By ROY HESS, Staff Writer
It’s actually a pretty good idea.
For years, many have bragged about the abundance of high school soccer talent in Brownsville.
With that thought in mind, the city is getting its own all-star event for boys and girls players who are seniors.
The girls-boys doubleheader is scheduled to start at 6 p.m. today at Hanna with a girls game, followed by the boys match at approximately 8 p.m. Admission is free.
Brownsville’s Class 6A and 5A high schools are divided into teams matching the East (Rivera, Lopez and Porter) vs. the West (Brownsville Veterans Memorial, Hanna and Pace).
George Green and Eduardo Sanchez of the Brownsville Futbol website came up with the idea to stage an “all-Brownsville” soccer competition to honor each of the participating seniors.
The idea has been well-received.
“The response has been really good,’ said Sanchez, a local businessman who also referees soccer games. “All the Brownsville coaches are very interested. George and I came up with the idea, and told the coaches about it. They love it, and now we’re talking about doing it every year from now on.”
The coaches say it is a fitting tribute to their seniors.
“I’m glad George and Eduardo are giving our seniors one last chance to play in a high school game,” Lopez Lobos coach Amadeo Escandon said. “These seniors have been representing our schools for the past four years, and this last game is a nice way of acknowledging their commitment to our Brownsville ISD.”
Among those scheduled to play for the East boys squad are Rivera’s Totti Morales, J.P. Garza, Joaquin Hernandez, Alex Mendez and Alex Villanueva. Rounding out the East squad from Porter are Oscar Garica, Agustin Pizano, Alex Prado and Edward Rodriguez. From Lopez, there’s Andrew Flores, Alan Reyes, Raudel Ramirez and Daniel Casanova.
The West boys team includes Brownsville Veterans’ Moises Navarro, Gary Valle, Israel Barron, Frankie Moreno II, Juan Amieva, Orlando Sanchez and Diego Bernal. Also playing for the West are Pace’s Raul Mendoza, Ian Perez, Antonio Gutierrez, Jonathan Martin and Gabriel Gracia. Rounding out the West boys team from Hanna are Kevin Ochoa, Hector Quintero, Miguel Payan, Aldo Gonzalez and Ricardo Sandate.
The West girls team includes Pace’s Alexa Urbina, Jovana Rodriguez, Vanessa Lara, Marcy Garza, Jennifer Oliveira, Alexis Guajardo, Marcela Trevino and Ari Garcia. Their teammates from Hanna will be Sytlaly Loyde, Hilary Pina, Carla Ruiz, Daniela Arellano, Abigail Mata, Angelina Castillo, Valeria Perez and Nadia Sifuentes.
The girls playing on the East squad from Rivera include Marlen Mendieta, Arcelia Gonzalez, Ana Perez, Alyssa Ayala, Alexis Sayas, Myrka Guevara, Michelle Rodriguez, Itzell Ramos and Hailey Pena. Their teammates from Lopez will be Myrka Garcia, Corina Garcia, Maria Gayosso and Kaylee Garcia. Also for the West girls, it’s Porter’s Quetzali Cortez, Roxanna Miranda, Sofia Contreras, Ana Meza, Kassandra Demetrio and Josie Torres.