By ROY HESS, Staff Writer
When things are clicking and the Rivera soccer team is advancing the ball downfield like a precision fastbreak in basketball, it’s a thing of beauty to behold.
Most of the time, the ones who finish off the attacks by netting goals for the Raiders, ranked No. 1 in the Rio Grande Valley by RGVSports.com, are attacking midfielder Isidro “Chelin” Martinez and forwards Eliseo Ortiz and Alexis Herrera, all seniors.
It would seem quite probable there’s no other team in South Texas with the combination of speed, skill and experience displayed by Rivera’s three players up front. Other players on the team are capable of scoring, but clearly, the ones the Raiders look to for goals are their “Three Amigos” on the offensive end. Herrera and Martinez are four-year starters, and Ortiz is a two-year starter.
“It’s just a very good feeling to have two top scorers like ‘Chelin’ and Eliseo accompanying me on the offensive end,” Herrera said. “They have my back, and I have theirs. We know each other’s movements. We know each other like the back of our hands. It’s great.”
Added Ortiz, “It’s pretty good because I’m always learning with these guys. Our offense starts from the back (on the defensive end). If everybody does their job, we’re probably going to score. If we can keep moving the ball (forward) on the ground, with Alexis, ‘Chelin’ and me on top, our chances to put the ball in are pretty good.
“We have great communication on this team, and we have a lot of confidence in each other,” Ortiz added. “Everyone knows he has to go hard. Even the guys off the bench know they have to play that way, too. I think they have confidence in Alexis, ‘Chelin’ and me, and we have confidence in them as well. We talk about what we want to do before and after the games. If we make mistakes, we talk about it and what we can do to avoid making them again.”
The Raiders improved their District 32-6A-leading record to 5-0 following Tuesday’s 4-0 win against Los Fresnos at Sams Memorial Stadium.
Scoring goals for the Raiders against the Falcons were Herrera, Martinez, Alex Torres and Hernan Cruz. On the season, Herrera and Martinez each now have 11 goals, and Ortiz has 10.
The Raiders next go against second-place Hanna (4-1) at 7:15 p.m. Friday at Sams.
“I feel good about our offensive attack because we’ve known each other for a pretty long time,” Martinez said. “I’m glad I’ve been able to play with these two guys. They’ve been helping me out and I’ve been helping the out, so it’s a pretty good deal.
“We’re not playing where we would like to be playing (as a team) right now, but I feel we’ll get there,” Martinez added. “I think we’re playing at about 70 percent (of our potential), and the season has just barely started, so it’s a good time for us to pick it up. There’s a long way to go in the season.”
Rivera coach Salvador Garcia has said the Raiders want to be the ones playing on the final day of the season at the UIL state tournament in Georgetown. His three experienced seniors up front figure to be an important factor in helping the team achieve its goal.
“Of course, it is a blessing to have those guys,” Garcia said. “They know each other so well that they complement each other’s movements, and that is why we create so many scoring opportunities.”
Added Herrera, “Our goal is to be playing April 18 in the state final, and I have a feeling we’re going to do it. I feel confident that we have the perfect team that can get us over there and that we can accomplish our goal.”
Roy Hess covers sports for The Brownsville Herald. You can reach him via email at [email protected]. On Twitter he’s @HessRgehess.