By STEFAN MODRICH, Staff Writer

The late Frank Robinson once said that “close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades.”

In its District 32-5A showdown with Valley View, Brownsville Porter had several close calls that it couldn’t manage to convert in a 2-1 home loss Friday night.

The Cowboys (15-1-1, 2-1 32-5A) suffered their first defeat of the season at the hands of the Tigers, but Porter outplayed the visitors and controlled possession for much of the first half.

“I thought it was a very good game for the fans,” Porter coach Jose Espitia said. “I thought it was very well-structured for us as coaches. It came to a point where whoever took care of their opportunities was going to win. We had our chances, they had theirs, unfortunately for us we didn’t take advantage of ours.”

Before Brandon Montes curled his penalty kick into the bottom right corner to put Cowboys ahead 1-0 at the 23:52 mark of the first half, Porter already had a pair of golden opportunities in the form of a wide open net for Rosendu Porter, who hooked his shot left of the goal, and another corner kick that set up Luis Romero for a point-blank chance with no one in front of him but Valley View goalkeeper Diego Cuellar.

Romero chipped the ball over the crossbar, and the Cowboys eventually came to rue the play and several more near-misses that followed.

A little more than two minutes after Montes scored, Pablo Torre knocked home a rebound from a Jorge Amaya long-range blast for the Valley View equalizer with 21:30 to play in the first half, sending the teams into the locker room deadlocked as the temperature began to drop and the tensions present in a physical game on both ends began to reach a boiling point.

“We knew what they were going to be looking for,” Espitia said. “We told our players just wait on (Amaya), and don’t let him get off on his left foot. And the first chance they got, he got a shot with his left foot.”

At the 29-minute mark of the second half, Cesar Arredondo was given a yellow card for pushing Cantu to the turf. One minute later, Porter’s Marco Casarez had open shot left of the goal from 20 yards out, and it sailed over the goal and out of bounds.

Espitia credited the Tigers for their ability to take the Cowboys out of their passing game and to continue to push the pace.

With 14 minutes to play, a Valley View corner kick from Amaya was the go-ahead assist for Christian Gonzalez, whose header resulted in the game-winning goal.

In all, four yellow cards were issued and each team was shown a red card, with the Cowboys playing a man short beginning at the 13-minute mark when Porter goalkeeper Isaac Acevedo was booked.

With 3:45 remaining, Cuellar was warned with a yellow card for time-wasting and then swiftly ejected for arguing with the referee, evening the sides to 10 players apiece.

With 30 seconds to go, Porter sent Acevedo on the attack for a last-ditch attempt to tie the game with its final corner, but the ball was cleared away by the Tigers.

Espitia acknowledged his team was at a size disadvantage against a bigger and more physical Valley View squad, but he added that he feels the Cowboys are equipped to overcome those challenges.

“If our goal is to win state, we have to overcome that,” Espitia said. (We need to) make our style of soccer — quickness, give-and-go, pass and move — we have to make it count on the field.

“You win games and you lose games, and you learn. Hopefully our kids are going to learn from it.”

Up next, Porter is home against rival Brownsville Lopez and Valley View plays host to Brownsville Veterans Memorial. Both games are set to start at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday.

By STEFAN MODRICH | Staff Writer

The University Interscholastic League Region VIII-6A swimming & diving championships will take place beginning at 11 a.m. today and 10 a.m. Saturday from the Margaret M. Clark Aquatic Center in Brownsville, where several East Valley schools and individuals will compete for a chance to qualify for the state meet in Austin.

Among them are the defending regional champion Los Fresnos Lady Falcons. Despite losing Sarah Villarreal — the leader of the 2019 state qualifying 200 freestyle relay team — to graduation, Los Fresnos won its third straight District 32-6A championship and posted the top seed times in the 200 freestyle relay (1:45.22) and 400 freestyle relay (4:04.22).

The Lady Falcons will have several experienced swimmers return to the pool, including seniors Maria Manongas and Emily Rodriguez.

The Los Fresnos girls are stacked with contenders in the 200 individual medley, the 100 freestyle and the 100 backstroke.

Junior Citabria Barrales (2:28.14), sophomore Reiana Apacible (2:33.12) and Rodriguez (2:29.57) are the second through fourth seeds in the 200 IM, respectively.

Freshmen Jada Ashford (53.12) and Ariana Mancillas (58.57) posted the top two seed times in the 100 freestyle. Ashford also comes in as the top seed in the 50 freestyle (23.86).

Hanna’s Nadia Gutierrez (26.40) is the third seed in the 50 freestyle, and Harlingen High freshman Davina Gutierrez (27.39) is seeded fifth.

Junior Rebeca Osuna (5:53.94) had the fourth-best seed time in the 500 freestyle. The only Rio Grande Valley swimmer with a better seed time in the event was Nadia Gutierrez (5:52.92).

Harlingen High senior McKenna Stock (6:21.02) and Los Fresnos’ Angela Loera (6:21.30) are the fifth and sixth seeds in the 500 freestyle.

In the girls 100 butterfly, Harlingen South’s Camille M. Colu Luza (1:06.06) is the top seed. Hanna junior Rahel Giebermann (1:06.90) is the third seed.

The Harlingen South girls earned the second-best seed time in the 400 freestyle relay (4:14.43).

The Hanna boys (1:31.38) have the top 200 freestyle relay seed time, and the Los Fresnos boys, having recently earned their 11th straight district title, checked in as the fourth seed (1:35.02).

Hanna junior Quinten Deysel (48.81) recorded the top seed time in the 100 freestyle and 50 yad freestyle (22.54).

Senior Matthew Lovett posted the second-best seed time in the 50 freestyle (22.93) and 100 backstroke (56.72).

Top contenders in 1-meter dive include 2019 state qualifier and Harlingen High senior Amber Warner, the top seed in the girls division. Harlingen South senior Mae Kennedy is the third seed.

In the boys division, Hawks senior Jason Luckey is the second seed.

By STEFAN MODRICH | Staff Writer

SAN BENITO — San Benito girls wrestling coach Crispin Lopez has been with the Greyhounds for 13 seasons.

Boys coach Xavier Perez is in his third season, his arrival coinciding with that of his two captains, juniors Arturo Solis and Ethan Guerrero.

Lopez doesn’t think Perez’s influence and the resulting bump in participation is a coincidence.

“The boys program has made tremendous leaps as far as numbers,” Lopez said. “When Coach Perez took over the program, he picked up the numbers, and every week it’s getting better and better.”

The boys held wrestle-offs to whittle down their varsity roster Thursday, and Solis and Guerrero were among the few who had already locked down their positions at 160 pounds and 132 pounds, respectively.

