takes to reach the ultimate goal,” Martinez added. “The goal is always to get to state and then go higher (and win the championship).”

Kevin Maldonado had a similar experience at Lopez. He was a key member of the Lobos squad that went to state in 2014.

“Out of the 23 (players on that Lopez team), I played with at least 15 of them on club teams (in youth soccer), and it was a plus,” said Maldonado, a midfielder who signed with Coastal Bend College in Beeville out of high school. “That’s how we met each other. It helps you because you get to know how everyone plays and it becomes easier once you’re on the pitch.”

WEALTH OF LEAGUES

There are a number of outlets for boys and girls to play organized youth soccer in Brownsville. Among them are the Brownsville Opportunity Youth Soccer Association, Brasa Youth Soccer League, Brownsville United FC and Barracudas Soccer Academy FC.

In some cases, through these leagues, youth teams bring home state championships on the club level before or during the time the athletes play in high school. For example, two youth club teams that won state titles just last month are the Brownsville Galaxy (under 14 boys) and Brownsville United FC (under 19 girls).

Children start playing youth soccer as early as age 3, said Leticia Capistran, president of Brownsville Opportunity Youth Soccer Association. That’s the age her two children began playing in BOYSA.

Parents have the option of registering their young children for a recreational league or a competitive league, said Capistran, who has been involved with BOYSA for 10 years, including the past six as president.

“Our (competitive) teams play outside the Valley and go against teams from San Antonio, El Paso, Houston and other places,” Capistran said. “It’s exposure to the competition that is out there.”

Besides just playing the sport, Capistran said youth soccer participation is a way to remind children about the demands ahead of them, particularly those in the classroom, if they wish to continue playing the game at higher levels.

“Our coaches encourage them to do well in school and keep up with their studies (so they can stay academically eligible to play),” Capistran said.

Former Brownsville resident Francisco Bermudez Sr. said youth leagues have “everything to do with it” regarding the soccer success enjoyed by the city’s teams at the high school level.

Each of his three children — two boys and one girl — started youth soccer at age 3, played in high school and went on to play in college on a scholarship. All three went to Texas College in Tyler.

“I told my kids, ‘Look, it can help you get an education (in college) doing what you like to do,’” said Bermudez, who served as BOYSA president from 2003 to 2005. “I never played myself, but when I saw that the youth leagues were a good thing, I had to get involved. I don’t coach anymore, but I still like to go out and see the teams play, especially the high schools.”

Bermudez said not only have youth leagues helped groom players for high school competition, but also for playing in college.

“It’s a golden egg we have here in the Valley as far as the soccer talent,” he added.

Bermudez said Demetrio Hernandez, formerly soccer coach at Texas College and now at Wiley College in Marshall, has been a leader in recruiting South Texas soccer prospects.

“He’s done a lot by signing our athletes,” Bermudez said.

HIGH-CALIBER COACHES

While having talented soccer players has helped Brownsville schools prosper, the presence of experienced coaches who are knowledgeable about the game is also an important positive.

Remarkably, four of the six current boys coaches at Brownsville’s largest public high schools have guided at least one team to a UIL state final. Those four coaches are Espitia at Porter (twice, including once as an assistant at Lopez), Salvador Garcia at Rivera, Amadeo Escandon at Lopez (twice) and Reyes Prado at Hanna.

“There are many qualified youth and adult coaches that are contributing greatly to the technical and tactical soccer development of our youth players,” said Juan de Dios Garcia, the boys soccer coach at Hanna for 30 years before retiring after the 2012 season. “Our high school coaches are constantly nourishing themselves with soccer knowledge to continue the educational process for young athletes in our community. Many of our Brownsville high school coaches attend TASCO and SMU soccer clinics plus NSCAA national symposiums.

“They have tremendously improved their knowledge from (attending seminars featuring) experienced U.S. and international presenters,” added Garcia, president of the Valley high school soccer coaches organization. “Some of our high school coaches are taking state and national diploma courses with the intention of learning how to give the best instruction possible to our athletes. Our high school coaches are very humble and great competitors. Many of them come from schools with winning soccer traditions. There are also many former high school soccer players coaching in the youth leagues.”

