WRITER’S NOTE: This story is part of a series highlighting the Brownsville Herald/Valley Morning Star boys soccer all-area award winners. The Herald/Star coverage area ranges from Brownsville to La Feria. Check back throughout the week as we reveal the Lower Valley’s other superlative winners and be sure to pick up a copy of Saturday’s newspaper for a complete list of the all-area winners.
Brownsville St. Joseph’s Diego Saldaña had big shoes to fill coming into the 2024 season. The senior forward was tasked with replacing last year’s star player Luis Del Pozos, a first-team all-state selection who helped the Bloodhounds make their first state championship appearance.
Saldaña looked comfortable stepping into those shoes this year, emerging as a star striker in the RGV while leading the Bloodhounds to the TAPPS DII state title.
After netting a combined 35 goals during district and the playoffs and helping St. Joseph’s reach the top of the mountain, Saldaña is the Herald/Star 2024 All-Area Boys Soccer Small School Player of the year.
“It means a lot to me winning this award,” Saldaña said. “Not many people get this opportunity, so it is just a really nice award to win.”
Saldaña wasted little time establishing himself as the team’s top weapon, netting five goals during the team’s district opener.
His five-goal performance was just the beginning for the senior striker, scoring at least once during nine of the team’s 12 district contests, including eight games with two or more goals.
“My role this season was to score goals for my team,” Saldaña said. “I was able to reach my goals.”
Saldaña didn’t just score in bursts for the Bloodhounds. During the game’s biggest moments, it almost always was Saldaña coming up with the big play.
He sparked a rally from a 3-0 deficit during the area round of the postseason, recording a second-half hat trick to push St. Joseph past Houston Second Baptist 5-3.
On the game’s biggest stage, Saldaña came up with the play of the game once again, scoring the game-winning goal during the TAPPS DII state championship game against Austin St. Michael’s, securing the Bloodhounds first state title ever.
Saldaña finished the year with 29 goals during district play, the second most among all RGV athletes this season. He added six goals in four postseason contests, which also ranked second among RGV players.
“During those big moments, I was just looking for anybody on our team to score,” Saldaña said. “But really, I wanted to be the one to score them. Luckily, I was able to make it happen. It meant a lot to me to hoist that trophy this year after finishing in second last season. It was devastating to be honest. We really wanted to win it this year. Having that opportunity to come back and win it this year, it was just great.”