The San Benito coaching staff marveled at Solis’ ability to shed weight and move down classes, which they felt was nothing short of remarkable. He has since dropped 35 pounds from his freshman year wrestling weight of 195 pounds.

“There’s been a tremendous amount of growth between last year and this year (for Solis),” Perez said. “Skill-wise, and with his personal growth.”

Solis and Guerrero spar together in practice and set the tone for San Benito on and off the mat.

The two learn from each other’s signature moves — Guerrero calls his the “ankle-pick,” a move that is predicated on speed, and Solis’ speciality is “scrambling,” a method of escaping a takedown.

Solis said Tyler Hite, wrestling at 170 pounds, shows promise and has defeated ranked opponents.

“He’s really strong,” Solis said. “I just need to show him technique.”

Lopez’s Lady Greyhounds have established themselves as perennial contenders due in large part senior captains Destiny Quiroz and Yamilex Perez.

“I expect them to lead by example, not by words,” Lopez said. “Because anybody can talk. But I want them to take the bull by the horn, and take the young girls under their wings and mentor them. Whatever weight class you’re in, that’s your girl you want to mentor.”

Quiroz is ranked No. 3 in state at the 110-pound weight class, and Perez is ranked No. 8 at 165 pounds.

Perez said she and her teammates have begun to raise their expectations collectively each year, and that they supplied the same drive and motivation that she and her co-captain brought to every practice and competition.

“You could tell on the mat,” Perez said. “Before, it was, like, ‘My first match, now it’s over.’ And now it’s, ‘No, we need to stay here.’ It becomes an addiction to win.”

The San Benito boys and girls are set to compete in the District 16-6A championship meet Feb. 7 at Los Fresnos.

“Our program is very successful,” Lopez said. “It has been, and will continue to be.”

By STEFAN MODRICH | Staff Writer

RIO HONDO — The Rio Hondo Lady Bobcats had what was perhaps the best defensive start a coach could ask for during the first quarter of a hotly contested District 32-4A battle in their home game against Hidalgo on Tuesday night.

Rio Hondo held the Lady Pirates (19-4, 9-0 32-4A) scoreless from the field and yielded just three points from the free-throw line in the period but was overcome by Hidalgo’s hot outside shooting in a 41-37 loss.

Also Tuesday, Hidalgo’s boys team beat Rio Hondo 52-38.

In the girls game, Soleil Garza made all three of those free throws and led the way with 10 points for the visitors, and Elisa De Le Pena also had 10 for Hidalgo, including a pair of 3-pointers during the third and fourth quarters to help turn the tide in the Lady Pirates’ favor.

Freshman Eliza Rodriguez scored six of her 11 points during the first quarter for the Lady Bobcats (24-6, 8-2 32-4A), and Natalie Martinez tallied six of her 10 points in the fourth as Rio Hondo’s late comeback bid fell short.

“(Rodriguez) is a competitor,” Rio Hondo coach Victor Sauceda said. “That’s what we try to preach (to the team), try and coach them to be aggressive, and obviously she’s a really athletic freshman. She does a good job of bringing it every night.”

Martinez’s steal led to a fast break, and she assisted Rodriguez on a transition layup to spark a 9-1 run to open the game.

A corner 3 by Amanda Gomez made it 14-3 at the 7-minute mark of the second quarter.

Hidalgo then went on a 5-0 run that was snapped by a Martinez basket with 2:58 remaining in the period.

Hidalgo rallied to cut the deficit to four with 2:07 left in the first half and proceeded to trim the lead to three when Hidalgo’s Soleil Garza made one of two technical free throws.

Ayisha Andrews knocked down a wide open triple from the top of the key during the final minute of the half to give the Lady Bobcats a 19-14 advantage at the break.

Hidalgo took its first lead six minutes into the third quarter and outscored Rio Hondo 13-6 in the decisive third quarter to take a 27-25 edge into the fourth.

Sauceda said his team had trouble adjusting to playing man-to-man from their traditional zone defense, and that led to the Lady Bobcats allowing some easy baskets in transition.

“Hidalgo’s got a great team,” Sauceda said. “They’ve got a lot of shooters, and they let it fly from the outside. That was their game plan coming in. Sometimes you get caught in transition and you leave some girls open, and obviously they hit (their open looks).”

De La Pena had five points during the fourth quarter, including a trey from the elbow to give Hidalgo a nine-point lead with 2:38 to play.

Rio Hondo cut the lead to five with 1:20 to go, and Rodriguez and Martinez did their best to get the Lady Bobcats back within striking distance.

Rodriguez blocked a shot from the significantly taller Melanie Salinas to lead to a Martinez layup, and Rodriguez drained a 3-ball to cut the deficit to 39-37 with 10 seconds to go.

The Hidalgo defense stifled Rio Hondo’s last possession with two and a half seconds remaining, and the Lady Bobcats were forced to foul De La Pena, who iced the game with two free throws to give the visitors a four-point cushion with less than one second left on the clock.

“In my conversation afterward, (I told them) about learning from our losses,” Sauceda said. “(The girls) competed, and that’s what I wanted them to do. I’m proud of (the girls) regardless (of the result).”

In the boys game, Kyle Perales and Gus Sanchez each scored 18 points as Hidalgo eased to a road victory.

The Pirates (18-9, 9-0 32-4A) never trailed, leading the Bobcats (17-10, 6-1 32-4A) by a score of 9-7 at the end of the first quarter.

“If we want to be a district champion, the district title runs through Hidalgo,” Rio Hondo coach Michael Alvarez said. “It has been like that for a few years. All that means for us is we need to get back to the drawing board and learn from it, because we still have the whole second half of this district (schedule) to go. We’ll regroup, we’ll watch film and we’ll get better because of this game.”

Hidalgo outscored Rio Hondo 20-10 in the second quarter to take a 29-17 lead into the locker room at halftime. Sanchez made all four of his 3-point field goals in the first half, four of which came during the crucial second quarter.

The Pirates led by 14 at the end of the third quarter, a deficit that ended up being the final margin of defeat for the Bobcats.

Daniel Garcia was the leading scorer for Rio Hondo. Garcia scored six of his 11 points in the midst of the Bobcats’ 18-point third quarter. John Ayala knocked down a pair of 3s as part of the scoring barrage.

Perales did the brunt of his scoring damage during the second half, with eight of his 13 points in the half coming in the third quarter.

After combining for a game-high 38 points during the third, both teams totaled just nine points in the fourth quarter.

Jaboz Villarreal had had nine points for Rio Hondo.

“Some of the shots (Villarreal) normally makes were not falling (tonight),” Alvarez said. “Like I told him, that happens, it happens to the best of them, so (I told him) not to lose confidence in himself. Like I told (the team), ‘Thank God it’s not a one-game or two-game season. There’s a 14-game season. … Now we have a much bigger goal. We’ve got to fight for a playoff spot.”

