By ROY HESS | THE BROWNSVILLE
It continues to be a soccer season to remember for the Pace Lady Vikings.
They’re just hoping and believing the best is yet to come.
The conference-leading Lady Vikings (11-0, 33 points) clinched at least a District 32-5A co-championship Tuesday at home with a decisive 5-0 triumph against second-place Donna North (8-3, 24 points), a team that figured to be their biggest challenge in district.
Tuesday’s victory marks the first district title for the Pace girls since 2009.
“This win means a lot for everyone,” said Lady Vikings coach Jesus O. Villarreal, whose squad edged Donna North 4-3 on the road a month ago during the first round of district. “I’m more than sure everyone feels proud since we clinched the top seed (for the playoffs) and district championship.
“The girls feel proud as well belonging to this program,” he added. “Despite some injuries, the girls just get stronger and stronger. They’re more attached together and adapting to the circumstances. And of course, everyone here at Pace is happy, excited and anxious for more.
“These girls have shown that nothing gets in their way from succeeding. But we are not done yet.”
Tuesday marked the first time in 11 district games this season that Donna North has been shut out.
Members of the Lady Vikings’ defense are Yadira Dominguez, Jovana Rodriguez, Vanessa Lara, Michelle Abundis, Belia Suarez and freshman goalkeeper Jazul Amaya.
Standouts on the offensive end scoring goals for Pace on Tuesday were Kryssie Rivera (two), Vianca Sandoval, Marcy Garza and Alma Perez, who recorded an Olympic goal.
The Lady Vikings, who led 3-0 at halftime Tuesday, next play at Edcouch-Elsa on Friday with an opportunity to clinch sole possession of the 32-5A championship.
A TIGHT 32-6A RACE
“Told you it’d be tougher this year,” Rivera girls coach Peter A. Rodriguez said of the District 32-6A girls race in 2018.
He was right.
After Tuesday’s results, the top four teams for 32-6A girls are defending district champion Los Fresnos (10-2, 29 points), Harlingen High (9-3, 27 points), Harlingen South (8-4, 27 points) and Rivera (9-3, 25 points). All four have clinched playoff spots with two district dates remaining.
The key district girls game on Friday concerning playoff seeding status finds Rivera at Los Fresnos at 5:30 p.m. The Rivera and Los Fresnos boys battle at 7:30 p.m. following the girls match in the 32-6A doubleheader at Leo Aguilar Memorial Stadium.
The 32-6A boys race is close between the top three teams that have all clinched playoff spots. They are Rivera (11-1, 32 points), Hanna (10-2, 30 points) and Los Fresnos (9-3, 27 points).
The leading contenders chasing the fourth-place playoff berth from 32-6A are Harlingen High (4-8, 13 points), San Benito (4-8, 12 points) and Harlingen South (4-8, 12 points).
APPROPRIATE DECISION
Apparently sensing Tuesday’s 32-5A boys showdown between Brownsville Veterans Memorial and Lopez would attract a large crowd, Brownsville ISD on somewhat short notice moved the match from Porter to Sams Memorial Stadium.
Although an anticipated large crowd failed to appear, maybe due to cooler and wet weather, it was the right decision. Everyone had a place to sit and the parking didn’t become congested.
The game was originally scheduled to be played at Porter, but the seating there is just not adequate for big games. When Porter played host to Lopez in the first round of district on Jan. 26, there were almost as many fans standing and lining the field to watch the game as there were in the packed stands.
That scenario could have easily happened again at Porter on Tuesday.
Hanna and Rivera have played both of their 32-6A showdowns at Sams this season, so it was an entirely appropriate decision to have the Brownsville Veterans-Lopez match there, too.
There’s no need for so many fans to have to stand and watch a soccer game in Brownsville. Many times a lot of people will come out to see two Brownsville teams play each other, especially with a district title on the line.
In Tuesday’s showdown, the Lobos defeated the Chargers 3-1.
Roy Hess covers sports for The Brownsville Herald. You can reach him via email at [email protected]. On Twitter he’s @HessRgehess