By ROY HESS, Staff Writer

When their TAPPS soccer season began in November, the St. Joseph Academy Bloodhounds envisioned they would be exactly where they are right now.

Thanks to Saturday’s 3-2 come-from-behind overtime win against San Antonio Antonian, the Bloodhounds are district champions for the second straight year and opening the TAPPS playoffs at home Tuesday.

It’s just what they wanted, and now they’ll find out what comes next in the postseason.

SJA (16-5-1) takes on Plano Prestonwood (9-17-2) at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Canales Field.

A win would advance the Bloodhounds to the second round of the playoffs, most likely against another team from the Dallas area on Saturday at a neutral site, which could be San Antonio.

The Bloodhounds have most of their players back from last season’s team that went 16-4-2, won district and advanced to the TAPPS state semifinals.

For those reasons, their expectations are high for 2016.

“I hope we start playing like we did Saturday (when we rallied from a 2-0 deficit during the second half) because we want to make a deep run in the playoffs,” SJA coach Tino Villarreal said. “Our goal is to always reach higher, but we know we have to take it one game at a time.

“Saturday marked the first time we had all 11 starters on the field in about two weeks,” Villarreal added. “Part of the (early) pressure we had (against Antonian) was just getting to know how to play with each other again. We’ve had a lot of injuries, so we’re fortunate to have everybody healing up at the right time.”

Saturday’s hero for the Bloodhounds was senior midfielder Anuar Atiye, who scored a goal with fewer than nine minutes remaining in regulation to tie the match at 2 at Canales Field. Then just 24 seconds into the second 10-minute overtime period, Atiye sent a rolling shot into the right corner of the goal that the Antonian goalkeeper couldn’t react to in time.

His golden goal was the game-winner as the Bloodhounds celebrated an emotional 3-2 come-from-behind victory.

“We were kind of dispirited (down 2-0), but we knew we could come back,” Atiye said. “We’ve been in that situation before, and we just give everything we can (to rally and win).

“I’m very proud of my teammates,” Atiye added. “We won as a team, and we’re ready now for our next game in the playoffs. We play as a team and as a family for the community of St. Joseph.”

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

The notion that a 2-0 advantage is the most precarious lead in soccer proved true Saturday to the benefit of the St. Joseph Academy Bloodhounds.

The Bloodhounds rallied after trailing by two early scores to defeat San Antonio Antonian 3-2 on Anuar Atiye’s golden goal just 24 seconds into the second 10-minute overtime period at Canales Field.

The comeback victory enabled SJA to capture a TAPPS district championship for the second straight year.

The Bloodhounds finished 5-1 in TAPPS district competition, which is the same record as conference rival San Antonio Central Catholic. But SJA claims the crown based on a district goal differential tiebreaker. The Bloodhounds and Buttons split their two regular-season district matchups. Antonian (2-4) finished third in the district.

SJA (16-5-1) now advances to the TAPPS state playoffs, as does Antonian, and will play host to Plano Prestonwood (9-17-2) at 11 a.m. Tuesday.

The second OT had barely begun when SJA’s Mario Garcia made a picture-perfect pass from the midfield to Atiye, who attacked from the left side and quickly brought the ball in to create a 1-on-1 situation with the Antonian goalkeeper. As soon as Atiye saw the goalkeeper was committed to not moving from his spot in the center of the goal, the senior midfielder on the left wing sent a roller to the far right corner of the net from about eight yards out.

It was a shot beyond the goalkeeper’s reach, and he could only stand there and watch as the ball trickled into the goal, just inside the right post.

“I was just waiting for it to see what it would do,” Atiye said of his game-winning shot.

“It was a great pass from my teammate Mario Garcia,” added Atiye, who scored two goals in the game. “I was nervous and I just wanted it to go in. However it was going to go, (I wasn’t sure for a moment, but then) I was excited because it went in.

“It feels awesome (to help us win). We were able to come back as a team because we are very united. It turned out to be a great day. I’m so proud of all my teammates.”

Earlier though, it was the kind of horrific start for the Bloodhounds that all soccer teams dread.