By STEFAN MODRICH | Staff Writer

The basketball world has been turned upside down as it mourns the death of Kobe Bryant and his daughter, Gianna, in a helicopter crash Sunday in Southern California.

Basketball coaches across the East Valley shared their reactions to the loss of the former Los Angeles Lakers star and the eight others who were killed in the crash.

Pace girls coach Eddie Lozano called the events “shocking and devastating.”

Lozano, Hanna boys coach Fermin Lucio and several others noted that while their South Texas roots and San Antonio Spurs fandom came first, their admiration for the Lakers legend, who is scheduled to be posthumously inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame this year, stemmed from his relentless competitiveness.

“I’m a Spurs fan so I never rooted for him,” Lozano said. “But I always respected his work ethic and pursuit of excellence. We can all learn from his work ethic and try to establish that dedication in our everyday lives.

“As a father, I enjoyed watching his interactions with his daughter on the sidelines. Knowing that his daughter and the other teenagers had not yet begun to live their lives is just heartbreaking.”

Said Lucio, “As a lover of basketball, I always admired his drive, determination and work ethic. As I got into coaching I referenced his words and moments (in the NBA) to pass along to my athletes, to talk about leadership and hard work.

“His killer instinct and determination to succeed and lead by example is something a coach dreams of having in his/her athletes. As members of the basketball community it’s our responsibility to carry on his and (Gianna’s) work ethic and love of basketball.”

Lucio added that Bryant’s dedication and spirit he brought to the court can continue to serve as enduring advice to current and future players.

“Never skip a workout, go 100 (percent) and always lead by example,” Lucio said. “Because that’s how they approached the game we all love. They never cheated the game, and if you truly love the game neither should you. I also feel it’s a life lesson that tragedy can hit anyone. So enjoy the moments and people in your life. Don’t let petty arguments get in the way of your passions and loves in life. Enjoy your life while you have it, (because) you never know when it’s gonna be over.”

The San Perlita girls basketball program paid tribute to Bryant by leaving the numbers 8 and 24 on the scoreboard throughout their practice Monday.

San Perlita boys coach Nataniel Garza lamented the void left by the loss in the basketball world and noted the impact 13-year-old Gianna already had in her short career.

“The world of basketball now has a hole that — I don’t know if it can ever be filled,” Garza said. “I was hoping it was all fake and that it was just a nightmare. He was so much more than basketball. He was an inspiration to many people. It’s also very sad that his daughter passed away, too. That young girl was not only gonna be special, but she was also gonna be a role model and an inspiration to a lot of young girls. The world lost two people that were gonna help change this world for the better.”

Brownsville Veterans Memorial boys coach Larry Gibson reflected on the grief of Bryant’s wife, Vanessa, and the family’s three surviving daughters, adding that faith will help him and others who are grieving.

“I felt like a part of my soul had been taken away from me,” Gibson said. “All I could think about was, ‘What about Vanessa and the girls?’ … I loved Kobe. His competitive drive will never be matched. I feel like I lost a family member.

“Please remember that tomorrow is not guaranteed.”

Lady Chargers coach Arnold Torres was inspired by Bryant’s relationship with his daughter as a coach and a father himself.

“Seeing Kobe as a father was amazing,” Torres said. “The time he spent with his daughter teaching her about basketball and life was great to see. When parents are able to spend time with their kids and talk to them about things (or) situations, it gives kids a sense of comfort knowing that their parents are there for them. He and his daughter were great role models for this generation.”

Harlingen High boys coach Clayton Cretors echoed the sentiments many shared regarding Bryant and Gianna.

“It’s apparent that basketball was bringing Kobe and (Gianna) closer,” Cretors said. “Kobe was a transcendent figure in the sports world and will forever be remembered as one of the greatest athletes of all time. His competitive nature is legendary. And watching him on the court was always inspiring. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family. He will be truly missed.”

From Los Angeles to Chicago, to Houston and New York, popup shrines and memorials to Bryant that sprang up outside arenas around the country and a massive outpouring of tributes on social media in the moments following the announcement of his death served as a reminder of the 41-year-old’s global footprint.

“Kobe Bryant is an icon for the game of basketball,” Harlingen South boys coach Brian Molina said. “He represented (a) true competitor when he was on the court at both ends of the floor. Watching him and his relationship with his daughter off the courts speaks volumes (about) just how much of a special person this man was. Kobe may be gone, but his legacy will never be forgotten.”

Pace boys coach Jose Luis Ramirez said his team addressed Bryant’s passing briefly during a meeting Monday morning.

“What we took away from it is, work hard, dedicate yourself to be your best, because you never know when you will be called to go ‘home’,” Ramirez said. “People will remember you. The question is, what do you wanna be remembered for? … Be your very best as a player, teammate, friend, husband, son, dad, student, whoever you are to another person. Kobe inspired many, and his legacy will be that he continues to inspire long after he’s gone. … (Rest in peace) Mamba.”

By STEFAN MODRICH, Staff Writer

Brownsville Veterans Memorial continued its run of success at the District 32-5A swimming & diving championships, with the girls capturing their fourth straight district title and the boys winning their third in four seasons during the two-day event held Thursday and Friday at the Margaret M. Clark Aquatic Center.

The Lady Chargers (192 points) were led by junior Daniela Chapa, who won the 200 IM with a time of 2:36.16. Chapa also finished first in the 500 freestyle, clocking in at 5:58.70, and swam a segment in each of the Lady Chargers’ first-place 200 freestyle and 400 freestyle relay teams.

Brownsville Veterans recorded team times of 1:56.54 in the former event and 4:09.19 for the latter.

Freshman Kaedee Errizuriz also participated in both relay events and placed first individually in the 50 freestyle (27.08) and the 100 freestyle (1:00.16).

The only other Lady Chargers swimmer to participate in both the 200 and 400 freestyle relay teams was junior Katia Lua Rodriguez, the runner-up in both the 50 freestyle (29.59) and 100 freestyle (1:04.85).

Senior Leslie Ayala swam the third leg of the 200 freestyle relay and the first leg of Brownsville Veterans’ second-place 200 medley relay team (22:17.58). She was second in the 100 backstroke (1:20.46) and finished third as an individual in the 200 freestyle (2:35.83).

Freshman Carolina Meza swam the third segment in the 200 medley relay and 400 freestyle relay. She finished second behind Chapa in the 500 freestyle (6:25.55).

The Chargers (179 points) were fronted by senior Javier Garcia, who earned the top spot in the 100 backstroke (1:02.98) and 200 freestyle (2:01.00). Garcia also led off Brownsville Veterans’ first-place 400 freestyle relay team (3:33.32) and second-place 200-yard medley relay team (1:56.27).

