By ROY HESS, Staff Writer
The St. Joseph Academy Bloodhounds just want to be part of the soccer conversation in Brownsville.
That conversation includes the city’s high school teams that have done some amazing things on the state level in recent years, such as bringing home UIL Class 6A, 5A and 4A championships.
Based on what the Bloodhounds did last season by going 16-4-2 and reaching the TAPPS state semifinals, plus considering what they might do this time around with most of the team returning — yes, they’re certainly a part of that conversation.
“We realize that Brownsville is a powerhouse community of soccer, and we’re excited about representing the city in the private school division,” said Tino Villarreal, entering his third season as the Bloodhounds’ soccer coach after just completing his first year as SJA’s coach in football following a stint as an assistant.
“We’ve established a new culture of reaching higher levels of success in soccer here at our school, so our expectations are pretty high now,” added Villarreal, who is assisted by Javier Medina. “At the same time, we know we have to start at ‘ground zero’ again, regardless of the number of returning starters we have or how far we went in the playoffs before.
“If you don’t hit the reset button (and start over), you can find yourself out of the playoffs (when you take things for granted).”
As members of TAPPS Division I, the Bloodhounds annually begin their soccer season one month or so earlier than the state’s public schools.
SJA opened its workouts Oct. 19 and played its first game Nov. 17, beating Marine Military Academy of Harlingen 6-1. The Bloodhounds play their second match at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at Pharr Oratory, a defending state champion in TAPPS Division III.
As per UIL rules, public schools in the Rio Grande Valley and around the state aren’t beginning soccer workouts until Monday and won’t play their first games until Jan. 7.
The Bloodhounds will be seeing their public school brothers at the Brownsville ISD Tournament in mid-January.
“The experience we gained from last season by making it as far as we went in the playoffs is a huge strength for us,” Villarreal said. “We beat teams such as Dallas Bishop Lynch that had six committed (NCAA) Division I players plus teams like Dallas Bishop Dunne along with (San Antonio schools and recent TAPPS state champions) Central Catholic and Antonian.”
The Bloodhounds have nine players back with varsity experience. They lost three defensive players to graduation and had another player transfer to Brownsville Veterans Memorial.
Among the SJA returnees are three players who earned TAPPS all-state honors last season. They are goalkeeper Mario Ramirez, attacking center midfielder Jose Kauachi and Andres Rico, another midfielder.
“I think everyone on the team is excited that we’re starting again,” said Kauachi, a junior who tied for the team lead in scoring last season with forward Mario Garcia as each had 18 goals. Gerardo Moses, another forward, came next with 16.
“It makes me happy that we’re playing again so we can show everybody what we have,” Kauachi added. “We just want to work hard and prove ourselves because what we did last season doesn’t really help us now. That’s the mindset we have to have.
“We just want to do as well as we can during the regular season and go as far as we can in the playoffs.”
Other experienced players back are center midfielder Gerardo Elizondo, central defender Rodrigo Sanchez and left wingers Anuar Atiye and Luis Amado.
Newcomers include right winger Miguel Guerra and defenders Pedro Coronado, Manuel Ravise and Dante Villarreal.
“We have a lot of returning starters and some players that are new to us,” said Rico, a senior. “We all have to get ready for our district (against San Antonio schools) because it’s going to be a tough one. With time, we’ll get the team chemistry back together and we’ll be good.
“We’re going to reach far, and I’m confident in what we can do,” Rico added. “Let’s hope for the best.”