BY GREG LUCA | STAFF WRITER
EDINBURG — Just seconds into Friday’s District 31-6A soccer match, Edinburg Economedes’ Sofia Hernandez came charging down the left side of the pitch, found space inside the box and fired just wide of the Edinburg North net.
It was the cleanest scoring chance Economedes would have all night.
Behind a stout defense and a goal by Itzamar Rios early in the second half, North defeated Economedes 1-0 to claim the district title outright.
“It’s amazing,” sweeper Sarah Whitesides said. “It was our goal this year, and we completed it. It’s a good feeling.”
Edinburg North entered the night with 33 points compared to 30 for Economedes, meaning the Jaguars could have secured a share of the district title with a win in regulation. But North’s stout defense would have none of it, showing why it finished the district season with the fewest goals allowed in the Valley.
The Cougars have been scored on just twice this season — in an 8-1 win against PSJA North and a 2-1 win against Weslaco High.
“We’ve been a strong defensive team all year long,” coach Daniel Valdez said. “We’ve got quickness. We’ve got speed. We’ve got some skill.”
Whitesides was an important cog in that defense, poking away would-be chances whenever Economedes tried to connect on a deep pass.
Whitesides played goalie for Edinburg North last year and at times this season but has moved into the pitch with the return of Nikki Jo Rodriguez, who also plays basketball.
“It’s a big change, but I’m playing club, so I’ve gotten better and I’m not as nervous,” Whitesides said. “It’s a good transition. It wasn’t that hard for me.”
Lynnda Lozano, Laura Torres and Aidaly Cantu were also key for North on the back line.
Whitesides said the biggest factor for the group was its preparation: The Cougars identified the Jaguars central players and found ways to take them out of the game.
“We figured out when we played in tournaments that our defense is key to this team, and we’ve just kept it up all season,” Whitesides said. “Each game, we take the criticism given from our coaches, and we become better.”
The Economedes defense, which allowed just four goals on the season, was equally stout for most of the night.
But Edinburg North managed to break through with about five minutes gone in the second half. On a free kick from the left wing, the Cougars sent a number of players streaking towards the net, and Rios was able to corral the cross about 12 yards from goal and poke the ball past charging Economedes keeper Tiffany Benavides.
“I just knew I had to get it,” Rios said. “I thought I would head it. I don’t know how my leg ended up there, but it just ended up over the goalie.”
Economedes would manage a few more shots on goal down the stretch, but never really found space to operate.
“They stayed back and they did the job they were supposed to,” Economedes coach Robert Garcia said of the Edinburg North defense. “We had our chances to go through it, and we just couldn’t put it in.”
The game was halted for several minutes early in the second half after North’s Jasmine Rodriguez suffered a deep gash above her eye in a collision with an Economedes player. As Rodriguez lay on the pitch, a few teammates who came to check on her covered their faces in shock. Valdez said Rodriguez went to the emergency room for stitches.
Both teams will return to action with playoff games next week. Edinburg North will play at Brownsville Lopez at 6 p.m. Thursday, while Economedes will face Brownsville Hanna with the time and location to be determined today via coin flip.