Junior Adrian Rodriguez swam the first segment of the 200 freestyle relay and the third leg of the 400 freestyle relay. He won the 100 freestyle (53.25) and was third in the 50 freestyle (24.16).

Sophomore Diego Gonzalez was the anchor in the 400 freestyle relay and 200 freestyle relay. He also won the 50 freestyle (22.94) and the 100 butterfly (54.56).

Junior Kevin Borsani swam the second leg of the 400 freestyle relay and the third leg of the 200 medley relay. He was the runner-up in the 200 IM (2:21.73) and third in the 100 butterfly (1:01.15).

Brownsville Veterans dominated the 1-meter dive in both divisions.

Senior Nico Alvarez, a 2019 state qualifier, defended his district title with a score of 361.45. Senior Carlo Pereira (298.15) finished second and junior Jaime Galindo (256.60) was third.

Sophomore Makayla Schaelchlin won the girls’ event with a score of 241.75, and junior Karen A. Ortiz (220.55) was the runner-up.

District 32-5A Meet

Thursday and Friday

Margaret M. Clark Aquatic Center, Brownsville

Team Results

Girls

1, Brownsville Veterans Memorial, 192. 2, PSJA Memorial, 91. 3, Brownsville Porter, 67. 4, Brownsville Lopez, 66. 5, PSJA Southwest, 37. 6, Brownsville Pace, 33.

Boys

1, Brownsville Veterans Memorial, 179. 2, PSJA Southwest, 157. 3, Brownsville Lopez, 68. 4, PSJA Memorial, 61. 5, Brownsville Porter, 29. 6, Brownsville Pace, 21.

Individual Results

Girls 200 Medley Relay

1, PSJA Memorial A (Salinas, Carolina 9, Espinoza, Biance 9, Salinas, Gianna, Garcia, Maricela ), 2:16.44. 2, Brownsville Veterans A (Ayala, Leslie 12, Lua Rodriguez, Karime 11, Meza, Carolina 9, Rodriguez, Leah 11), 2:17.58. 3, Brownsville Porter A (Torres, Dalila 11, Gutierrez Mijangos, Sara M 12, Soza, Naydeline 10, Brownsville Lopez, Jennifer M 11), 2:35.00. 4, Brownsville Pace A (Hernandez-Guevara, Karina 12, Gonzalez, Allison 10, Garza Garcia, Diana 12, De La Hoz, Amy 12), 2:40.96. 5, Brownsville Lopez A (Almazan, Hailey 11, Duran, Viancy 10, Rodriguez, Lesly 9, Gonzalez, Frida 9), 2:41.51. –, PSJA Southwest A (Ramos, Karla 10, Gomez, Daniela 10, Solis, Valeria 9, Vasquez, Jasmine 12), DQ.

Boys 200 Medley Relay

1, PSJA Southwest A (Lopez, Fabian 12, Uria, Rodrigo 10, Salas-Garcia, Jorge 10, Uria, Mauricio 10), 1:51.39. 2, Brownsville Veterans A (Garcia, Javier 12, DeLeon, Jeremy 10, Borsani, Kevin 11, Gomez, Ryan 12), 1:56.27. 3, PSJA Memorial A (Garza, Andres 9, Pedraza, Anthony, Vasquez, Jose 9, Rodriguez, Heriberto 10), 2:00.59. 4, Brownsville Lopez A (Delgado, Raul 11, Tovar, Diego 9, Vieyra, Jesus 11, Ramirez, Bryan 12), 2:14.59. 5, Brownsville Porter A (Roman, Rodriguez 12, Lucio, Ricardo 10, Castro Segovia, Josue 11, Castellanos, Nestor 10), 2:24.05.

Girls 200 Freestyle

1, Salinas, Gianna, PSJA Memorial, 2:13.90. 2, Rodriguez, Leah, Brownsville Veterans, 2:34.50. 3, Ayala, Leslie, Brownsville Veterans, 2:35.83. 4, Pena, Paloma I, Brownsville Veterans, 2:39.48. 5, Garcia, Maricela, PSJA Memorial, 2:42.93. 6, Almazan, Hailey, Brownsville Lopez, 3:16.74. 7, Ramirez, Juana, Brownsville Lopez, 3:34.69. 8, Gomez, Daniela, PSJA Southwest, 3:40.74. 9, Espinoza, Cecilia, Brownsville Lopez, 3:46.59. 10, De Leon, Alize, Brownsville Lopez, 3:59.38.

Boys 200 Freestyle

1, Garcia, Javier, Brownsville Veterans, 2:01.00. 2, Uria, Mauricio, PSJA Southwest, 2:01.65. 3, Padron, Carlos, PSJA Southwest, 2:08.07. 4, Gomez, Ryan, Brownsville Veterans, 2:18.02. 5, Sweeney, Seth, Brownsville Veterans, 2:20.77. 6, Nava, Carlos, PSJA Southwest, 2:29.28. 7, Delgado, Raul, Brownsville Lopez, 2:29.29. 8, Gonzalez, Luis, Brownsville Lopez, 2:29.86.

Girls 200 IM

1, Chapa, Daniela, Brownsville Veterans, 2:36.16. 2, Lua Rodriguez, Karime, Brownsville Veterans, 3:05.48. 3, Solis, Valeria, PSJA Southwest, 3:13.94. 4, Rodriguez, Lesly, Brownsville Lopez, 3:21.71. 5, Duran, Viancy, Brownsville Lopez, 3:33.21. 6, Cabrera, Jocelyn, Brownsville Porter, 3:56.01. –, Salinas, Carolina, PSJA Memorial, DQ. –, Espinoza, Biance, PSJA Memorial, DQ.

Boys 200 IM

1, Uria, Rodrigo, PSJA Southwest, 2:16.01. 2, Borsani, Kevin, Brownsville Veterans, 2:21.73. 3, Solis, Arturo, PSJA Southwest, 2:46.43. 4, Campa, Osvaldo, Brownsville Veterans, 2:59.68. 5, Irizarry, Angel, Brownsville Lopez, 3:11.26. 6, Tovar, Diego, Brownsville Lopez, 3:23.39.

