By ROY HESS, Staff Writer
If anything, the District 32-6A boys soccer race of 2016 promises to be nothing quite like last season’s unimpeded march to the conference championship and beyond by the Rivera Raiders.
Marking the most successful season put together by a UIL team in Rio Grande Valley history in any sport at the highest level, the Raiders went 28-0, including a 14-0 showing in 32-6A, en route to capturing the inaugural Class 6A boys state title in soccer.
A season like that is rare indeed, and considering the overall strength and balance of the boys teams in 32-6A this season, what Rivera did in 2015 seems unlikely to happen again very soon, at least this year anyway.
What appears more reasonable to expect in 2016 is a tight, even boys race that is characterized by back and forth surges with the 32-6A winner eventually coming out with one or two losses, or possibly even more, because the district seems so equitable.
Earlier this month when the season began, the boys from Hanna, Brownsville Veterans Memorial and Lopez were mentioned by some coaches as 32-6A favorites. And now at this point going into the start of district Tuesday, each of those teams has shown some signs of vulnerabilities, which gives hope to the others. Teams such as Harlingen South, Harlingen High and Los Fresnos are proving they shouldn’t be overlooked in the 32-6A race along with San Benito, and of course, Rivera, which has qualified for the playoffs 23 of the past 24 years.
“I believe that this year will be tougher than ever (in 32-6A),” Hanna boys coach Reyes Prado said. “I know it sounds too common to say, but all the teams from our district have a shot at the playoffs. From what I have seen so far there’s no weak team.
“I believe our team has a chance to be right there at the top if we can avoid injuries and stay focused and humble,” Prado added. “I think that whichever team has the ability to stay (the most) focused and hungry will make the playoffs, go far and represent our 6A district very well. God willing, we get a few breaks here and there, and we can perform up to our potential.”
Those sentiments are echoed by Lopez coach Amadeo Escandon.
“I think the (boys) district race is going to be wide open,” Escandon said. “We can’t discard the Harlingen schools, Los Fresnos, and obviously everyone else. It’s going to be very wide open. In our district on any given night, anybody can beat anybody.
“I’m just glad we have a little momentum going into district with a win (4-3 against McAllen Memorial on Friday),” Escandon added. “It was against a good team. We’re just going to keep fixing things and focus on the positives we have going for us.”
All in all, it figures to be quite an interesting district race in 32-6A for boys and girls beginning Tuesday. The district has returned to varsity doubleheader matches at the same site with the girls playing at 5:30 p.m. and the boys to follow at 7:30 p.m. for the first half of 32-6A play. The times will be reversed for the second round.
Tuesday’s schedule of girls-boys doubleheaders has Los Fresnos vs. Lopez at Sams Memorial Stadium, Harlingen South at Brownsville Veterans Memorial, Hanna at San Benito and Rivera at Harlingen High at the Cardinals’ Mini Stadium.
Due to field conditions at their respective schools, home matches for Rivera and Lopez will be played at Sams.
On the girls side, if the 32-6A race is anything like it was last season, it should be a heated battle that goes down to the final night of conference play.
The Los Fresnos girls, district champions four of the past six seasons, look well-suited to defend their title from one year ago. Besides the Rivera boys, the Lady Falcons wrote some history of their own in 2015 by recording a school-best 27-4 season, advancing five rounds in the playoffs and becoming only the third Valley girls team to reach the regional finals in UIL soccer competition.
“We’re going to take it one game at a time, and our end goal is to make it to state,” said Patricia K. Hernandez, now the Lady Falcons’ main coach after two seasons as an assistant. “We have the talent and discipline to get us there, so don’t count us out.”
Last season the Lady Falcons were challenged by Hanna, Harlingen South and Lopez for the 32-6A title, and those same teams figure to be the favorites in district again. Other squads that are expected to be improved this year include San Benito, Brownsville Veterans and Harlingen High.
“Our district is very challenging, very difficult,” Lady Golden Eagles coach Jose Morales said. “Getting a (1-0) win against McAllen Memorial (last Tuesday) gives us a lot of confidence going into district.
“I feel we’re going to be a very offensive team,” he added. “We’re set in the back (with our lineup), and we’ve even been able to switch out some of our defensive players and allow them to play in the midfield and even up front (at forward). We’re going to be offering a lot more variety this year, a lot more variations.
“Our seniors are working hard for their last year. For them, there’s no tomorrow. They realize that and they want to leave a good legacy behind for the freshmen.”
Not only does 32-6A start Tuesday, but District 32-5A matches involving Porter and Pace begin, too. There will be girls-boys varsity doubleheaders at the same site also this year for 32-5A teams with the girls playing at 6 p.m. and the boys at 8 p.m.
District 32-5A doubleheaders involving Brownsville schools Tuesday have Mercedes at Pace and Porter at Donna North.
The Cowboys go into their district schedule ranked as the No. 1 in the Valley by RGVSports.com. Two weekends ago they won a championship at the Brownsville ISD Tournament for the third straight year.
“It feels good (to have won one of the two brackets at the BISD Tournament) because we faced some very tough teams,” Porter coach Jose Espitia said. “At the same time, we know it was just a preseason tournament (and the most important matches are now ahead).”
District 32-4A, which includes area boys and girls teams Port Isabel and IDEA Frontier, won’t begin district competition until early February.
Roy Hess covers sports for The Brownsville Herald. You can reach him via email at [email protected]. On Twitter he’s @HessRgehess.