Espitia believes the current high school competition is as fierce now as it has ever been, prompting coaches to constantly stay on their toes in making the right moves necessary to succeed.

“In the 1980s there was soccer talent, but very few coaches that really knew the sport,” said Espitia, who played at Lopez before graduating in 1997. “After Lopez in 2004, everyone knew that it could be done and that winning a state title was something attainable.

“I also feel that nowadays the bar has been set very high and the expectations are to go to state (every year), and if not, it’s a bad season,” he added. “With this in mind, everyone sets their mind to it and works super hard every year to reach that goal.”

By ROY HESS, Staff Writer

Soccer is an important part of the immediate future for four graduating female athletes from Pace.

Thanks to Friday’s scholarship agreement signings at the school auditorium in front of family, classmates and Brownsville ISD staff members, the four girls will be playing their chosen sport at the next level while pursuing college degrees.

They are attacking midfielder Jo Ann Sanchez, defensive midfielder Hania Davila and defenders Daniela Perez and Amanda Morales.

Sanchez is going to Huston-Tillotson University in Austin, while Morales is headed to Lindenwood University in Belleville, Illinois, and Davila and Perez have signed to play for Texas College in Tyler.

With the help of those four girls, the Lady Vikings qualified for the Class 5A state playoffs during each of the past two seasons.

In addition to the four soccer girls, six Pace boys also signed to play soccer in college Friday along with another female athlete who will compete in track in college, making the signing ceremony an event to honor 11 graduating Pace athletes.

“I’m very happy because this is like a new chapter to my life,” said Perez, a three-year starter who plans to study biology. “I’m a little nervous, though, because I’m not going to be with my family. That’s something I have to work through.”

Despite not having her family around, Perez will have a teammate with her in Tyler.

“This is something really great,” said Davila, a four-year starter who plans to study nursing. “I’m honored to have received an offer to play in college. Not everyone gets the opportunity to do it and I’m very fortunate to receive it, so I’m excited to play (at the next level). I would just say thanks to everyone who has supported us.”

Morales said she wouldn’t know what to do if she wasn’t playing soccer.

“I’ve played since I was younger, so it’s just amazing (to continue my soccer career in college),” said Morales, a four-year starter who wants to major in exercise science. “It would feel strange not to be playing soccer. If I wouldn’t have gotten signed, I would still continue to play in outside leagues because I just can’t stop playing soccer. It was an honor to come here to Pace and experience the things I’ve experienced, which will help me for my next step in life.”

Lady Vikings coach Jesus O. Villarreal was proud of his players at Friday’s signing ceremony.

“First of all, getting an education is far more important than any championship,” he said. “To be educated in college while playing soccer is a big plus. I know these girls and they are committed. They have sacrificed so many things. I am honored, I am proud and I am more than sure that they’re going to be successful.”

One of the most appreciative Pace athletes signing Friday was Sanchez, whose senior season was cut short by injury just after a few games back in January. Now she’s getting a chance to resume her soccer career and become one of the first ones in her family to go to college on a scholarship.

“This motivates me to recover faster and recover better because I missed my senior season of soccer and I feel I let down my team in a lot of ways as one of the team leaders,” said Sanchez, a three-year starter who plans to study mathematics and eventually pursue an engineering degree. “My family is full of soccer players, but I’m really the only one who has gotten the opportunity to play in college. I’m the first one who is going without having to take out a loan, so to me, playing soccer in college means representing my family. It’s a tribute to my dad and my uncles for how much they’ve worked to try to get me to this point. I hope it’s an influence to all my younger cousins to go to college. It’s something that can be done. It’s not something out of this world (and unattainable).”