Girls 50 Freestyle

1, Errizuriz, Kaedee, Brownsville Veterans, 27.08. 2, Lua Rodriguez, Katia, Brownsville Veterans, 29.59. 3, Gonzalez, Abrianna, Brownsville Veterans, 32.24. 4, Soza, Naydeline, Brownsville Porter, 32.72. 5, Cordero, Amanda, PSJA Memorial, 33.34. 6, Brownsville Lopez, Jennifer M, Brownsville Porter, 33.96. 7, Ortiz, Karen A, Brownsville Veterans, 34.94. 8, Trevino, Vanity E, PSJA Memorial, 35.33. 9, Gonzalez, Allison, Brownsville Pace, 35.92. 10, Hernandez, Karmen, Brownsville Lopez, 36.05. 11, Vasquez, Jasmine, PSJA Southwest, 38.33. 12, Salazar, Marianna A, Brownsville Porter, 39.14. 13, Rojas Juarez, Melanie, Brownsville Pace, 39.35. 14, Orozco, Carol, Brownsville Porter, 39.45. 15, Hernandez, Joana, Brownsville Pace, 41.69. 16, Zarraga Tirado, Maria C, Brownsville Pace, 43.10. 17, Maldonado, Karina, Brownsville Lopez, 43.39. 18, De La Cruz, Amairany, Brownsville Lopez, 46.19. 19, Barrios, Julissa, Brownsville Lopez, 47.21.

Boys 50 Freestyle

1, Gonzalez, Diego, Brownsville Veterans, 22.94. 2, Brownsville Lopez, Fabian, PSJA Southwest, 23.13. 3, Rodriguez, Adrian, Brownsville Veterans, 24.16. 4, Pedraza, Anthony, PSJA Memorial, 24.72. 5, Rodriguez, Heriberto, PSJA Memorial, 25.45. 6, DeLeon, Jeremy, Brownsville Veterans, 26.45. 7, Castro Segovia, Josue, Brownsville Porter, 26.77. 8, Jasso Garza, Francisco J, Brownsville Porter, 28.25. 9, Roman, Rodriguez, Brownsville Porter, 28.36. 10, Cerecedo, Jonathan, PSJA Southwest, 28.37. 11, Ibarra, Marco, Brownsville Pace, 29.31. 12, Cantu, Maximiliano, Brownsville Pace, 29.81. 13, Huerta-Vela, Heriberto, Brownsville Pace, 30.47. 14, Garza, Hector, Brownsville Porter, 30.62. 15, Pachuca, Estaban, PSJA Memorial, 32.26. 16, Del Valle Guzman, Jesus, Brownsville Pace, 32.99. –, Alvarez, Nico, Brownsville Veterans, DFS.

Girls 1-meter Diving

1, Schaelchlin, Makayla, Brownsville Veterans, 241.75. 2, Ortiz, Karen A, Brownsville Veterans, 220.55. 3, Garcia, Adriana, PSJA Memorial, 160.40. 4, Soza, Naydeline, Brownsville Porter, 152.95.

Boys 1-meter Diving

1, Alvarez, Nico, Brownsville Veterans, 361.45. 2, Pereira, Carlo, Brownsville Veterans, 298.15. 3, Galindo, Jaime, Brownsville Veterans, 256.60. 4, Vasquez, Jose, PSJA Memorial, 236.80. 5, Pachuca, Estaban, PSJA Memorial, 160.40.

Girls 100 Butterfly

1, Salinas, Gianna, PSJA Memorial, 1:10.00. 2, Garza Garcia, Diana, Brownsville Pace, 1:26.53. 3, Solis, Valeria, PSJA Southwest, 1:29.61. 4, Espinoza, Cecilia, Brownsville Lopez, 1:45.21. 5, Gomez, Samantha, Brownsville Lopez, 1:54.36. 6, Quiroz, Karla, Brownsville Lopez, 1:57.79. 7, Granado, Vivian, Brownsville Lopez, 1:58.09. –, Meza, Carolina, Brownsville Veterans, DQ.

Boys 100 Butterfly

1, Gonzalez, Diego, Brownsville Veterans, 54.56. 2, Velasquez, Issac, PSJA Southwest, 54.91. 3, Borsani, Kevin, Brownsville Veterans, 1:01.15. 4, Vieyra, Jesus, Brownsville Lopez, 1:11.09. 5, Ruiz, Sergio, Brownsville Lopez, 1:14.65. 6, Solis, Arturo, PSJA Southwest, 1:18.84. 7, Macias, Juan, Brownsville Lopez, 1:24.97.

Girls 100 Freestyle

1, Errizuriz, Kaedee, Brownsville Veterans, 1:00.16. 2, Lua Rodriguez, Katia, Brownsville Veterans, 1:04.85. 3, Pena, Paloma I, Brownsville Veterans, 1:11.88. 4, Gutierrez Mijangos, Sara M, Brownsville Porter, 1:12.68. 5, Cordero, Amanda, PSJA Memorial, 1:16.78. 6, Gonzalez, Frida, Brownsville Lopez, 1:16.88. 7, De La Hoz, Amy, Brownsville Pace, 1:18.39. 8, Garcia, Damari, Brownsville Veterans, 1:19.32. 9, Hernandez, Karmen, Brownsville Lopez, 1:20.85. 10, Brownsville Lopez, Jennifer M, Brownsville Porter, 1:21.62. 11, Cabrera, Jocelyn, Brownsville Porter, 1:21.69. 12, Torres, Dalila, Brownsville Porter, 1:22.35. 13, Vasquez, Jasmine, PSJA Southwest, 1:27.05. 14, Zarraga Tirado, Maria C, Brownsville Pace, 1:31.99. 15, Rojas Juarez, Melanie, Brownsville Pace, 1:33.05. 16, Hernandez, Joana, Brownsville Pace, 1:35.37. 17, Ramirez, Juana, Brownsville Lopez, 1:36.22. 18, Trevino, Vanity E, PSJA Memorial, 1:38.91. 19, Covarrubias, Esmeralda, Brownsville Lopez, 1:39.60.

Boys 100 Freestyle

1, Rodriguez, Adrian, Brownsville Veterans, 53.25. 2, Salas-Garcia, Jorge, PSJA Southwest, 54.89. 3, Padron, Carlos, PSJA Southwest, 56.38. 4, Pedraza, Anthony, PSJA Memorial, 58.95. 5, Rodriguez, Heriberto, PSJA Memorial, 59.85. 6, Rodriguez-Lua, Martin, Brownsville Veterans, 1:00.48. 7, DeLeon, Jeremy, Brownsville Veterans, 1:02.22. 8, Nava, Carlos, PSJA Southwest, 1:02.90. 9, Castro Segovia, Josue, Brownsville Porter, 1:03.00. 10, Jasso Garza, Francisco J, Brownsville Porter, 1:03.99. 11, Garza, Andres, PSJA Memorial, 1:05.51. 12, Roman, Rodriguez, Brownsville Porter, 1:07.35. 13, Ibarra, Marco, Brownsville Pace, 1:09.84. 14, Cerecedo, Jonathan, PSJA Southwest, 1:10.60. 15, Ledezma, Alejandro, Brownsville Porter, 1:12.01. 16, Cantu, Maximiliano, Brownsville Pace, 1:12.55. 17, Alegria, Erick, Brownsville Pace, 1:12.61. 18, Teran, Christopher, Brownsville Pace, 1:19.99. –, Rodriguez, Nino, Brownsville Lopez, DQ.

