HIDALGO — The Hidalgo Pirates recall the bitter taste of defeat during last season’s Region IV-4A semifinals. Fueled by the 7-0 loss to Boerne during the postseason, the Pirates entered the 2022 campaign with an “unfinished business” mentality.
Before they could get the ball rolling on their district season, however, the Pirates were dealt a crushing blow. During a non-district contest against Laredo Nixon, Hidalgo star forward Rey Cantu suffered an injury to his left knee.
That forced him out of the lineup for two months, leaving the Pirates to march forward without The Monitor’s 2021 All-Area Boys Soccer Co-Offensive Player of the Year.
Rather than fold without their captain, the Pirates outscored their opponents 38-2 during their first nine district contests, emerging unscathed with Cantu’s return looming.
The junior striker took the field for the Pirates’ final three district contests, finding paydirt during each of them to help Hidalgo finish the season 12-0-0 and secure the District 30-4A crown.
With a healthy lineup for the first time since January, the Pirates are gearing up for their state title hunt, beginning with a Class 4A bi-district matchup against Brownsville Harmony at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Lions Stadium in La Feria.
“It felt bad watching my team from the sidelines,” Cantu said. “At the same time, I knew I was going to be back for the real season, which is the playoffs. I knew I was going to come back strong because at my therapy I was working hard. It was just a matter of time. I know we can go really far now.”
Hidalgo fields one of the Valley’s toughest defenses, allowing only two goals during league play, while holding 10 of 12 opponents scoreless.
Sophomore Anthony Nava and junior Gabriel Ordonez anchor Hidalgo’s back line. The duo adds a mental toughness to the team that was lacking last season, Hidalgo head coach Zeke Morales said.
“I thought we could have been a little more strong mentally last year,” Morales said. “Last year Boerne scored three goals on us in the first ten minutes. That’s not like us. That’s not our DNA. We pride ourselves in being a team that defends first and attacks second. I’m a true believer that offense wins game, but defense wins championships. … We’re excited and think we’re a little more solid in the back and that’ll help us as we get deeper in the playoffs.”
Offensively, seniors Ernesto Moreno and Adrian Lopez stepped into scoring roles with Cantu sidelined, helping the Pirates average over four goals per contest.
Still, Cantu’s return adds another dimension to the Pirates’ offense, outscoring opponents 23-0 during their final three games with him in the lineup.
“The fact that he injured himself, it made him realize that he could miss the year,” Morales said. “He’s come back with a humble attitude. He’s hungry to score and be an important part of our offense. That’s what we needed. Sometimes there are blessings that come in disguise. We’re excited to see what he can give us in the playoffs. He’s a gamechanger when he’s on board.”
Led by Cantu and a stingy defense, the Pirates are motivated for the postseason, eyeing a return to the regional semifinals and more.
“We got to redeem ourselves this year,” Morales said. “We think we have a strong team. I think we’re stronger than we were last year. We’ve been working really hard to be at the regional final again and give a better image of ourselves, especially in those big games.”
“For us, it’s unfinished business. We owe it to ourselves to make it to the state tournament. That’s been the plan the whole year. We’re looking to be up there again and get it right this year.”