Just 3 1/2 minutes into the contest, the ball bounced off the leg of an SJA defender situated in the goalmouth and went into the Bloodhounds’ net for an “autogol.” Fifteen minutes later, Antonian’s Donnie Rivero dribbled in down the middle, the SJA goalkeeper came charging out and Rivero chipped a lob shot over him that bounced into the goal for a 2-0 lead.

At that point with 21 1/2 minutes remaining in the first half and down by a pair of goals, things were looking pretty grim for the Bloodhounds.

“I thought we started out flat, and it doesn’t help to give up an ‘autogol,’” SJA coach Tino Villarreal said. “That was something that lifted Antonian’s spirits and put us under (even) more pressure. I (had) told our players not to play with pressure, but it’s tough to do when you’re playing for the district championship in front of a big crowd. Then we were down 1-0 and we made even more mistakes.

“At halftime, it was a very intense talk on my part about playing like a champion and displaying the heart of a champion,” Villarreal added. “Champions know how to control their emotions and know how to have ice run through their veins. I told them if they really wanted it, they were going to get it, and I think they woke up.”

Regarding the thought that 2-0 is the most dangerous lead in soccer, Villarreal said, “Absolutely, tell me about it. We were at Central Catholic last weekend and up 3-1, which is really the same thing (and we lost 4-3 on a golden goal in OT).”

The Bloodhounds began their comeback with a goal by Gerardo Moses from about 15 yards out on the left side with 26 minutes left in regulation. SJA came close to scoring several times immediately after that, but it wasn’t until Atiye sent a deflected shot into the goal from approximately eight yards away on the left side that the Bloodhounds got their equalizer. The goal tied the match at 2 with fewer than nine minutes remaining in regulation.

Atiye’s first goal came after teammate Manuel Guerra had taken a shot from the right side that was deflected by the Antonian goalkeeper. The putback by Atiye further raised the Bloodhounds’ hopes and set the stage for his game-winning tally in OT.

“When you’re down and you score to make it 2-1, you gain a lot of momentum and the other team loses a lot of momentum,” Villarreal said. “The opponent starts feeling the pressure. I thought we did a very good job today (of coming back), but hats off to Antonian. They gave us a really good game. They always do. We’re just lucky and happy to get out of here with another win.”

When the Apaches and Bloodhounds played for the first time this season back in December in San Antonio, SJA prevailed 2-1.

“Hopefully this doesn’t detract from us going forward and how we do in the playoffs,” Antonian coach Jason Anno said. “It was a good game. St. Joseph played well. They knew what was on the line, and I think that’s really what put them over the top. They’re a good team.”

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

Brownsville Veterans Memorial’s reward for putting together three strong wins in a row in District 32-6A boys soccer is a showdown with district leader Lopez next Tuesday.

The Chargers (4-2, 13 points) remained in a tie for second place with Hanna in the 32-6A standings thanks to Friday’s 3-1 victory at home against the Los Fresnos Falcons (3-3, nine points).

Lopez (6-0, 18 points) stayed unbeaten to lead the 32-6A race with a 2-0 triumph Friday at Harlingen High. Also Friday, Hanna (5-1, 13 points) prevailed over Rivera 2-1 in overtime.

Brownsville Veterans now plays Lopez at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at Sams Memorial Stadium.

The Chargers were coming off decisive wins against San Benito (5-0) and Harlingen High (4-0) before leading Los Fresnos 2-0 at halftime and eventually winning 3-1.

“I think we’ve done a good job of coming out these last three games and playing very well in the beginning,” Chargers coach Alberto Vasquez said. “We have to work on not losing the tempo and rhythm of the game (after we get a good lead) and on controlling things more in the second half, but we’re scoring goals, which is something we were struggling with a little bit in the beginning of the season. Our guys are coming together, and we’re playing well.

“It is a playoff atmosphere every time we play against a team in this district because everybody comes out here and leaves everything on the field,” he added. “We were expecting a tough game against Los Fresnos, and that’s exactly what they gave us.”

