By ROY HESS | Staff Writer
The 13 teams playing in the second annual Southmost Classic moved one day closer to determining a tournament champion on Friday.
The three-day boys soccer tournament is being played at Porter and Lopez with two groups of pool play each day. Pool play continues this morning at both sites starting at 9 a.m.
With one pool-play match left today against Edinburg High, Laredo LBJ already has clinched first place in Pool A at Porter. In Pool B at Lopez, it appears the Lobos or Los Fresnos will be the first-place team.
At Lopez, the Lobos finish pool play this morning against Laredo United at 9 a.m. and Los Fresnos faces McAllen High at 10:30 a.m.
The top two teams from each group play in the championship match at 3:30 p.m. today at Porter. The runners-up from each group play for third place at 3:30 p.m. today at Lopez. A fifth-place match will take place at 2 p.m. today at Porter.
Laredo LBJ enjoyed the best showing Friday at Porter by winning three times. The Wolves defeated Rivera (1-0), Porter (2-1) and Laredo United South (1-0).
Porter was looking good after the first day on Thursday with two wins, but the Cowboys went 1-1-1 Friday with the loss to LBJ, a 1-0 victory over Laredo United South and a scoreless tie against Edinburg High.
“The tournament competition has been very intense with some good teams playing in it,” Porter coach Jose Espitia said. “The tournament has had some very even matches,
“(Even though we lost) I really like the intensity and personality our guys showed against LBJ,” Espitia added. “It was a very close, intense game, and it was a very good experience for our players. We were able to see the potential our team has, especially as we get closer to District (32-5A).
“Despite the fact that we lost (to LBJ), we were happy with what we saw from our team. It’s the only game we’ve lost so far (this season), but I think it was one of the games where we’ve played our best.”
The first pool-play game at Lopez on Thursday saw Los Fresnos defeat the Lobos 2-1, which set the tone for the closely contested matches that have followed.
Since their tournament-opening setback, the Lobos have won three matches, including victories Friday against Edinburg North 2-1 and against McAllen High 1-0. The Lobos beat Donna High 4-1 on Thursday.
Since its tournament-opening win against Lopez, Los Fresnos has tied Edinburg North 2-2 and Laredo United 0-0 while defeating Donna High 1-0.
Porter won the inaugural Southmost Classic one year ago by defeating Lopez 1-0 in the final.