McAllen Rowe and Brownsville Porter are ranked No. 11 and 12 respectively in Class 5A in the latest Texas Girls Coaches Association state poll, released Monday.
Dripping Springs (7-0-0) is the top-ranked team in the Class 5A poll. Dallas Highland Park (7-0-1), Forney (9-0-1), Rock Hill (7-0-0) and Cedar Park (4-0-2) round out the top five.
The Warriors are 6-0-0 and most recently canceled their trip to a tournament in Georgetown due to COVID-19 protocols, something that has been hammering teams this season, with unofficial reports of as many as eight players on a team in quarantine due to the virus.
A dynamic trio of players — juniors Mia Mata and Ayloni Garcia, along with sophomore Camila Gil, who led Rowe with 37 goals scored last year — lead the Warriors. Garcia and Gil won The Monitor’s All-Area Girls Soccer Newcomer of the Year award the past two seasons. Gil won it last year and Garcia earned the award the season before.
The Warriors will open District 31-5A play at 7:30 p.m. Friday at home against defending district champ and perennial power McAllen High.
“It seems like the past 10 years we always start with McHi as the first district game. So as far as those rankings go, those go out the window,” Martinez said. “They are at the top of the Valley and the girls know that. The rankings are nice for the school and to recognize the girls, but they don’t matter now. Everyone is 0-0.
“I don’t see many teams beating McHi, but I’m hoping for a good game. I just want to get all our girls back healthy, but this will show us where we are at. And if the ball bounces our way, well yay.”
Porter is 6-0-2 and opens District 32-5A play at 7:15 tonight at home against Brownsville Veterans.
“Vets is going to be one of the tougher opponents,” said head coach Abraham Gracia, in his 14th season leading his team. “It could go either way, but I’m expecting a great game. Right now, I just want to get us healthy. Next week, we should have the rest of our girls back between COVID and injuries.”
“The key is for us to be in our positions and do what we actually practice. Sometimes we practice and then go out there and so something else. We need to play our game and don’t fall into theirs.”
Senior forward Liberty Garza leads Porter offensively, already amassing 24 goals.