Porter, Pace boys to open 5A soccer playoffs at home

As the high school soccer regular season comes to a close this week in the Rio Grande Valley, qualifying teams for the state playoffs were busy arranging next week’s bi-district matches in Class 5A and area-round games in Class 4A.

The regular season ended for District 32-5A teams Monday and was scheduled to finish for District 30-5A squads Tuesday, but rain forced a one-day postponement for most of the league’s teams. The Valley’s other three districts already have completed their regular-season schedules.

While 30-5A playoff qualifiers were awaiting the final regular-season results Tuesday of the District 29-5A boys and girls from the Laredo area, almost all of the bi-district matches between Districts 31-5A and 32-5A had been finalized.

Regarding boys bi-district games scheduled March 23 between 31-5A and 32-5A squads, it’s Edinburg North at Porter at 7 p.m., Lopez at Edinburg High at 7 p.m., Rivera at PSJA High at 7 p.m. and Edinburg Economedes at Pace at 7:30 p.m.

"It’s an accomplishment, and it feels good to be there (in the playoffs) again," said Porter boys coach Jose Espitia, whose Cowboys have advanced to the regional quarterfinals during each of the past three seasons since they won state in 2006. "We just have to take it one step at a time. We know that we’ll be ready because our district is tough and it has prepared us."

For girls teams from 31-5A and 32-5A set to play bi-district matches on March 23, it’s Edinburg High at Los Fresnos at 6:30 p.m. and Edinburg North at Rivera at 7 p.m. and Pace at Harlingen High at 7 p.m. As of Tuesday night, the only other girls bi-district game pending finalization between 31-5A and 32-5A was the matchup between Harlingen South and Lopez.

The Valley’s 4A boys and girls teams all received bi-district byes and will start the playoffs with the area round next week. One of the Valley’s first playoff games of 2010 is scheduled to take place Monday at La Joya Palmview with the La Joya Juarez-Lincoln girls taking on Mercedes at 7 p.m.

"It’s a pretty good feeling (to be back in the playoffs)," said Juarez-Lincoln girls coach Alex Davila, whose team advanced to the regional quarterfinals during the school’s first year of existence in 2009. "We hope it’s a fun ride, and we’re going to try to make it last as long as possible."

Another finalized 4A girls area playoff set for March 23 will find Valley View visiting Weslaco East at 7:30 p.m. Other 4A girls area matches expected to be finalized today were La Feria vs. Mission High and Edcouch-Elsa vs. Hidalgo.

All four of next week’s 4A boys area matches involving Valley teams are still awaiting finalization of dates, sites and times because of an eligibility question regarding a player from a 61-4A team, said a Valley coach, who requested that his name not be published.

As the boys area matchups now stand, it’s Weslaco East vs. Roma, Valley View vs. Mercedes, Juarez-Lincoln vs. Progreso and Edcouch-Elsa vs. Hidalgo. The coach said the eligibility question should be cleared up sometime today and arrangements for next week’s 4A boys area matches could be made today, also.

The boys teams headed to the playoffs from 30-5A are Sharyland, Donna and McAllen High and possibly McAllen Rowe, La Joya Palmview or La Joya High. The 30-5A girls squads in the playoffs are McHi, Sharyland and Rowe, and possibly McAllen Memorial or Palmview.

The girls playoff qualifiers from 29-5A are expected to be Del Rio, Laredo United, San Antonio Southwest and Laredo Alexander. For the 29-5A boys, the playoff qualifiers going into Tuesday’s final night of district games appeared to be Martin, United and Southwest, and either Del Rio or Eagle Pass.

Roy Hess writes for Valley Freedom Newspapers. You can reach him via e-mail at rhess@brownsvilleherald.com.

BOYS

Playoffs

Tuesday, March 23

Class 5A

Edinburg North at Brownsville Porter, 7 p.m.

Brownsville Lopez at Edinburg High, 7 p.m.

Brownsville Rivera at PSJA High, 7 p.m.

Economedes at Brownsville Pace, 7:30 p.m.

TBD

Class 5A

Sharyland vs. TBA

Donna, vs. TBA

McAllen High, VS. TBA

GIRLS

Playoffs

Monday, March 22

Class 5A

La Joya Juarez-Lincoln vs. Mercedes, 7 p.m. at La Joya Palmview

Tuesday, March 23

Class 5A

Edinburg High at Los Fresnos, 6:30 p.m.,

Edinburg North at Brownsville Rivera, 7 p.m.,

Brownsville Pace at Harlingen High at 7 p.m.

Class 4A

Valley View at Weslaco East, 7:30 p.m.

TBD

Class 5A

Harlingen South vs. Brownsville Lopez

McAllen High vs. TBD

Sharyland vs. TBD

McAllen Rowe vs. TBD

Class 4A

La Feria vs. Mission High

Edcouch-Elsa vs. Hidalgo