Against the Falcons, goals by Ramon Perez and Jesus Muniz during the 17th and 33rd minutes, respectively, provided the Chargers with a 2-0 advantage at intermission.

It was a physical game from beginning to end. The Falcons lost a player to a red card with 31 minutes remaining and played the rest of the way with only 10 men.

Still, despite being short a player, Los Fresnos came up with a goal by Eric Arellano barely one minute after the red card to pull the Falcons to within 2-1 with 30 minutes left.

“Yes, it was a playoff atmosphere,” Los Fresnos coach Javier Navarrete said. “My guys fought hard. They even fought harder when we only had 10 men. I’m proud of my boys. They stepped it up, put a lot of intensity into it and got it to 2-1 in the second half.

“I felt there were some questionable calls that hurt us,” he added.

With 17 minutes left, Muniz added his second goal, which came from fairly close range to seal the victory with a 3-1 score.

Now the focus for the Chargers is Lopez.

“I really haven’t had a chance to look at them, but I know Lopez is an athletic team,” Vasquez said. “I’m hoping we can go out there and do what we try to do well. Defensively, we’ve only given up three goals (in district) so far. I hope we can continue to do a good job defensively.

“It should be a good game, but it is just another game in the district,” Vasquez added. “We’re going to go out there, do things correctly, try to win it and leave everything on the field. Hopefully things go our way.”

By ROY HESS, Staff Writer

By continuing to win, the Brownsville Veterans Memorial Lady Chargers are putting themselves right in the thick of the District 32-6A girls soccer race.

The Lady Chargers scored one goal during each half and recorded a strong defensive performance to shut out defending 32-6A champion Los Fresnos 2-0 on Friday at Brownsville Veterans.

The Lady Chargers were coming off Tuesday’s 5-1 triumph at home against Harlingen High.

Brownsville Veterans and Los Fresnos now are tied for second place in district with 4-2 records and 12 points. Lopez, a 1-0 winner Friday at Harlingen High, is the 32-6A leader at 6-0 with 17 points.

Mia Villalpando, a senior forward, scored both of the Lady Chargers’ goals.

The first one came when she headed in the ball after it was centered to her from the far right side by teammate Andrea Morales with 3 1/2 minutes left until halftime. The second tally came just 2 minutes, 15 seconds into the second half as Villalpando sent a roller into the right corner of the goal out of the goalkeeper’s reach from about eight yards away during a 2-on-1 attack with a teammate to her left.

“I couldn’t have scored without my team,” Villalpando said. “It’s a team sport. I’ve been here all four years at (Brownsville) Veterans, and we just have one goal, and that’s to win and make it to the playoffs.

“Los Fresnos is a very good team,” Villalpando added. “They’re very skilled. I think this win brings up our hopes for our upcoming game (Tuesday) against Lopez.”

Teammate Mariana Gonzalez, a senior midfielder, agreed.

“It feels amazing to win this game,” she said. “I’m so proud of every single one of our players. We play our hearts out and we totally deserve this win, especially playing at our home. It gives us a lot of hope.”

Thanks to an unyielding Lady Chargers’ defense, the Lady Falcons saw a four-match winning streak come to an end.

Leading the way for the Brownsville Veterans’ defense was goalkeeper Fatima Avila along with Tory Morales, Stephanie Bender and Laura Cepeda.

“It was a very strong defensive performance,” Lady Chargers coach Luis Troncoso said. “Our girls have been playing strong defensively all season. They showed up tonight and did an excellent job.”

District competition continues at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday as Brownsville Veterans takes on Lopez at Sams Memorial Stadium and Los Fresnos is at home against Hanna.

LOS FRESNOS — Inexperience at the varsity level was probably one of the main things that kept the Los Fresnos Falcons from advancing to the state soccer playoffs last season after they reached the third round of the postseason in 2014.

The Falcons have brought back a solid, battle-tested group to the field this year that is led by some standout seniors. They include center midfielder Ivan Jimenez, central defender Juan Lozoya, goalkeeper Jorge Medina and forwards Erick Arellano and Gustavo Olmedo.

