By ROY HESS, Staff Writer
Regardless of the sport, there’s a certain distinction that goes along with qualifying for a regional tournament.
Most of the soccer teams at this weekend’s Region IV-6A Tournament at Brownsville Sports Park already are quite familiar with the feeling of pride that is associated with being among the state’s final 16 competitors remaining in the playoffs.
In recent years, Rio Grande Valley boys teams have considered the regional tournament as a step along the way to the UIL state tournament, where Lopez (2004), Porter (2006), Hidalgo (2009) and Sharyland High (2012) have captured state championships.
Also for the boys, Lopez (2009), Hanna (2013) and Valley View (2014) have finished second at state.
Even though the Valley sends two girls teams to the regional tournament almost every year, none of them has yet to make through it to state.
Of the current field of Valley teams at this weekend’s Region IV-6A event, Rivera’s boys have made the most reappearances with seven. The Raiders reached this stage of the playoffs in 2001, 2003, 2005 and 2007 before advancing three straight seasons, including this one. They went to state in 2005 and 2007, the latter time as the fourth-place team from their district.
Conversely, PSJA North’s boys are making their inaugural appearance at the regional tournament.
For Valley girls teams Los Fresnos and McAllen Memorial, it’s the fourth appearance in six years at this level for the Lady Falcons and the second consecutive appearance for the Lady Mustangs.
OTHER ENTRANTS: Corpus Christi Carroll’s girls, guided by veteran coach Eddie Dillon, have returned to the regional tournament for the first time since 2004, while this year’s other non-Valley entries, San Antonio Reagan’s boys and girls along with San Antonio Brandeis’ boys, have made multiple appearances at this level in recent years.
Reagan’s girls advanced to state last year as the Region IV-5A champion.
The last time a school other than one from San Antonio advanced to state in Class 5A from Region IV was Austin Bowie in 2010.
BACK AT BSP: The regional tournament, previously at the 5A level prior to the emergence of 6A this school year, had always been played at San Antonio’s Blossom Athletic Center since 1983 until it was moved to Brownsville Sports Park in 2011 and 2012. After a two-year stint back at Blossom, the regional tournament has returned to BSP for another two years, now at the 6A level.
The previous two times it was played at BSP, the boys regional final has been an all-Valley affair with Porter defeating Lopez 2-0 before 4,000 spectators in 2011 and Sharyland High downing Lopez 2-1 in 2012 as the Rattlers went on to capture the 5A state title.
Roy Hess covers sports for The Brownsville Herald. You can reach him via email at [email protected]. On Twitter he’s @HessRgehess.