Roy Hess covers sports for The Brownsville Herald. You can reach him via email at [email protected]. On Twitter he’s @HessRgehess

By ROY HESS, Staff Writer

Friday will always be an important day to remember for six Pace boys soccer players who signed college scholarship agreements to continue playing at the next level.
The six graduating seniors, all standouts from Pace’s 2016 Region IV-5A runner-up squad, are Benlly Galvan, Juan Garza, Hector Rojas, Johan Rios, Alejandro Castaneda and David Morales.
A signing ceremony was held in the school auditorium with family, friends and Brownsville ISD personnel on hand to witness and celebrate the occasion. Five girls athletes for Pace also signed scholarship agreements at the ceremony, boosting the total number of Friday’s honorees to 11. Ten of the 11 signed to play soccer.
Galvan, Garza and Rojas will play for Cayuga Community College of Albany, New York, while Rios and Castaneda are headed to Texas College in Tyler and Morales is going to Lindenwood University in Belleville, Illinois.
“I’m very grateful and blessed to have this chance to play college ball,” said Garza, a two-year starter at forward for the Vikings. “I’m excited to meet new people and new friends over there and get to play soccer in a different state. It’ll be a different environment. It’ll be awesome.”
Rojas said he’s leaving Pace with plenty of good memories of playing for the Vikings. Now he’s looking forward to what’s ahead in college with two of his teammates there as well.
“We’re like a family, so we’re pretty comfortable going over there to New York,” said Rojas, a four-year starter in the midfielder who plans to study engineering. “I’m really happy about the good memories I have of playing here at Pace, and now we’re going to another level to see what we can do.”
Pace boys coach Mario A. Zamora relived an important day from his past on Friday as in 2004 he signed with Lindenwood as a graduating soccer standout for Hanna.
“Besides winning championships, I think it’s the most essential part of our jobs (as coaches) to get these student-athletes to college,” Zamora said. “And why not go to college and continue playing soccer? It’s something these guys love to do.”
Morales was in total agreement with his coach.
“You take time to think about it and it’s really pretty exciting, right?” said Morales, a midfielder who plans to study biology with the intention of eventually going to medical school. “I want to do well in college academic-wise and raise up my grades while showing my ability sports-wise and help out the team. I just want to thank my parents, my friends and everyone who has supported me from the beginning. There are people who are special to me and they know who they are.”
While the other boys signees are going to college out of state, Castaneda and Rios will be staying in Texas to continue their educations, albeit at the opposite end of the state at Texas College in Tyler.
“Since my freshman year I’ve been on the varsity and I’ve experienced a lot, so there are a lot of good memories,” said Rios, a three-year starter at defender who plans to study education so he can come back to his alma mater as a teacher and coach. “We weren’t that great when I started four years ago, but the program has come up and there are a lot of good memories. Now I just want to get better, get to play and graduate with a college degree.”
Castaneda said at one time he didn’t think he’d ever receive an opportunity to play his sport in college.
“This day is really amazing for me because I wasn’t thinking about signing, but thanks to God, everything came out great,” said Castaneda, a four-year starter in the midfield who plans to study engineering. “Every one of my teammates loves soccer and would like to have the chance to play at the next level, so I’m super happy. I just thank every single one of the coaches for giving us the chance to play. Because of them, we’re here.”
Galvan, who wants to become a radiologist, is another Pace player who has made quite an impact for the Vikings during his multiple seasons on the varsity. He played in the midfield and on defense.
He summed up the feeling of the day by saying, “I love playing soccer, so this is wonderful. It’ll be awesome playing with my teammates in New York. We know it’ll be tough, but we made it here, so we’re going to make it over there. I feel blessed to have played for Pace. I loved wearing the (school) colors. My senior year has been the best. I’m blessed and now I’m just ready to start playing in college.”

Roy Hess covers sports for The Brownsville Herald. You can reach him via email at [email protected]. On Twitter he’s @HessRgehess

By ROY HESS, Staff Writer

Gloria Ortegon, Estrella Espinoza and Samantha Ruiz have been vital contributors to the Lopez Lady Lobos soccer team for a number of seasons.

Thanks to Tuesday’s athletic scholarship signings, the three graduating seniors will continue their soccer careers together at Texas A&M International University in Laredo.

The three players — all midfielders and starters for multiple seasons — were honored at a signing ceremony at Lopez with teammates, family, friends and Brownsville ISD staff members witnessing the event.

“This is pretty amazing because it’s something I thought would never happen,” said Espinoza, who plans to study nursing. “To be able to go play soccer in college with my closest friends is a great privilege. This is a great opportunity for us.”

The Lady Lobos won a district championship for the second time in three years this season and advanced to the second round of the Class 6A playoffs.

