By ROY HESS, Staff Writer
After many close battles, the championship races are complete in District 32-6A soccer.
The winners are the Los Fresnos boys and the Harlingen South girls.
The story behind Los Fresnos’ success in 2020 is remarkable. The Falcons have captured their first district title in boys soccer at any classification during Michael Miller’s first season as coach.
The Lady Hawks are district champions one year after going 23-4, finishing second in 32-6A and advancing to the Region IV-6A Tournament final for the first time since 2003.
It’s been an eventful soccer season for all involved. Tuesday was the final day of 32-6A competition.
“We have six new starters this year, and four of them played on JV Dark last year,” Lady Hawks coach Omar Pedroza said. “We have two players who were on the varsity as a freshman and a sophomore last season.
“The whole team has stepped up and everyone is playing well,” Pedroza added. “The playoffs will be a new experience for (many of) them.”
South captured the 32-6A title with an 8-2 record and 23 points, having won its last four matches in district.
This is a special group of girls, and I’m proud of them,” Pedroza said. “We were picked to finish in fifth place in district, but these young ladies had other plans.
“This is our first district title since 2011 and 14th overall,” the Lady Hawks coach added. “I don’t think anyone expected us to do all that well this year.”
Behind the Lady Hawks in the final girls standings, it’s Los Fresnos (7-3, 20 points), Harlingen High (6-4, 19 points), Brownsville Rivera (5-5, 17 points), Brownsville Hanna (4-6, 11 points) and San Benito (0-10, no points).
South, Los Fresnos, Harlingen High and Rivera are the playoff qualifiers from 32-6A for the girls.
Meanwhile, Los Fresnos’ boys teams always have been grouped in the same district with Brownsville teams, and in reality, no one has ever thought too seriously about the Falcons as being district championship contenders — playoff qualifiers maybe, but not as a team that could win it all at the district level.
That, of course, has all changed in 2020.
“Honestly, I knew we had the talent here (to win district),” Miller said. “I’ve been part of the program for two years coming into this season, so I knew we had the talent here. Last year we had a coaching change, and it was just kind of like a grenade that blew the season up (and we missed the playoffs).
“I told the boys when I got hired that we’d be shooting for the district title from Day 1,” Miller added. “Yes, you’re surprised by talking big like that (and actually doing it), but I did know we had an opportunity to challenge for it this year. The boys bought into the idea (that we could do it).”
The Falcons won 32-6A with an 8-2 record and 24 points. Behind Los Fresnos in the final boys standings, it’s Hanna (6-4, 20 points), San Benito (6-4, 17 points), Rivera (6-4, 17 points), South (3-7, nine points) and Harlingen High (1-9, three points).
The four boys playoff qualifiers from 32-6A are Los Fresnos, Hanna, San Benito and Rivera, which will be making its 28th appearance in the postseason in 29 seasons.
San Benito and Rivera tied for third place in district. The Greyhounds defeated the Raiders twice in district this season, so San Benito goes into the playoffs as the No. 3 postseason seed from 32-6A.
32-5A UPDATE
District 32-5A is open today and is scheduled to complete its final day of competition Tuesday.
For the boys, Brownsville Veterans Memorial (12-1, 36 points) already has won the outright 32-5A title, while for the girls, Brownsville Porter (11-2, 31 points) and Brownsville Veterans (11-2, 29 points) go into the last day with a chance to capture the district title. The Cowgirls play host to Brownsville Pace and the Lady Chargers are at home against Edcouch-Elsa.
Behind Brownsville Veterans in the 32-5A boys standings, it’s Valley View (10-3, 30 points), Porter (8-5, 26 points), Brownsville Lopez (8-5, 23 points), Donna High (7-6, 19 points), Pace (5-8,15 points), Mercedes (1-12, four points) and E-E (1-12, three points).
The four boys playoff qualifiers from 32-5A are Brownsville Veterans, Valley View, Porter and Lopez.
Behind Porter and Brownsville Veterans in the 32-5A girls standings, it’s Lopez (8-5, 25 points), Pace (8-5, 25 points), E-E (8-5, 23 points), Valley View (4-9, 14 points), Donna High (2-11, nine points) and Mercedes (0-13, no points).
Only the Cowgirls and Lady Chargers have secured playoffs spots.
Pace, Lopez and E-E will go into the last day of competition Tuesday with shots at the district’s two remaining playoff berths.
The postseason is scheduled to begin March 30 for Class 6A, Class 5A and Class 4A boys and girls teams.