The 2020-21 soccer season has been extra special for Brownsville IDEA Riverview as the Rockets have racked up historic milestones.
The school has only been around for six years and the team has no seniors on the roster. The juniors will be the first graduating class next year. Despite being a small Class 3A school by enrollment, the Rockets compete at the 4A level in soccer. And the team is working with fewer players than usual because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Riverview has relied on a strong team bond to overcome all the obstacles and put together its most successful season yet. The Rockets won the District 32-4A championship, the first in school history, and today they will make their playoff debut in a bi-district game at 7 p.m. at Monte Alto.
“I told my boys, day in and day out, the practice they put in is going to pay off,” coach Rudy Rodriguez said. “We set goals (the juniors’) freshman year, and we’ve been meeting those goals. They’re actually super excited because they’re like, ‘Sir, we beat one of your goals.’ I wanted us to get the district championship when we had seniors, and this year our goal was to advance to playoffs. They went up one whole year, and it shows that I’ve been learning, they’ve been learning and we’ve been getting better.”
Gustavo Cardenas, Antonio Soto, Jesus Belmares, Haziel Mejia and goalkeeper Luis Ramos have been some of the key components for the Rockets this year. Rodriguez called them the backbone of the team and praised their skill, leadership and willingness to step up and do whatever the team needs. Mejia leads the team in scoring with 18 goals, and Ramos and Soto were both first team all-district honorees last season.
Soto, a sophomore outside defender, said it meant a lot to bring a district title to the school for the first time. He called having the opportunity to lay the foundation for the Riverview soccer program exciting.
Soto said the Rockets feel like a family, and he believes the way the team communicates on and off the field has aided their success. Being able to control possession along with good passing and shooting techniques are the skills Soto believes have anchored Riverview’s season and will keep them alive in the playoffs.
“It was very special and exciting, because it’s our first championship and (we did it) without seniors. I believe it’s something not every program can do, and we achieved it,” Soto said. “Communication is a crucial pillar for every team to be successful. We talk a lot about the game and support each other every day. I believe we can make a good run in the playoffs. All the hard work that we’ve put in on this soccer team has paid off. Our primary goal is to go to state. We want to be the best in all of Texas.”
Cardenas, a junior midfielder who Rodriguez called the most skilled player on the team, said the team’s success this season has shown that hard work pays off. He has been playing with the Rockets since middle school, and going through the growing pains of the first varsity season made the district title in its third that much more meaningful.
Cardenas believes the team is “pretty good in everything” and though there are some nerves heading into its first postseason, the Rockets feel they can compete against anybody.
“We kept working hard in order to be district champions,” Cardenas said. “We’re very united. That helps the team a lot. We’re strong on the field and always try our best. Everyone steps up and does their part. … It’s our first playoffs, so we’re nervous, but we have nothing to lose. We know we’re a strong team. Every team is going to be tough, and we’re going to try our best.”
Rodriguez agrees that Riverview has what it takes to make a long playoff run. Now, he’s focusing on getting the young Rockets mentally prepared. It’s his first time making the postseason as a coach, but he’s familiar with the process from his days as a player. He’s telling the team that its growth in three short years and its abilities will serve it well in the next phase of the season.
“Honestly, the toughest thing is the mindset because we’re all new to this,” Rodriguez said. “It’s getting them prepared mentally to be ready for that game. I believe skill-wise and team-wise we’re ready for whoever we have to go against. I tell them my experiences, how the tournament is played, and with that knowledge they start thinking, ‘It’s just six games we’re going after. We’ll take it one game at a time.’”
