NATHANIEL MATA | STAFF WRITER
PHARR — After a 12-0 loss in their first scrimmage of the season, the PSJA High Bears were determined to not let another year end like the last nine — outside of the playoff picture.
Fast forward almost four months, and the Bears are still practicing for a bi-district matchup against District 32-6A champion Los Fresnos.
First-year coach Michael Gomez didn’t let the long faces and deep sighs after the first exhibition stick around for too long. He didn’t want the progress in practice to be erased over what he said was a “wake-up call we needed.”
Tournament play was important for the team to pick up steam and take its bumps and bruises. A fourth-place finish in La Feria was the result of 2-1 losses in both the semifinal and third-place games.
The varsity sideline at PSJA has seen frequent turnover of head coaches. Juniors have played for three different coaches in three seasons. Leslie De La Cruz is one of those juniors who appreciates the continuity of the team under Gomez.
“This year, we’ve improved a lot over the last two years,” De La Cruz said. “This coach gave us so many drills. Everyone actually showed up every day to practice. We’ve improved from beginning to end (of the season) the conditioning, communicating with the team and just coming together as a team (on) game days and performing our best.”
By the Brownsville ISD tournament, the team was holding its own against tougher competition. The wins didn’t come against Brownsville Pace, Brownsville Rivera, Edinburg Vela or Edinburg Economedes, but the team shut out Rio Grande City and topped Laredo Alexander in penalty kicks.
The progress reached an important landmark during a 1-1 tie against Harlingen High — the same team that had thumped the Bears 12-0 in the first scrimmage.
By that point, the Bears’ goals had gotten bigger. Now, aims of winning more games and allowing less goals than last season turned into a real target of getting back into the playoffs.
Vannessa Rocha is a part of the senior group that jumped on the chance to reach a longtime goal.
“We had one thing in mind, and that was going to the playoffs and making sure we went,” Rocha said. “We’ve been wanting it since freshman year, so we strived to be better and to become a stronger team together. A successful one, too.”
Rocha has seen both wins and participation increase. With fuller rosters and a strong varsity team, enjoying the time around the game is easy.
“We have more bonding together, more becoming sisters, getting closer and everything,” Rocha said. “We know that we can count on (Gomez). We can bond with him and talk to him like, ‘Oh, sir, we don’t like this or that.’ And he tries to make plans for us so we can do it.”
Adjustments in tactics were evident in District 31-6A play, when the Bears were beating teams they had previously lost to in tournaments. They set the tone with a 5-0 win over PSJA Southwest.
The PSJA girls swept Economedes in district after losing to the Jaguars in the Brownsville tournament, then rebounded from a first-round loss against Edinburg High to earn a crucial win the second time through the schedule.
PSJA didn’t squeak into the playoffs. They were seven points clear of fifth-place EHS and five points behind PSJA Memorial.
Freshman goalie Brianna Baez will be called on in a major way against high-scoring Los Fresnos. Baez started as a defender on the junior varsity team but found her way onto the varsity roster once her coach found out she played keeper in middle school. Before long, she was the starting netminder.
“I’m proud of myself coming this far with the team,” Baez said. “Practicing with the team and playing on the team is a real honor, especially since I’m a freshman. I was really nervous at first, and the speed is much faster than JV dark.”
Maritza Capuchino is a junior participating in her first season of high-school soccer after playing club for two years. The attacking forward was happy to join a team that is reaching unfamiliar heights.
“I like it more, because this team didn’t progress, and I always wanted to help a high-school team progress more,” Capuchino said. “Now, they have an experience and an exciting moment, especially for the seniors that are leaving. I’m really excited, because we made it. We have an opportunity to advance and show everybody we’re a good school.”
Bryana Palomin came from PSJA Southwest along with her father — an assistant coach — and has been a key figure in the offense.
She complimented her fellow attacking teammates for their speed and unselfish play. Even with multiple skilled forwards, Palomin says the Bears never have issues with egos or concerns over who puts the ball in the net.
“We don’t really care who scores,” Palomin said. “At the end of the game, it’s going to be Bears this many, opponent this many.”
One of the few members of the team who does remember a Bears playoff run is junior Sydney Escobar. She watched her sister Abby score in the playoffs for the 2008 team, which reached the regional semifinals. Now, another Escobar in maroon and white paces her team in goals with nine.
“Ten years ago, my sister was the last class that made it to the playoffs,” Escobar said. “I saw that she scored the winning goal to make it to area. It’s really good following my sister’s footsteps. We all worked our butts off. It’s a good experience being here.”