You don’t have to look far to find talented goal scorers in District 31-5A this season. From Valley View’s Peter Yanez to PSJA Southwest’s Yahir Peña, the Upper Valley’s soccer district is loaded with offensive firepower.
The names don’t end there, however, with nine of the district’s top 10 goal scorers from last season back for another go.
“It is going to come down to who makes the least number of errors,” PSJA Southwest head coach Juan Rodriguez said. “Almost every team has two or three strikers that can hit you and score against you. Any mistake is going to make a big difference in the outcome of a game. Mistakes have to be minimal.”
Rodriguez’s team brings back arguably the top player in the district in Peña, who earned The Monitor’s 2022 All-Area Boys Soccer Utility Player of the Year award.
Despite being limited to just 18 appearances with a hamstring injury last year, the then-junior finished with 16 goals and 10 assists, including nine goals during district play.
A healthy Peña could spell trouble for the rest of the district, rounding out a veteran PSJA Southwest team eyeing a district title and more.
“Having Yahir is a good blessing for our team,” Rodriguez said. “Having a kid like that, who is our captain, it completes the team. He is a great leader and a great motivator. He demands more from his own players, which is a great thing to have as a coach.”
The path to a district title won’t be an easy one, however, with several teams seeming the part of contenders in what appears to be a wide-open district.
The Sharyland High Rattlers, a regional semifinalist one year ago, bring back most of their squad, including forward Alan Guerrero. The senior netted seven goals to lead the Rattlers last year, ranking eighth in the district.
Guerrero will have plenty of help from others on the team, including junior Juan Pablo Treviño and senior captain Jose Sanchez.
The McAllen High Bulldogs missed the postseason last year, but the return of offensive weapons Leo Salinas and Aron Ramirez gives them a formidable 1-2 punch capable of driving them into the postseason.
Salinas and Ramirez combined for 13 goals last year, with Salinas tied for fifth in the district with eight and Ramirez ranking 10th with five. They’re joined by senior striker Vicente Alvarez, a dynamic playmaker capable of creating shots for himself and others.
“This offense, I can name the whole team because everyone is a great player that can add to the scoresheet,” Alvarez said. “You can expect to see a lot of flair. You’ll see a lot of that Brazilian type of play. Just expect a lot of goals and a lot of dancing. That’s what we do. We like to go out there and have fun.”
Not to be counted out are the PSJA Memorial Wolverines, who claimed the district’s fourth playoff spot last year over McAllen High by just three points.
Standing in the way of all the teams are the reigning back-to-back District 31-5A champion Valley View Tigers. Valley View returns three of their top four goal scorers from last season, all of which ranked in the top 10 in the district in goals scored.
Reigning District 31-5A MVP Peter Yanez leads the Tigers’ offensive charge after finishing with a district-leading 13 goals last year. He’s joined by crafty forwards Ever Arredondo and Diego Ontiveros, who finished second (12) and fifth (8) in the district in scoring last year, respectively.
“It is going to be a long season,” Rodriguez said. “Anybody can beat anybody on any day. This is one of the toughest districts I have ever been in. Apart from the one next door with the Brownsville area schools, I think ours is right there on the same level. It is very complicated and filled with really good teams. It is going to be very competitive. Probably the most competitive it has ever been.
District 31-5A kicks off its 2023 campaign at 8 p.m. tonight, with all 10 of the league’s team in action. For the full slate of matchups, visit RGVSports.com.
