By ROY HESS, Staff Writer
The Metro Area playoff party in soccer is a little crowded this year.
Still, no one is complaining.
After Monday’s final round of conference games in Districts 32-6A and 32-5A, it turns out 13 of 14 Brownsville boys and girls teams are advancing to the UIL postseason along with the boys and girls squads from Los Fresnos and Port Isabel.
That number includes both the boys and girls teams from Rivera, Hanna, Porter, Pace, Lopez and Brownsville Veterans Memorial, believed to be a first for Brownsville ISD.
In all, it’s 17 of 18 area teams, which is a record for Brownsville-area schools going to the playoffs in a particular sport in the same season. Only the IDEA Frontier girls didn’t reach the postseason in District 31-4A this year, although the IDEA Frontier boys did.
“The fact that all Brownsville schools (from the larger classifications) made it, I think that is absolutely history in the making,” said Pace girls coach Jesus O. Villarreal, whose Lady Vikings are advancing to the playoffs as the fourth-place qualifier from 32-5A. “This means Brownsville is a powerhouse in soccer. And that is a plus from now on.”
Villarreal said it’s been anything but an easy road this season for Brownsville teams — his own included.
Despite a 3-1 loss to Lopez earlier in the day, the Lady Vikings received help Monday from the Porter Cowgirls, who defeated Edcouch-Elsa 3-2, thereby creating a tie between Pace and E-E for fourth place in 32-5A with 24 points apiece. The Lady Vikings held the tiebreaker edge over the Lady Yellowjackets and ended up as the ones advancing to the postseason.
“First of all, our district is very, very tough for the boys and girls teams,” Villarreal said. “Even though our Brownsville schools made it to the playoffs, there were still some great teams that did not make it. For example, in the girls, Edcouch-Elsa and Donna North (were strong teams). For the boys, Donna High and Donna North (were strong as well but didn’t make it, either).
“Man, those teams (in 32-5A) were really tough,” he added. “They could easily compete in any other district and still make it to the playoffs with more points. That’s how good our district was for both boys and girls.”
Of all the local soccer teams headed to the postseason, there are five district champions included among them.
In 32-6A, the champions are the Los Fresnos girls plus the Hanna and Rivera boys (co-champions), and in 32-5A, they are the Lopez girls and Brownsville Veterans boys.
Teams across the Valley, and actually around the state, are enjoying Spring Break this week while preparing for the bi-district playoffs, which start March 23.
For Brownsville-area soccer, it’s the best time of the year.
“Thank you to all our players and fans,” said Lopez boys coach Amadeo Escandon, whose Lobos are advancing to the playoffs as the No. 3 seed from 32-5A after going to the UIL state tournament in Class 6A a season ago. “We accomplished our mission, which is always to first make the playoffs. Now we’re going to see what happens. We’re going to do the best job we possibly can out there.”
Roy Hess covers sports for The Brownsville Herald. You can reach him via email at [email protected]. On Twitter he’s @HessRgehess