The Falcons of 2016 are playing with a hunger that shows they are eager for a return to the playoffs.

“We’ve improved a lot,” said Jimenez, who along with Lozoya are the only two holdovers from the Falcons’ squad of 2014. “We’re communicating on the field, and that’s why we have been winning these last few games.

“Two years ago we made it to the third round, and that was history (for the boys soccer program at our school),” Jimenez added. “With these guys, I feel confident that we have the team to make it to the fourth round.

“This team is my family and this is my last year, so I want to leave having made (even more) history.”

Los Fresnos has won three of its past four games in District 32-6A to hold down fourth place with a 3-2 record and nine points. The Falcons play at third-place Brownsville Veterans Memorial (3-2, 10 points) at 7:30 p.m. Friday. It’s a game that could boost their position in the standings with a win.

“We’ve been playing pretty good lately, and the way we’re playing now I think we can play with anybody,” Falcons coach Javier Navarrete said. “This team has come together. Getting some victories has really bonded them. Their faith has really helped them come together on and off the field as well. With God’s help, anything can happen.”

Regarding his senior core of players, Navarrete said, “Every senior group is special in its own way. (As seniors) it’s their time to shine and lead their team. These seniors are no different. They have all made personal sacrifices and have taken their roles and responsibilities this year very seriously.

“They have set some lofty goals and are geared to reach all of them, even if it means playing a different position, being more vocal on and off the field, and coming together as a team spiritually,” the Falcons coach added. “It’s been amazing to witness, that’s for sure. With God’s favor we hope to continue doing well for our school and our community.”

During their past two matches, the Falcons have defeated Harlingen High 2-1 and Rivera 1-0 in overtime.

“It’s been really good playing on this team,” Olmedo said. “We’ve had our ups and downs, but we’re playing as a team. This is part of our ups (right now). We want to go all the way up.”

Added fellow forward Arellano, “It means everything to play with this group of guys. I transferred here my junior year (from Lopez). This is my first year as a starter here, and I’ve become really close to these guys. It’s an honor to be a starter for this team.

“Every single player on this team is stepping up,” Arellano added. “We’re united, and we all communicate with each other on the field. We play together, and we play for each other. It would be amazing to be back in the playoffs.”

As the goalkeeper, Medina sees a number of things from his position on the field that are pleasing to him about the way the team is playing.

“I like the way my teammates believe in each other a lot on the field,” he said. “I like my team a lot.

“We just have to come out playing hard every single game because we’re in a really tough district,” he added. “We have to always keep our heads up and play hard no matter what the score is.”

Asked if he had any final thoughts, Medina said, “Thanks to all the people who have been supporting us.”

By ROY HESS, Staff Writer

District 32-5A soccer teams from Brownsville, both boys and girls, enjoyed successful outings Tuesday.

First for the girls, Pace triumphed at home against Donna North 2-1 in penalty kicks and Porter earned a 2-0 win on the road against Donna High.

The Porter girls, who received a pair of goals from Priscila Cortinas on Tuesday, have won three straight games for a 3-2 mark in 32-5A with 10 points, which is good for a third-place tie behind Pace and PSJA Southwest, each with 4-1 records and 11 points.

“The girls have been doing great,” Cowgirls coach Abraham Gracia said. “I see them getting better and better. Our girls are showing great dedication and have been playing their hearts out every game.

“Things have been coming together,” Gracia added. “For now, we’re just taking it one game at a time, and, God willing, things will keep going well.”

The win for the Pace girls did not come without some controversy.

With 1:11 left in regulation and the score tied at 1, Donna North was awarded a penalty kick that could have won the game. The referee apparently blew his whistle and the penalty kick was taken and converted. But because a Pace player had been leaving the field at the same time for substitution purposes, the referee instructed the Donna North player to retake the PK, and when she did it over again, her try hit the crossbar and bounced away.

After 80 minutes of regulation and a tie score, the match went directly to PKs, where the Pace girls won 3-0. Officially, it goes down as a 2-1 win for the Lady Vikings.