Girls 500 Freestyle

1, Chapa, Daniela, Brownsville Veterans, 5:58.70. 2, Meza, Carolina, Brownsville Veterans, 6:25.55. 3, Garcia, Maricela, PSJA Memorial, 7:22.39. 4, Ramos, Karla, PSJA Southwest, 7:47.05. 5, Gonzalez, Abrianna, Brownsville Veterans, 7:59.27. 6, Ramirez, Esmeralda, Brownsville Lopez, 9:34.24. 7, Granado, Vivian, Brownsville Lopez, 9:48.91. 8, Maldonado, Karina, Brownsville Lopez, 10:13.86. 9, Quiroz, Karla, Brownsville Lopez, 10:14.49.

Boys 500 Freestyle

1, Velasquez, Issac, PSJA Southwest, 5:05.80. 2, Uria, Mauricio, PSJA Southwest, 5:53.17. 3, Vasquez, Jose, PSJA Memorial, 6:35.64. 4, Sweeney, Seth, Brownsville Veterans, 6:46.49. 5, Castillo, Pedro, PSJA Southwest, 6:49.93. 6, Vieyra, Jesus, Brownsville Lopez, 6:56.77. 7, Majarraz, Galiguer, Brownsville Veterans, 6:57.84. 8, Gonzalez, Luis, Brownsville Lopez, 7:06.37. 9, Mendoza, Hector, PSJA Southwest, 7:23.91. 10, Macias, Juan, Brownsville Lopez, 7:33.20. 11, Ramirez, Bryan, Brownsville Lopez, 8:41.41.

Girls 200 Freestyle Relay

1, Brownsville Veterans A (Errizuriz, Kaedee 9, Lua Rodriguez, Katia 11, Ayala, Leslie 12, Chapa, Daniela 11), 1:56.54. 2, Brownsville Pace A (Gonzalez, Allison 10, De La Hoz, Amy 12, Hernandez-Guevara, Karina 12, Garza Garcia, Diana 12), 2:17.87. 3, Brownsville Porter A (Lopez, Jennifer M 11, Perez, Evelyn A 12, Salazar, Marianna A 12, Cabrera, Jocelyn 10), 2:23.32. 4, PSJA Southwest A (Solis, Valeria 9, Vasquez, Jasmine 12, Gomez, Daniela 10, Ramos, Karla 10), 2:28.91. 5, Brownsville Lopez A (Almazan, Hailey 11, Gomez, Samantha 12, Rodriguez, Lesly 9, Hernandez, Karmen 11), 2:31.98. –, PSJA Memorial A (Cordero, Amanda 9, Trevino, Vanity E 10, Espinoza, Biance 9, Garcia, Adriana 10), DQ.

Boys 200 Freestyle Relay

1, PSJA Southwest A (Lopez, Fabian 12, Padron, Carlos 12, Salas-Garcia, Jorge 10, Velasquez, Issac 10), 1:36.58. 2, Brownsville Veterans A (Rodriguez, Adrian 11, DeLeon, Jeremy 10, Gomez, Ryan 12, Gonzalez, Diego 10), 1:38.93. 3, PSJA Memorial A (Pedraza, Anthony, Garza, Andres 9, Vasquez, Jose 9, Rodriguez, Heriberto 10), 1:46.35. 4, Brownsville Pace A (Cantu, Maximiliano 11, Del Valle Guzman, Jesus 10, Huerta-Vela, Heriberto 11, Ibarra, Marco 11), 1:58.60. 5, Brownsville Lopez A (Irizarry, Angel 12, Gonzalez, Luis 12, Rodriguez, Nino 10, Ruiz, Sergio 12), 1:59.22. 6, Brownsville Porter A (Castro Segovia, Josue 11, Martinez, Iker 10, Ledezma, Alejandro 11, Jasso Garza, Francisco J 12), 1:59.37.

Girls 100 Backstroke

1, Salinas, Carolina, PSJA Memorial, 1:17.54. 2, Ayala, Leslie, Brownsville Veterans, 1:20.46. 3, Ramos, Karla, PSJA Southwest, 1:29.16. 4, Rodriguez, Leah, Brownsville Veterans, 1:30.10. 5, Garcia, Damari, Brownsville Veterans, 1:33.74. 6, Gonzalez, Frida, Brownsville Lopez, 1:34.38. 7, Torres, Dalila, Brownsville Porter, 1:37.17. 8, Almazan, Hailey, Brownsville Lopez, 1:39.02. 9, Garcia, Adriana, PSJA Memorial, 1:43.25. 10, Covarrubias, Esmeralda, Brownsville Lopez, 1:45.69. 11, Gomez, Samantha, Brownsville Lopez, 1:52.62.

Boys 100 Backstroke

1, Garcia, Javier, Brownsville Veterans, 1:02.98. 2, Brownsville Lopez, Fabian, PSJA Southwest, 1:04.32. 3, Delgado, Raul, Brownsville Lopez, 1:06.22. 4, Ruiz, Sergio, Brownsville Lopez, 1:16.80. 5, Garza, Andres, PSJA Memorial, 1:19.97. 6, Huerta-Vela, Heriberto, Brownsville Pace, 1:27.35. 7, Mendoza, Hector, PSJA Southwest, 1:33.05. 8, Ramirez, Bryan, Brownsville Lopez, 1:36.04. 9, Rodriguez, Nino, Brownsville Lopez, 1:37.32. –, Lerma, Eduardo C, Brownsville Porter, DQ. –, Castillo, Pedro, PSJA Southwest, DQ.

Girls 100 Breaststroke

1, Lua Rodriguez, Karime, Brownsville Veterans, 1:24.60. 2, Espinoza, Biance, PSJA Memorial, 1:35.92. 3, Gutierrez Mijangos, Sara M, Brownsville Porter, 1:37.33. 4, Rodriguez, Lesly, Brownsville Lopez, 1:43.22. 5, Duran, Viancy, Brownsville Lopez, 1:48.36. 6, Gomez, Daniela, PSJA Southwest, 1:57.52. 7, Perez, Evelyn A, Brownsville Porter, 2:08.69.

Boys 100 Breaststroke

1, Uria, Rodrigo, PSJA Southwest, 1:06.78. 2, Salas-Garcia, Jorge, PSJA Southwest, 1:12.76. 3, Rodriguez-Lua, Martin, Brownsville Veterans, 1:16.04. 4, Gomez, Ryan, Brownsville Veterans, 1:18.70. 5, Campa, Osvaldo, Brownsville Veterans, 1:19.39. 6, Majarraz, Galiguer, Brownsville Veterans, 1:24.90. 7, Lucio, Ricardo, Brownsville Porter, 1:32.97. 8, Tovar, Diego, Brownsville Lopez, 1:44.58. 9, Irizarry, Angel, Brownsville Lopez, 1:50.87.

