By CLAIRE CRUZ, Staff Writer
The Brownsville Veterans Memorial Chargers secured their spot in the Class 5A regional quarterfinal round by using a complete team effort to defeat the Corpus Christi Flour Bluff Hornets.
Chargers captain Cesar Cepeda scored both goals in the 2-0 victory to help his team set up a date with Valley View, which beat Rio Grande City on Tuesday night. Brownsville Veterans coach Alberto Vasquez was excited to see every player contribute and do their job to battle out the win, and he feels good about where the team is headed.
“I’m very proud of them,” Vasquez said. “They were able to show up and play very hard against a very physical, strong, fast team. They weren’t an easy opponent, and the kids stepped up and played a great game in front of a great crowd. It’s awesome. Every single one of my kids played their hearts out, whether it was defensively, in the midfield keeping possession, putting pressure on their defense, and I’m extremely proud of them.”
The start of the contest was a fairly even match as both teams generated scoring chances and battled for possession. Flour Bluff was physical throughout the game and glued to whichever Chargers player had the ball, so Brownsville Veterans put on a show with its flashy ball skills to get upfield.
Cepeda, Adan Navarro, Jose Muniz, Alejandro Castro and Humberto Sosa were among the Chargers who moved the ball well and fought for possession to keep the offense executing.
Chargers goalkeeper Brian Lara and Hornets goalie Jackson Ehlen both made good saves to keep the game scoreless for the first 30 minutes. Then, Cepeda gained control of a loose ball and carved his way through the Hornets’ defense to send a kick past the diving goalkeeper, making it 1-0 in favor of Brownsville Veterans.
The Chargers slowed Flour Bluff’s offense during the back end of the first half to maintain the slim lead at halftime. Muniz, Jesus Chapa and Ari Soriano contributed to the effort, anchored by Lara in goal, to keep the speedy Hornets off the board.
Tyler Gilmore, Michael Ewing, Colt Cutbirth and Van Cooper brought the energy for the Hornets and were aggressive in their efforts to contain Brownsville Veterans’ efficient offense. But the Chargers passed and communicated well, leading to continued scoring opportunities.
Cepeda extended the lead during the 16th minute of the second half, capitalizing on a slew of looks that had the Hornets scrambling before he zipped the ball into the corner of the net.
“It feels great. The team and I have been putting the work in, and it pays off at the end of the day,” Cepeda said. “It’s all thanks to my teammates. They set me up where I wanted to be, and I’m thankful for that. We just kept playing, we wanted it more than them and we got it. I think we’re confident and we just have to keep on practicing, and we’re looking forward to great things this season.”
Flour Bluff upped the intensity during the final 20 minutes, pressing to get on the board. The Hornets got away with some contact, but they were issued a yellow card late after sending another Chargers player down hard to the turf.
Even with Flour Bluff playing hard, the Chargers stayed composed and continued to dominate possession. Lara came up with saves and Brownsville Veterans loaded the box to clear the zone, preserve the shutout and ignite a celebration with the large crowd.
“Throughout the entire year, that’s what we’re working for all the time — to guarantee that by the time we hit the postseason, our kids understand their responsibilities and they’re able to do everything the way they’re supposed to,” Vasquez said. “It’s pretty evident that we’re clicking right now. We’re limiting our mistakes, we’re taking advantage of our opportunities. We’re playing the right way and we’re peaking right now, and it’s great to see the team playing the way they are.”