By ROY HESS, Staff Writer
Many talented girls have played soccer for the Hanna Lady Golden Eagles since the UIL sport came to the Rio Grande Valley in 1997.
As a group, perhaps none ranks better at Hanna than the Class of 2016.
The current Hanna seniors have displayed solid skills since they were freshmen in helping the Lady Eagles contend for district titles and advance to the playoffs.
They are busy preparing to play their final season as a new UIL campaign begins this week.
The Hanna seniors include midfielders Adrienne Davis, Julissa Urbina and Frida Palomo, defenders Priscilla Villarreal, Samantha Rodriguez, Emily Garza and Paola Ibarra, and forwards Karen Lozano and Monica Aguilar.
Natalie Garcia, another player who is the most notable among Hanna’s seniors, may not be available due to an apparent injury. A standout midfielder/forward, she was the All-Metro MVP last season.
Despite Garcia’s absence, it’s still a pretty talented, experienced group.
“It’s my fourth and final year here playing soccer, and I really, really want a district title, especially after coming within a game of it last year,” said Davis, recalling that the Lady Eagles wound up second behind district champion Los Fresnos in 32-6A one season ago. “That still stings to this day.
“I feel that we have a very good chance this year,” she added. “We have a really good group of freshmen who remind me a lot of when we came in as freshmen. I just feel that a lot of good things are in store for us.”
Added Palomo, “We’ve grown up together on this team and matured. We’ve bonded throughout the years. I feel like this year’s team, with the players we have coming back and the freshmen we have coming in, that it’s going to be our year. We lost three players to graduation, but with all the freshmen we’ve got coming in, it more than makes up for it. We believe in ourselves.”
As a new UIL season gets under way, here is a team-by-team look at girls squads in The Brownsville Herald’s Metro coverage area:
HANNA LADY GOLDEN EAGLES
Jose Morales is starting his second season as the Hanna coach with positive feelings about the prospects for his team.
“We have a real good group, and we have great expectations,” Morales said. “There’s a strong group of freshmen coming in to complement the group of seniors we have on the roster who are seasoned veterans. We’re looking forward to a very competitive, successful district and season.
“The players are getting along well regardless of their age differences,” Morales added. “The seniors are taking the younger ones under their wing and helping them out. We have players who are skillful, talented and dedicated. They have each other’s back, and they work really well together. That’s what is going to make the difference for us.”
Among the freshmen who figure to help out are goalkeepers Abby Mata and Valeria Perez, defenders Nadia Sifuentes and Hillary Pina, midfielder/forwards Haley Pena and Lala Loyde, and defender/midfielder Angelina Castillo.
Juniors contributing as outside midfielders are Andrea Arjona and Giselle Pina.
“Hopefully this is our year,” Garza said. “Even though we lost three very talented players from the defense, I feel that our defense can be just as good or better this season.”
Added Villarreal, “I look around at our team and I have a lot of confidence that I can trust them (to play well). I have a good feeling that we’re going to have a good year. I really do.”
LOPEZ LADY LOBOS
Just like Hanna, the Lady Lobos also have plenty of optimism for the upcoming season in 32-6A since everyone in the starting lineup is back except one player.
Lopez advanced two rounds in the playoffs last season after its 2014 showing of winning district, going to the regional tournament for the first time and finishing 21-1.
Among the key returnees for the Lady Lobos this season are defenders Michell Salinas and Jady Ortega, midfielders Samantha Ruiz and Janie Medina, and forwards Carla Gracia, Estrella Espinosa and Christiane Escandon, who is coming off an injury.
“We’ll be more experienced this season,” Lady Lobos coach Alex Macias said. “Our district is pretty tough, so we’ll see how it goes.
“Christiane is back 100 percent healthy, so that’s good,” he added.
Escandon missed virtually the entire season last year after scoring nearly 30 goals as a sophomore in 2014.
LOS FRESNOS LADY FALCONS
Patricia K. Hernandez, previously an assistant on the squad, takes over as coach, replacing the departed Marissa Wood.
The Lady Falcons are coming off a 27-4 season during which they won 32-6A and became only the third Valley girls soccer team to advance to a regional final in UIL competition. They advanced five rounds in the playoffs in 2015.
Among the players expected back to spark the Lady Falcons this season are Clarissa “Claire” Castaneda, Veronica Bratschi and Gabby X. Mariscal in the midfield, Rubi Soto and Gabby Moya on defense and Ashley Ibarra at goalkeeper.
The Lady Falcons won district for the fourth time in six years last season with a 12-2 record. Getting to the regional final marked their best showing in school history.
BROWNSVILLE VETERANS MEMORIAL LADY CHARGERS
Mainly because of their strong defensive play, the Lady Chargers have been considered a tough team to beat in district during the past few seasons. They just haven’t put it all together to make the playoffs.
Lady Chargers coach Luis Troncoso hopes that changes for his squad in 32-6A this season.
