By ROY HESS | THE BROWNSVILLE HERALD
Every Rivera soccer team that comes along wants to add its own legacy to the school’s successful program.
The Raiders of 2018 are doing exactly that.
By scoring a goal during each half, the Raiders secured another trip to the Region IV-6A Tournament with Friday’s 2-0 victory over PSJA Southwest in the Class 6A regional quarterfinals at Sams Memorial Stadium.
“Getting this win is just so amazing,” said Ramiro Rodarte, a senior midfielder for the Raiders. “I’m just so glad, I’m (practically) speechless. To have the fans here and everyone, it’s just amazing. It’s a wonderful feeling to see all our hard work and dedication pay off at the end (of the season in the playoffs).
“We’re just hoping for the best now,” Rodarte added. “We’re going to keep on playing hard and following our coaches’ instructions. We’re just looking forward to see what happens next.”
The District 32-6A champion Raiders now move on to next Friday’s regional tournament semifinals at San Antonio’s Blossom Athletic Center to play San Antonio Lee, a 1-0 winner over Smithson Valley in another regional quarterfinal.
PSJA Southwest ends the season as the District 31-6A champion.
The last time the Raiders advanced to the Region IV-6A Tournament was in 2015. They won it and went on to capture the inaugural 6A boys state title in soccer.
“We’ve been working hard since last year when we got knocked out in the third round of the playoffs (by regional finalist Edinburg North),” said Roberto Melendez, a senior central defender and team captain for the Raiders. “We’ve been waiting for this night. God gave us another chance and we got the victory.
“It means a lot for us to go back to the regional tournament,” Melendez added. “To go to the regional tournament is a motivation not just for us (players), but for the young kids who are watching us as well. We know they’re watching us like we used to watch the Rivera teams play when we were little, so it means a lot.”
The Raiders broke out on top 1-0 during the 19th minute when Isaac Cedillo received a through-ball pass and scored from close range into the right corner of the goal.
That score stood until the 66th minute when a Rivera player was knocked down on the left side in the penalty area. Rivera’s Julian Espinoza took the ensuing penalty kick. His shot was blocked by the PSJA Southwest goalkeeper, but the ball bounced back to Espinoza, who immediately kicked it into the net on the rebound.
Rivera’s 2-0 lead stood until the end and the Raiders soon celebrated next week’s return to the Alamo City.
“Every time God gives us a chance to step on the field, we have a chance to win,” Rivera coach Salvador Garcia said. “That’s the way we feel.
“Too many times, the coaches get a lot of credit (for winning), but really, all the credit should go to the players for winning. Our guys just beat a really good team.”