McALLEN — It has been a rough seven-year stretch for McAllen High’s boys soccer team. The Bulldogs haven’t won a postseason contest since 2016, which is also the last time they captured a district title.
The following year marked the last time the Bulldogs earned a playoff berth, with McHi amid a six-year drought entering the 2023 campaign.
This year’s group, none of which were in high school the last time McHi qualified for the postseason, were set on one goal — ending the dry spell.
“It was super rough to say the least,” McAllen High senior Vicente Alvarez said. “A lot of people were saying stuff. Sometimes, we had altercations within our team because of it. Slowly, everyone learned we are all a team. Through those first three years we learned that keeping a positive mindset is going to pull you out and create a better result.”
The Bulldogs didn’t just end their postseason drought. Instead, McHi finished as tri-District 31-5A champion, snapping its championship and playoff-less streak all in one.
The Bulldogs’ 12-2-2 district mark earned them the No. 2 seed in the district, setting up a first-round playoff matchup against Donna North. They’ll take the field for their first playoff appearance since 2016 at 8 p.m. Friday at McAllen Veterans Memorial Stadium.
“Before the season started, we talked about goals,” McAllen High head coach Fernando Segovia said. “They all wanted to win and had the right mindset. They all wanted one thing and they understood that they were good. They just had to prove it. Having that little stitch helped them throughout the season. It served as a reminder that they hadn’t done anything yet or won anything yet. It just kept them humble and working hard. They’re a hell of a team. We just have a full circle this year. From the admin backing us up, to the team camaraderie, and the main factor, all the parents. They all want the same thing.”
The Bulldogs are led into the postseason by a high-powered offensive attack, which averaged 3.2 goals per contest during district play.
Alvarez spearheads the offense, scoring 24 goals in 17 district contests. The scoring mark ranks second in District 31-5A and seventh in the RGV this year.
Aron Ramirez and Leo Salinas add offensive weapons for McHi, combining for 16 goals during district.
“Even though it may seem like I’m the top striker, if you come out and watch a game, you’ll see how all these boys are insane,” Alvarez said. “The way we connect on the field, even the substitutes, brings a different level to the game. We’re an attacking force. In practice we do overlapping runs and our one-touch. We even do our flare in practice so we can add that to our game. We just want to show McHi is a different play style and bring something different.”
The defense is anchored by defenders Sergio Sanchez and Jorge Cavazos, helping the Bulldogs allow just 1.4 goals against per game.
Goalkeeper Gael Guerra emerged as a force inside the net during his first season. The freshman helped the Bulldogs pitch five shutouts and pick up a pair of PK wins during district play.
“(Gael) is a heck of a player,” Segovia said. “He takes it personally when someone scores on him. You have to have that attitude. He just has a great attitude and work ethic. We have a senior ball club. To have him come in as a freshman keeper, he earned their respect and that says a lot. It has been a blessing having him.”
PRIMETIME MATCHUP
Two of the RGV’s perennial powers are set to clash during the Class 5A bi-district round, with the Brownsville Lopez Lobos and Valley View Tigers squaring off at 7 p.m. Thursday at Brownsville Lopez.
The Lobos and Tigers enter the postseason as two of the best teams in the region, just like in years past. The Lobos finished second in District 32-5A behind Brownsville Porter, and the Tigers ended as tri-district champs in 31-5A with McAllen High and Sharyland High.
Brownsville Lopez is led by striker Ramon “Chacho” Zuniga, who finished with 24 goals in 18 district games. Jesus Hernandez (14) and Diego Guerra (12) joined Zuniga with double-digit scoring, giving the Lobos a three-headed offensive monster.
Valley View fields a dynamic 1-2 punch of its own, with forwards Ever Arredondo and Peter Yanez combining for 51 goals during district play. Arredondo led District 31-5A with 30 goals despite missing a pair of games, and Yanez added 21.
The winner between the two teams advances to the Class 5A area round to face off against the winner between Corpus Christi Flour Bluff and Laredo Martin.
BIG-TIME PLAYERS
Playmakers aren’t at a shortage in the area’s Class 5A level, with seven players netting 20 or more goals during district play this year.
La Joya Juarez-Lincoln’s Omar Solis was the highest goal-scorer among the Valley’s 5A athletes, netting 33 in 14 games.
Brownsville Porter’s Martin Gonzalez and Alessandro Lara combined for 44 goals during district play, leading the Cowboys to back-to-back district titles.
Sharyland High’s Kevin Zepeda didn’t make his debut until five games into district play. That didn’t stop the crafty forward from finishing tied for 13th in the RGV in goals scored with 20 in 14 district appearances.
All these athletes are set to take the field at some point this weekend once the postseason begins.
For a full list of the Valley’s scoring leaders and playoff schedule, visit RGVSports.com.