“The team is improving and looking better as we continue to prepare for district competition,” Troncoso said. “We have a good number of returning starters and players who have significantly contributed coming off the bench.
“Although we demonstrated progress over the last couple of seasons with a young team, we came out short in many close games,” he added. “This experience has energized our efforts and motivation as we strive to turn things around this season.
“We are confident, excited and motivated by the challenge ahead of us. We have set our goals to make a run for the playoffs and to have the best season for our Lady Charger soccer program.”
There are nine returning starters, and they are Victoria Morales, Laura Cepeda, Stephanie Bender, Kathryn Bodden, Mariana Gonzalez, Samantha Bodden, Kasandra Jimenez, Andrea Morales and Nathalia Torres. Victoria Morales was the defensive MVP in 32-6A last season.
RIVERA LADY RAIDERS
Yesenia Ortiz topped the 100-goal plateau for her high school career last season as a junior, and she’ll try to establish a new standard as the Valley’s all-time leading scorer for girls in 2016.
Ortiz is back along with five other experienced players. As far as returning starters, there are four. Among the key returnees are Maricela Zaragoza, Michelle Morales and Viridiana Diaz.
“We are going to be really young with as many as six freshmen starting this year,” Lady Raiders coach Thomas Brashear said. “We will be counting on our experienced players to lead a very young team.
“We’ll get better as the season goes along as the young ones adjust to the tempo of the varsity game,” he added. “It is going to be fun and exciting.”
PACE LADY VIKINGS
Last season Pace made it back to the playoffs from District 32-5A for the first time since 2011.
There are six starters returning, including Kryssie Rivera and JoAnn Sanchez, who made an impact last season at forward and center midfielder, respectively.
Other players being counted upon to make important contributions are Hania Davila, Amanda Morales, Daniela Perez and Alma Perez.
“I see our team as having a lot of potential this season,” Pace coach Jesus O. Villarreal said. “It will be a balanced team. We are working hard to get our game strategies ready for the season.”
PORTER COWGIRLS
Making it to the playoffs for the first time has been an elusive goal for the Cowgirls.
There have been several times the Porter girls have come very close to reaching the postseason. It appears this could be the season that things change for the better for them in 32-5A.
“It’s going to be a young team for us this year with three seniors starting along with one junior, and the rest will be sophomores and freshmen,” Cowgirls coach Abraham Gracia said. “This year we actually have the numbers. Last year that was one of our problems because we didn’t have the numbers. When we lost people, some of them key players, to injury, it really hurt. This year we have at least two players for every position, so it should be better.
“I have a lot of good feelings about this group,” he added. “Getting to the playoffs has always been the goal. We’re going to take it one game at a time, go from there and see what happens. This is a team with a positive attitude and unity.”
Six players back with starting experience for Porter are forward/midfielder Alexis Vega, forward Priscila Cortinas, center midfielder Lizbeth Garcia, outside midfielder Hilda Valdivieso, defender Allysa Vega and goalkeeper Kasandra Reyes.
Newcomers who figure to contribute are defenders Roxanna Miranda and Quetzali Cortez, center midfielder Carla Longoria, fullback/midfielder Itzeth Cazarez and forward Kassandra de Metria.
PORT ISABEL LADY TARPONS
The Lady Tarpons are intent upon bettering their third-place finish of one year ago in District 32-4A.
There are five returning starters plus two or three other players with varsity experience back for Lady Tarpons coach Jesus Cardenas Jr.
“I believe we should be a better team this year as we look to improve from last year,” Cardenas said. “Most of the returning players (better) understand our formation and the variations we sometimes change into and their role in that formation. It’s making it easier for the new players to grasp and learn our system faster than the previous two years.
“We look forward to making the playoffs and going past the first round,” he added.
Players who figure to help the Lady Tarpons on the offensive end are Celia Garza, Jennifer Martinez, Susana Torres and Susana Villa. Helping out on defense will be Stephanie Bessichy, Felicia Calo, Ana Martinez and Odette Ruiz.
Newcomers include Melissa Lopez and Francesca Sandoval.
IDEA FRONTIER LADY CHARGERS
Albert Perez enters his second season as coach of the Lady Chargers with seven starters back to help the team attempt to reach the playoffs from 32-4A.
Key players for the Lady Chargers figure to be forward Veronica Quezada and midfielder Ashley Manzano. Perez said there are some incoming freshman players who have experience playing soccer in middle school and in youth leagues who should benefit the team.
“We hope to make a run for it,” Perez said. “I would like us to finish at least .500 or better.”
Five players to watch
Victoria Morales, defender, Brownsville Veterans Memorial
Clarissa “Claire” Castaneda, midfielder, Los Fresnos
Yesenia Ortiz, forward, Rivera
Priscila Cortinas, forward, Porter
Samantha Ruiz, midfielder, Lopez
Roy Hess covers sports for The Brownsville Herald. You can reach him via email at [email protected]. On Twitter he’s @HessRgehess.