By ROY HESS, Staff Writer
The state soccer playoffs start this week and 13 teams from the Metro area are participating.
This year, for the first time, the UIL has expanded the soccer playoffs from two to three classes for boys and girls. The first day of competition in the bi-district round of the postseason is Thursday. Area-round matchupsare scheduled early next week.
“This is what you practice and prepare yourself for,” said Rivera coach Salvador Garcia, whose Raiders captured the District 32-6A championship with a 14-0 record and will begin the playoffs on the road Thursday. “It’s an opportunity, a chance to put yourself in a position to reach the ultimate goal.
“With God’s help, we will be ready for the challenge.”
As the week began, playoff details regarding matchups for each of the eight teams (four boys, four girls) going to the postseason from 32-6A had been determined.
For the 32-6A boys Thursday, it’s Rivera vs. Edinburg High at 6 p.m. at Edinburg’s Cats Stadium, Hanna vs. Edinburg Economedes at 7 p.m. at Weslaco East and PSJA North vs. Lopez at 8 p.m. at Lopez. On Friday, Brownsville Veterans Memorial plays host to Edinburg North at 7:30 p.m.
For the 32-6A girls on Thursday, it’s Hanna vs. Economedes at 5 p.m. at Weslaco East, Edinburg North vs. Lopez at 6 p.m. at Lopez and Harlingen South at Edinburg High at 7 p.m. on the EHS campus. The 32-6A champion Los Fresnosgirls will be at PSJA Memorial at 7 p.m. on Friday, tentatively.
The Hanna and Lopez boys and girls are playing doubleheaders.
Brownsville teams from District 32-5A are expected to finalize their playoff matchups today. The Pace boys and girls play Sharyland High teams and the Porter boys are expected to arrange a bi-district matchup against Sharyland Pioneer, not Edinburg Vela as previously reported.
On the 4A level from the Metro area, it’s Port Isabel’s boys vs. Zapata, Port Isabel’s girls vs. Grulla and the Brownsville IDEA Frontier boys vs. Grulla. The details of those matchups were expected to be announced today.