ROY HESS | Staff Writer
Sandra Garza and Corina Arizmendi are all smiles and their pride shows when talking about Jubilee Brownsville’s first trip to state in girls soccer.
The two sophomores are team captains for the Lady Titans squad that plays today in the semifinals of the Texas Charter Schools Academic & Athletic League state tournament in Georgetown. Their opponent is Houston’s Harmony School of Advancement.
“I’m very proud of our team,” said Garza, a midfielder on the right wing for the Lady Titans. “We’ve come a very long way (in three years of playing girls soccer at our school). We started off with some inexperienced players, and now, they’re starting to develop.
“We’re starting to work as a team as well,” Garza added. “We’re communicating and bonding.”
Arizmendi is the daughter of the coach, Cesar Arimendi. She is a center midfielder who likewise is enthusiastic about her team’s potential at state.
“To play for this team is really exciting,” the sophomore center midfielder said. “We’ve come a long way since we made it to the regional final last year, so I’m really proud of that.
“We’ve been conditioning a lot and our ball control is really decent, so I believe we have a shot to do well,” she added. “I like how we’re all close to each other and we’re all a team. We don’t argue, and being a team helps us a lot.
“I’m very happy with how far we’ve come because it wasn’t a piece of cake to get here (and be going to state).”
Jubilee is 15-1-1 on the season. The Lady Titans won three playoff games to qualify for state. They opened the postseason with a 4-0 win against IDEA San Benito before prevailing 1-0 (4-3) in penalty kicks against IDEA Edinburg. Last Saturday, the Lady Titans clinched their first trip to state with a 2-1 victory against IDEA Pharr in the regional final.
“These girls have been working together, playing together and doing a really good job,” said Coach Cesar Arizmendi, who is assisted by Carolina Nevarez. “I’m proud of how far they’ve come in such a short time. We are very fortunate to be where we’re at.
“Making our first trip to state is another step forward for the program,” he added. “These girls are hard-working and they’ve stayed together throughout the season.”
Besides Arizmendi and Garza, other members of the Lady Titans’ starting lineup are Andy Parker at goalkeeper, Sofia De La Torre and Leslie Barrea as outside defenders, Luz Gallegos and Alejandra Perez as center defenders, Erika Parker at center midfielder, Jullisa Garza at left wing, and Paola Vargas and Kat Vasquez as forwards.
Among those helping off the bench are Nicole Holland, Stefanie Aguilar, Ana Escudero, Amani Bosolo and Samantha Uvalle.
“I think if we continue to be determined we can hopefully win at state,” Sandra Garza said. “I’m very proud of our team.