With the District 32-6A soccer season coming to a close this week, it’s time to start looking ahead at the playoff matchups to come.
GIRLS: For the first time since 2012, the Harlingen Lady Cardinals are back in the postseason. Led by a strong senior contingency, the Lady Cards were able to finish the season at 11-3 (33 points), defeating Harlingen South and Los Fresnos along the way.
“It has been so long that it feels good to know that we can get this far and still go further,” said Harlingen head coach Debra Galvan. “I know the girls are excited and we want to keep our season going. None of these girls has experienced the playoffs so it is a first time.
“There will be no easy games and it is win or go home now. We don’t want to go home and end our season so we will continue to work hard.”
Despite finishing 32-6A in second place (tied with Harlingen South), the Lady Cardinals picked up the third seed and will take on Edinburg Vela (second seed in District 31-6A) on March 29 at Edinburg Vela at 6 p.m.
While the Lady Cardinals made their way back into the playoffs, Harlingen South also fought its way to their 2lst consecutive playoff appearance.
The Lady Hawks finished with a league record of 10-4 (33 points) and took the second seed in the district. They will now take on PSJA Memorial in a bi-district round matchup at 6:30 p.m. on March 29 in Pharr.
BOYS: The Harlingen Cardinals made a name for themselves this season after finishing fourth in District 32-6A. With the team’s 2-1 victory over the San Benito Greyhounds on Monday afternoon, Harlingen secured its first playoff spot in 10 years.
After the Cardinals’ game against San Benito, Harlingen head coach Johnny Guillen was ecstatic about completing one of the team’s first goals.
“The season comes in three phases and this was our main goal, to do something that hadn’t been done in 10 years and get back into the playoffs,” said Guillen. “I told this team at the beginning of the year that it was going to be a tough task coming in and trying to rebuild the program that had won three games in the past five years. And to come back and make the playoffs, even though it’s as a fourth seed, is just a big accomplishment.”
The Cardinals host PSJA Southwest in the opening round of the playoffs at 6 p.m. on March 29 at Boggus Stadium.