“It’s exciting to see these girls’ faces (at their signing) and the excitement of their parents,” Lady Lobos coach Alex Macias said. “It means a lot to us (as coaches). It’s never about winning trophies. It’s about moving forward and having something to look forward to (in life).”

It was quite a day for the Ortegon family. In addition to Gloria signing with A&M International, Ulysses Ortegon, her twin brother, signed to play soccer for Texas College in Tyler. Three other players from the Lopez boys team also signed with Texas College on Tuesday, making it a total of seven honorees at the ceremony in the school auditorium.

“This day is very special, especially now that I know I’m going to continue the next chapter of my life,” said Gloria, who also plans to study nursing. “Playing college ball with my best friends is great.

“The expectation I have for college is to keep going and never stop,” she added. “I’m just thankful for all the support we’ve gotten throughout the years. Without my teammates and my coaches, I wouldn’t be getting this opportunity to play in college.”

Ruiz has been a key performer at center midfielder for the Lady Lobos since she was a freshman. Now she’s taking her soccer skills to the next level.

“This day is a blessing and it means so much to me to continue playing the sport I love,” said Ruiz, who plans to study psychology. “To do it with my two closest friends, I couldn’t be happier. I’m just very proud of this moment. I’m grateful for my team and for the people who have supported it, and I just thank everyone who’s been there with me every step of the way.”

Roy Hess covers sports for The Brownsville Herald. You can reach him via email at [email protected]. On Twitter he’s @HessRgehess

By ROY HESS, Staff Writer

Over the years, the Lopez Lobos have sent their share of soccer players to the next level.

The latest group of Lobos signing to compete in college includes defenders Benito Cazares and Ulysses Ortegon along with midfielders Ruben Sauceda and Allan Ramos.

The four senior standouts were honored Tuesday at a signing ceremony at Lopez with teammates, family, friends and Brownsville ISD personnel on hand to see them put their names on college athletic scholarship agreements to play for Texas College in Tyler.

“Lopez is a big school in soccer, and it was an honor to be a part of this amazing soccer program,” said Ramos, a two-year starter who was a member of Lopez’s UIL state tournament-qualifying teams in 2014 and 2016. “Thanks to God we got to experience going to state two times.

“I’m proud of this school, and I thank God, my parents, my family and my coaches for all the support I’ve received (in reaching this point of my life),” added Ramos, who plans to study education.

All four players said Tuesday was a day they will never forget.

“This is an unbelievable feeling,” said Ortegon, a two-year starter who plans to pursue a degree in physical therapy. “It’s a prayer answered after all our hard work, sacrifice, tears, blood and everything. I’m just glad for this moment. We’ve been playing since we were small, and now, we’re going off to college. For all the soccer players, I would just say anything is possible, and you can go wherever you want by putting in the hard work.”

The Lobos just completed a 21-3-1 season in which they won District 32-6A and captured five victories in the Class 6A playoffs to reach last month’s state semifinals in Georgetown.

“It feels great knowing that I’m going to college with my friends and that I’ll be playing the sport I love,” said Sauceda, a two-year starter who is undecided on his major at this time. “I know I’ll have to work hard at the college level. I just want to thank my family, my coaches and my girl friend.”

Cazares, who plans to study education and possibly become a Spanish teacher, said it means a lot to be joined by his Lopez teammates in college.

“It’s an honor to play with my friends here in high school and now at the next level,” said Cazares, also a two-year starter. “These guys — my teammates — have become my family and my life. I’ve been honored to play with them and to represent our school. Thank you to all the people who believe in us. I’m really happy for this day.”

Lopez coach Amadeo Escandon, who just completed his 19th season of guiding the Lobos, said seeing his players sign for college never gets old.

“I think I’ve learned throughout the years that it’s not about the trophies and it’s not about awards or accolades,” he said. “It’s about seeing our players succeed at the next level. That’s the greatest accomplishment I can take satisfaction in personally. Ironically, my first generation of players to sign a number of years ago went to Texas College, so this is coming back into the same cycle. It’s something good and I’m so glad for them.”

Roy Hess covers sports for The Brownsville Herald. You can reach him via email at [email protected]. On Twitter he’s @HessRgehess