The Porter boys maintained their 32-5A lead with a 5-0 record and 15 points thanks to Tuesday’s 2-0 win at Donna High. Scoring for Porter were Ricardo Vidal and Alexis Armendariz.

The second-place Pace boys (4-1, 12 points) were sparked by Alberto “Chema” Renteria’s first-half goal in a 1-0 victory against Donna North.

“Yes, (it was an important win),” Pace coach Mario A. Zamora said. “Donna North is playing good soccer.”

CALM IN THE STORM: Lopez coach Amadeo Escandon, now in his 19th season guiding the Lobos, practically always displays a calm demeanor, even when things become tight and tense during a game.

To be honest, he said, his outward appearance is a bit deceiving.

“First of all, that calmness on the outside is just a masquerade,” Escandon said after a win last week. “(Sometimes) I’m boiling inside.”

The Lobos are the hot team in District 32-6A right now as they lead the boys race with a 5-0 record and 15 points. In second place, each with 10 points, are Hanna (4-1) and Brownsville Veterans Memorial (3-2).

The Lopez girls also are leading 32-6A at 5-0 with 14 points. The Los Fresnos girls are close behind at 4-1 with 12 points.

The first half of 32-6A competition hasn’t yet been completed and there’s still a lot of soccer to be played, but it’s already looking a little similar to 2014 when the Lobos and Lady Lobos each won district titles with 15-1 and 15-0 records, respectively.

BUSY WEEK: The St. Joseph Academy Bloodhounds have an important TAPPS district game coming up at 1 p.m. Saturday at home against San Antonio Antonian as they try to win their district title for the second straight year.

The Bloodhounds are playing at home three times this week. They faced Port Isabel on Tuesday at Canales Field and lost 3-1. They’ll be at home against La Feria at 7:30 p.m. Friday before facing Antonian the next day.

The 3-1 loss to the Tarpons was somewhat surprising since SJA had won 6-1 at Port Isabel just one month ago.

“We gave our best effort, I was without five starters and it was scoreless until the last 15 minutes,” SJA coach Tino Villarreal said of Tuesday’s game. “We are having some trouble finishing games. It needs to be a wakeup call for us.”

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

After going to penalty kicks during each of their first three district soccer games, the Brownsville Veterans Memorial Chargers have won their past two 32-6A matches by decisive margins.

The latest of them is Tuesday’s 4-0 victory at home by the Chargers (3-2, 10 points) against Harlingen High (0-5).

The Chargers built a 3-0 first-half lead before scoring on a header off a corner kick with a little more than one minute remaining to account for the final result and notch their second straight shutout win.

Brownsville Veterans was coming off Friday’s 5-0 triumph at San Benito.

“I think we played a complete game against San Benito, and tonight I thought we might have lost a little bit of our rhythm in the second half, I guess because we had a three-goal lead,” Chargers coach Alberto Vasquez said. “We’ve definitely been able to put some things together that we weren’t able to do in the first three (district) games.

“I think we were a little off-rhythm in those first three games,” he added. “We played some very tight, competitive matches, and we ended up going to overtime (and PKs) game after game after game. It kind of wore us down.

“We’re picking up a little bit of momentum now, but we have to do that so we can get as many points as we can before the first round of district ends. We want to make sure we’re in a good position to make a run for the playoffs, and hopefully make a run for the district title as well. Those were the goals we were thinking about even before the season started.”

Seven and a half minutes into Tuesday’s match, the Chargers were ahead 1-0 thanks to a strong shot that Ramiro Perez drove into the goal from the right side. He came charging into the area with the ball and beat the Cardinals’ goalkeeper in a 1-on-1 situation from about 15 yards for a 1-0 lead.

“We were able to do the same thing against San Benito (by scoring early),” Vasquez said. “We scored within the first two and a half minutes in that game. We went after them right away. (Scoring early) kind of settles down the players a little bit, and we can play better.

“Getting two more goals before halftime tonight was definitely a great thing,” he added.

Gabriel Montoya tallied goals for the Chargers during the 21st and 26th minutes to make it 3-0 at intermission.