Girls 400 Freestyle Relay

1, Brownsville Veterans A (Chapa, Daniela 11, Lua Rodriguez, Katia 11, Meza, Carolina 9, Errizuriz, Kaedee 9), 4:09.19. 2, PSJA Memorial A (Salinas, Gianna, Cordero, Amanda 9, Garcia, Maricela, Salinas, Carolina 9), 4:46.56. 3, Brownsville Porter A (Cabrera, Jocelyn 10, Soza, Naydeline 10, Torres, Dalila 11, Gutierrez Mijangos, Sara M 12), 5:13.45. –, Brownsville Lopez A (Gonzalez, Frida 9, Espinoza, Cecilia 10, Duran, Viancy 10, Hernandez, Karmen 11), DQ.

Boys 400 Freestyle Relay

1, Brownsville Veterans A (Garcia, Javier 12, Borsani, Kevin 11, Rodriguez, Adrian 11, Gonzalez, Diego 10), 3:33.32. 2, PSJA Southwest A (Uria, Mauricio 10, Padron, Carlos 12, Uria, Rodrigo 10, Velasquez, Issac 10), 3:34.24. 3, Brownsville Lopez A (Delgado, Raul 11, Gonzalez, Luis 12, Vieyra, Jesus 11, Ruiz, Sergio 12), 4:14.69. 4, Brownsville Porter A (Jasso Garza, Francisco J 12, Garza, Hector 10, Ledezma, Alejandro 11, Roman, Rodriguez 12), 4:31.41. 5, Brownsville Pace A (Cantu, Maximiliano 11, Del Valle Guzman, Jesus 10, Huerta-Vela, Heriberto 11, Ibarra, Marco 11), 4:47.94.

By STEFAN MODRICH | Staff Writer

Before the start of the 2019 season, Jose “Meme” Cruz made a promise to Brownsville Lopez coach Armando Gutierrez.

“He told me, ‘You know what? I’m going to be one of the best quarterbacks next year,’” Gutierrez said. “And I’m like, ‘Cool. Now that you’ve told me, prove it.’”

After countless hours of extra work in the weight room and offseason 7-on-7 training, the senior Lopez signal caller can rest his case. He is The Brownsville Herald’s 2019 All-Metro Football offensive player of the year.

“It’s crazy, I never thought about it,” Cruz said. “We never talked about big numbers or the future, we talked about game-by-game. … I never expected this, and I feel like I deserve it.”

And game by game, Cruz amassed jaw-dropping numbers for Lopez as a dual-threat under center in his final season. He threw for 1,625 yards in 10 games, tossing 18 touchdown passes and eight interceptions.

Despite Lopez’s disappointing 2-7 finish, Lopez coach Armando Gutierrez said his quarterback’s drive to compete as one of three seniors on a young team fueled his ascension, as he fulfilled his desire to become one of the most talented players in the Rio Grande Valley at his position.

“That’s one of the things I think is different about Meme,” Gutierrez said. “When plays go good, we sit and we talk about it. When plays go bad, we sit and we talk about it. We always have that open line of communication. … At the end of the day, when he channels that in a positive way, he sees things in a different light.”

In four of his performances, Cruz recorded at least 400 all-purpose yards, including a season-high 519 yards in a shootout loss to La Joya Palmview. He threw for five touchdowns and rushed for two scores in that game, collecting 224 yards on the ground and 295 through the air.

He averaged 5.7 yards per carry and racked up 1,264 rushing yards and 11 rushing touchdowns in 2019.

Gutierrez said Cruz unleashed his potential as a passer after a halftime of a contest against Rio Grande City. Cruz came out firing, even in the midst of a blowout loss.

“(From that point on) I found myself, and no one could stop me,” Cruz said.

Two weeks after the Rio Grande City game, Cruz’s completion percentage was 50 percent or better for five straight weeks. His top target, Jacob Cortinas, had a team-high 232 receiving yards against Mission Veterans Memorial, and he spread the ball around to other talented skill players like Jesus Serrata and Jonathan Munoz.

“He started seeing the field differently because he had (the) space to,” Gutierrez said. “That was a huge turning point for us (offensively).”

Gutierrez introduced concepts and hired assistants with whom he had connected during his tenure coaching in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, which gave Cruz the opportunity to thrive in a spread offense.

Initially, it was unclear whether or not Cruz would buy in. But the statistics and the results have, in effect, spoken for themselves even louder than the Lobos’ quiet and confident leader.

“When I first got here, they were like, ‘You can depend on him, but he might not really work hard,’” Gutierrez said. “He has some of the traits of other Valley athletes. … Coming from here, I have a really deep connection to these kids because I know what they’re going through.

“I think we gave him the structure, and he said, ‘All I have to do is put in the hard work.’”

Cruz did, and he and Gutierrez believe his example bodes well for the future of the program.

“This is huge for him,” Gutierrez said. “It’s also huge for us. At the end of the day, he’s going to leave a legacy and his picture is going to be on the wall. The middle school kids will come through and find it. And one day when he’s successful – because I know he will be – he’ll come back (to Lopez) and give back.”

By STEFAN MODRICH | Staff Writer

SANTA MARIA — Few teams in the Rio Grande Valley improved as dramatically as Santa Maria did under coach Israel Gracia in 2019.

For his part in that development, Gracia is the Valley Morning Star’s 2019 All-STAR Football Coach of the Year.

Gracia and his staff maximized the potential of his squad’s 36-player roster, and finished three wins and one playoff seed better than the team’s 2018 performance in District 16-2A Division I.

“ I had high expectations coming in,” Gracia said. “We knew there was going to be a culture change. With the (assistant coaches) I brought in, the kids really bought in to them.

“ It was an all-around effort, from the support of our superintendent to the school board and this community,” Gracia said. “They gave me the tools to be successful.”

The Cougars (7-3, 3-2 16-2A DI) closed out the regular season by winning four of their final six games and two in a row. Among the Santa Maria’s highlights were a 36-0 win at La Villa, a 21-7 win over Progreso, and a come-from-behind 35-30 victory against Freer to clinch the third seed.

“ We overcame adversity, we were down and we came back when everyone counted us out,” Gracia said of the win over Freer to cap the district slate. “The lead changed four or five times. That game showed the character of our kids, and of all the wins, that one (gives me) the most satisfaction.”

In the bi-district round of the playoffs, Weimar defeated Santa Maria 35-13. The Cougars trailed 14-7 at halftime.

