GREG LUCA | STAFF WRITER
McALLEN — Down two goals in Saturday’s Region IV-4A final, the Progreso boys soccer team thought back to a preseason game against Valley View. Facing one of the Valley’s best teams, the Red Ants had clawed back from three scores down to earn a draw in the final minute.
“We had a feeling we were going to do the same thing,” senior Rogelio Zamora said, “or even better.”
Progreso indeed had another comeback in reserve, scoring twice in the final 12 minutes to earn a 3-2 win against Giddings at McAllen Veterans Memorial Stadium.
The victory advances the Red Ants to the state tournament for the first time in the program’s 18-year history. Progreso will play in the 4A state semifinals on Wednesday at Birkelbach Field in Georgetown.
“It’s really incredible emotion,” Progreso coach Margarito Jimenez said. “It’s a reward for the hard work and dedication that these kids have day in and day out. You cannot measure their heart. You cannot measure their character. They’re just outstanding kids.”
Trailing 2-1 with less than 12 minutes to play, Progreso sent a crossing pass into the box. The feed rolled past a number of potential attackers and defenders before finding Fabrizzio Gonzalez on the far side of the net. From only about 10 yards away, Gonzalez buried the tying strike.
The game appeared headed to overtime before Chris Rojas finished another cross via header with 1:49 to play.
“I just saw it coming, and I was already expecting that goal,” Rojas said. “I was unmarked, so I couldn’t be stopped.”
Rojas sprinted to the sideline to celebrate with his teammates, many of whom came bounding off the bench to embrace Rojas and the rest of the starters.
“I cried,” Zamora said. “All of the stadium came behind us. All of our family, our friends came to our heart, and we believed in ourselves.”
That faith was tested early, as Giddings jumped out to a 2-0 advantage in the first half on goals by Sergio Medina and Jesse Portales at 20:39 and 16:56, respectively.
Jimenez saw that his team was somewhat overconfident after picking up an 8-1 win against Gonzales in Friday’s regional semifinal.
“We reminded them that this was not going to be an easy game, and it showed,” Jimenez said.
The two scores came on the Giddings’ first two shots, as the Red Ants had controlled possession and peppered the Buffaloes goal with try after try. Progreso had racked up seven shots to that point in the game, as Zamora needed just 30 seconds to put his first attempt of the game off the crossbar.
“It was frustrating for me, because I had chances,” Zamora said. “But in this team, it’s not only our forwards who can score.”
Gonzalez said his teammates never lost their focus, and Hector Avila brought the Red Ants within one on a strike from 30 yards out with 3:37 to play during the opening period.
In the second half, Jimenez switched to a more aggressive 3-4-3 formation in search of an equalizer. Even playing against the wind, Progreso continued to control possession, setting up the eventual breakthrough.
“We were feeling down, but like coach always says, we have to keep on going until the game is finished,” Rojas said. “We did not give up, we kept on fighting, and that’s why we won.”
Rojas said he’d never been so excited, and a large and vocal group of Progreso friends, family and fans seemed to share his joy.
After the Red Ants’ win became final, many of those in attendance came down onto the pitch, congratulating the players and coaches or posing for photos, ignoring the public address announcer asking them to clear the field so the girls regional final could begin.
The Red Ants enter the state tournament this week having outscored their opponents 25-3 through five playoff games.
“We’re going hard,” Zamora said. “It’s our first time, and we’re not going to let it go.”