During the second half with time winding down toward only one minute left, the Chargers took a corner kick from the right side and Jesus Arena headed in the ball to cap the 4-0 victory.

District competition continues at 7:30 p.m. Friday as Brownsville Veterans will be at home against Los Fresnos and Harlingen High will entertain Lopez.

By ROY HESS, Staff Writer

If the Brownsville Veterans Memorial Lady Chargers were looking for a dominating performance in District 32-6A girls soccer to show they indeed deserve to be part of the district’s playoff conversation, they got it Tuesday at home against Harlingen High.

The Lady Chargers (3-2, nine points) built a 2-0 first-half lead en route to winning 5-1.

Brownsville Veterans was up 4-0 before the Lady Cardinals (1-4, four points) tallied their lone goal midway through the second half.

“It feels very well (to win),” said Sam Bodden, a sophomore forward/midfielder for the Lady Chargers who highlighted the victory with a pair of goals. “I’m very proud of my team. We did it all together.

“I’m thankful for the win, thankful for my team and thankful for my coach (Luis Troncoso) for bringing us together and helping us,” Bodden added. “This win helps boost our confidence and hopefully will help us on Friday (against Los Fresnos).”

It didn’t take long for Brownsville Veterans to find the net.

After the Lady Cardinals’ goalkeeper blocked a shot from close range just six minutes into the match, the ball immediately came to Blanca Capistran on the deflection. She drilled it into the goal from approximately 15 yards out on the left side, and the Lady Chargers were on their way to victory.

“It helps a lot (to score early),” Troncoso said. “It gives us that momentum that we need to keep going forward and to just keep pressure on the opposing team while we look for more goals.”

With 3 1/2 minutes left in the first half, the Lady Cardinals’ goalkeeper came out and Bodden beat her on a shot from about 10 yards to make it 2-0.

Harlingen High was awarded a direct kick from 20 yards with time ticking away in the half. The referee appeared to be giving instructions to the defense and moving it back as the clock ran.

Meanwhile, the Lady Cardinals’ Leah Rivas-Leal was set to take the kick and she noticed the time was about to run out. She went ahead and kicked the ball into the right corner of the net, but since the referee hadn’t blown his whistle, he waved off the goal and the half ended as the Harlingen side protested.

Four minutes into the second half, it became 3-0 when Bodden tallied her second goal on a slow roller out of a crowd.

Barely 25 seconds later, it appeared Harlingen High might score when the ball got past the Lady Chargers’ goalkeeper and came dangerously close to crossing into the goal. But at the last moment, a Lady Chargers defender cleared it away.

With 25 minutes remaining, Brownsville Veterans’ Mia Villalpando fired in a shot taken from 12 yards to give her team a 4-0 advantage.

Arley Gonzalez scored Harlingen High’s lone goal three minutes later from approximately 15 yards to close the gap to 4-1.

Valeria Araujo recorded the Lady Chargers’ fifth goal on a medium-range shot following a corner kick taken from the right side with 10 1/2 minutes to go to account for the final score of 5-1.

District action continues at 5:30 p.m. Friday as Brownsville Veterans plays host to Los Fresnos and Harlingen High is at home against Lopez.

By ROY HESS, Staff Writer

Sabrina Rebaldo, Mariana Gonzalez and Tory Morales are among the players bringing improvement to the Brownsville Veterans Memorial girls soccer team as the Lady Chargers attempt to return to the playoffs for the first time since 2012.

They are upperclassmen who have started since their freshman seasons for fourth-year coach Luis Troncoso.

“It’s been a great experience to be a member of this team,” said Morales, a junior who plays sweeper or central defender depending upon the Lady Chargers’ defensive alignment. “We’ve been playing together as a team, and I think that’s the greatest part of it all.

“I love our attitude,” she added. “We all have our own personalities, and that’s what brings us together. In the end, it’s our will and the want (to win), and we have that, I believe.

“Not one of us on the team has gone to the playoffs, and if we could do that it would be something great, something phenomenal.”