Among Gracia’s savvy moves were his ability to produce two quarterbacks that ended up being valuable contributors on defense in Nathan Rodriguez and Jesse Ortiz.

Rodriguez, a defensive tackle, was an unorthodox choice to run the Santa Maria offense, but he did so quite efficiently, racking up 521 rushing yards, 764 passing yards and 15 touchdowns during the 2019 regular season. When an injury to Ortiz gave Rodriguez the opportunity to seize control of the starting job, Ortiz transitioned out to wide receiver and became one of four Cougars receivers to record at least 100 yards.

Bernie Castellanos, Santa Maria’s top wideout, ended the regular season with 706 yards on 31 catches and 13 touchdowns. Erick Castellanos was the Cougars’ top rusher, posting 575 yards on 87 carries and six touchdowns.

Middle linebacker Marcos Sandoval was the linchpin of a fearsome defensive unit that allowed 164 yards per game and surrendered an average of less than 13 points per game.

Gracia said he’s already started to see the sacrifices of some of his veteran players pay off in the form of momentum and motivation for his younger returning players during the offseason.

“ You can see some of the kids are starting to step up now,” Gracia said. “We lost a couple of seniors, but the younger kids now know that they are going to step up and it’s going to be their role. I don’t have anyone that thinks they’re only going to play one way.”

As far as Santa Maria has come as a program, Gracia said he expects to see continuous improvement in the 2020 season and beyond.

“ We’re not satisfied with where we’re at,” Gracia said. “There’s a lot of growing to do and a lot of changes we have to implement. But we can’t stop. We’ve got to continue to build. I think we’re barely getting started with where we want to be.”

By STEFAN MODRICH | Staff Writer

After more than 100 minutes logged by both Brownsville Veterans Memorial and Brownsville Pace during their District 32-5A opener, both sides had plenty of missed opportunities to lament.

But the Lady Chargers made the most of their chances when it mattered most, holding on for a 1-0 win by edging Pace 3-2 in penalty kicks after neither team scored in regulation or in the two overtime periods.

In the process, Brownsville Veterans coach Luis Troncoso earned his 100th career victory, commemorated by an elated bunch of players and some supporters who carried banners onto the field marking the occasion.

“I did know about (approaching 100 careers win prior to Friday’s game),” Troncoso said. “I knew it was going to be a tough game. … I wasn’t even thinking about (my record). It was a nice surprise that the girls put together.”

With the shootout even at 2, Lady Chargers goalkeeper Emma Gonzalez made a sprawling save to deflect Kenia Galvan’s penalty kick, making a second effort to punch the ball out of the air and safely away from the goal to set up Anakaren Garcia’s penalty clincher.

Gonzalez and her counterpart, Jazul Amaya of Pace, made impressive saves to preserve the deadlock throughout Friday’s contest.

Pace’s Paloma Zamora and Jacquelyn Palomino facilitated most of the offense for the Lady Vikings. The visitors rallied behind Palomino after she was carted off the field at the 22-minute mark of the second half and returned late in regulation.

Brownsville Veterans’ Ania Laguna, Vivianna Gutierrez, Leah Rodriguez and Raquel Cepeda all generated clean looks during regulation or overtime, and all three were denied by Amaya.

“It was a very evenly matched game,” Troncoso said. “We had our opportunities, they had their opportunities, and they kind of neutralized each other.”

By STEFAN MODRICH | Staff Writer

When rivals Brownsville Veterans Memorial and Brownsville Pace get together on the soccer field, even the victor is bound to leave with a few nicks and bruises.

Such was the case for the Chargers in a 2-0 victory over the Vikings in the teams’ District 32-5A opener Friday night at Brownsville Veterans.

“(Pace) is a very intense team, they’re very competitive,” Brownsville Veterans coach Alberto Vasquez said. “They’re extremely scrappy, and it’s a team that — you’ve got to be ready to play against them.”

Pace coach Mario A. Zamora felt his team played its best during the game’s first 10 minutes, when Jonathan Mendoza and Erik Chavez both had scoring chances.

“ Obviously, we didn’t score when we had those chances,” Zamora said. “(Brownsville Veterans) is always a team that plays pretty good, and the chances that they had, they took them.”

But at the 34-minute mark, Felipe Esquivel knocked the ball past Vikings goalkeeper Alfredo Gallegos after he allowed a rebound in front of the net to give the Chargers a 1-0 lead.

Albert Maradiaga led Esquivel for another point-blank chance for the Chargers with 29 minutes remaining, but Gallegos cleared the ball away.

With 14:30 left in the first half, Brownsville Veterans again created heavy traffic in front of the net, and Maradiaga buried the ball in the back of the net to put the home team up 2-0.

With eight minutes to go, Pace’s Jose Capistran launched a shot to the far corner that required Chargers goalie Alek Gomez to lay out to scoop the ball on the ground. It was the closest the Vikings came to putting a dent in their two-goal deficit.

Mark Boswell left the game at the 27-minute mark of the second half and Esquivel left the field after the game with ice taped to his calf muscle, but Vasquez said he would need to “wait and see” and that he wanted to exercise caution with Boswell in particular, who has been banged up throughout the season.

Pace’s Gabriel Morales and Jonathan Mendoza also exited the game due to injuries in the second half, which Zamora also said were precautionary measures.

It was a chippy second period, one that saw Jose Capistran earn a yellow card after his tackle of Ruben Garcia spilled the two players out of bounds onto the sideline.

Vasquez was impressed with the way his players stayed cool as the intensity and physicality amped up on the other sideline.

In addition, Maximiliano Rivas was carded for unsportsmanlike conduct and Christopher Zapata departed after he earned a yellow card for reaching over the back of a Chargers player as a scrum of players fought for a ball in the air with eight minutes to play.

“The season is long,” Zamora said. “We’re going to talk about this, learn about our mistakes, and looking forward to trying to win on Tuesday.”

Brownsville Veterans’ Pablo Perez was issued a yellow card two minutes later.

The Chargers had several quality scoring chances in the half. Of those opportunities, Brownsville Veterans managed to draw iron on three separate occasions, two of which started from the foot of Cesar Cepeda and occurred less than six minutes apart. Cepeda hit a strong shot that rang off the crossbar for a long rebound from 25 yards out.

“Cesar had some good shots from the outside,” Vasquez said. “Unfortunately, they didn’t wanna go in for him.”

Cepeda followed that near-miss by striking the bottom left post on a free kick. The ball proceeded to ricochet across the box to clip the other post before it was cleared out of the Vikings’ end.

On Tuesday, district play continues as the Chargers are scheduled to visit Donna High and the Vikings are set to play host to Edcouch-Elsa. Both games are slated for 5:30 p.m. starts.