The Lady Chargers are 2-2 with six points in District 32-6A and coming off Friday’s 1-0 win at San Benito. They’ll try to capture their third district victory at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday at their campus stadium against Harlingen High (1-3, four points). It will be a 32-6A doubleheader with the boys match between Brownsville Veterans and Harlingen High to follow at 7:30 p.m.

Troncoso appreciates the ongoing contributions of Rebaldo, Gonzalez and Morales.

“I think it’s primarily based on their experience and just staying focused and motivated to become better every season,” he said. “These girls give us leadership in different ways. And again, their experience certainly matters a lot. They’re providing the leadership we need on the field.”

Rebaldo, a senior defensive midfielder and stopper, has seen the team steadily improve during her four years on the squad. She hopes the Lady Chargers can take the next step this season by making it to the postseason.

“It was a baby program when Coach Troncoso first came in (before the 2013 season), and we’ve built the program to where it is now,” Rebaldo said. “I see a lot of potential for us. The girls are funny, but on the field we’re serious, we’re dedicated and we want to go to the playoffs.

“I think there will be a lot adversity this season, but I also think we’ll overcome it,” she added. “Hopefully we can be on our ‘A’ game every time and win.”

Added Gonzalez, a senior midfielder, “We are united, and we try to be as serious as we can at practice (and other times). It would be an honor (to reach the playoffs) because everyone on this team has worked so hard for it and we’re at our peak. I think we deserve it.

“The team is in good shape, and our girls have really good potential,” Gonzalez said. “We wish everyone good luck throughout the season.”

The Lopez Lobos surged to the front of the District 32-6A boys soccer race with Friday’s 3-1 come-from-behind win at Hanna.

At the midpoint of 32-6A’s first round, Lopez leads the way at 4-0 with 12 points. Hanna now is second at 3-1 with eight points. Brownsville Veterans Memorial and Harlingen South come next with 2-2 records and seven points each.

The Golden Eagles led an intense, fast-paced city rivalry matchup 1-0 on a goal from the right side by Hector Quintero during the 32nd minute. Teammate Oscar Cordova crossed the ball to Quintero from the left side with a perfect pass to set up the goal.

But Hanna’s lead didn’t last long.

Just 3 1/2 minutes later, Lopez’s German Vera sent a free kick taken from the left side into the right corner of the goal on a narrow angle from approximately 30 yards out to equalize the score. That impressive goal seemed to bring life to the Lobos.

“I was just thinking (before I took the kick) that a goal in that situation would pump us up and bring us back, and that’s what happened,” said Vera, a senior midfielder/defender. “This win means a lot. I feel that no one believed in us (as a district title contender), and here we are.”

With one minute left before intermission, the Hanna goalkeeper couldn’t quite secure a high ball that came falling from the sky into the box, and once it slipped out of his hands Lopez’s Allan Ramos was there to knock it into an open net from the doorstep of the goal. It gave the Lobos an all-important 2-1 advantage going into halftime.

“Getting a win against a hard team like Hanna feels great,” said Ramos, a senior midfielder on the wing. “My teammates and I have been working hard every day during practice so we can pull through and get the victory. A win like this one gets us motivated and helps us keep on going in district.

“Our team is made up with faith, and we’re coming strong,” he added.

Midway through the second half, Lopez’s Leo Casanova scored from close range to account for the final score of 3-1.

“One thing I have to say about our guys is they’re really focused,” Lopez coach Amadeo Escandon said. “This year they seem to really embrace a strong faith. They always want to pray and praise God. I see that as a big plus for us. They do it on their own, and I’m glad.

“I think that (devotion) is something that is helping us,” Escandon added. “I think God hears their prayers and sees their hard work.”

Hanna coach Reyes Prado said his team started off the match with a lot of momentum, but missed scoring opportunities eventually took a toll.

“Yes, it’s a tough loss, but it came against a very good team,” Prado said. “We made some mistakes, and Lopez capitalized on them. We had four or five really good chances early in the game but only got one goal. If we had converted a few more of those chances, it might have been a different story.”

District action continues at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday with Hanna at Harlingen South and Lopez playing host to San Benito at Sams Memorial Stadium.