By Brian Argabright
The 830 Times
Coming off back-to-back third round playoff exits, the Del Rio Rams soccer team enters this season confident for another run, but cautious that one of the best secrets in this corner of the state is no longer a secret.
Head coach Tani Canchola guided the Rams to a third place finish in District 30-6A last season, but the team found its stride in the playoffs, advancing to the third round and another meeting with district foe Laredo Alexander.
And like the season before, the Rams’ season came to an end at the hands of the Bulldogs. Now, the team is prepping for another lengthy district fight with a busy non-district schedule, but Canchola said that kind of work is key to the team’s success when it counts the most.
“Thinking of years past, we always want to surpass what previous teams have achieved, most definitely. Yes, our coaches believe every year is an opportunity to leave a legacy for others to strive for and surpass. We want to challenge them to always standout and be the best imaginable versions of themselves,” Canchola said.
As in every year, the Rams are led by a core group of players. One of those is Alfain Peñaloza. It was Peñaloza who scored the winning goal against Alexander in a 1-0 thriller prior to the playoffs, but he was forced to miss their playoff rematch due to an accumulation of cards.
Canchola said Peñaloza and a bevy of other players will be key to the Rams finding success this season.
“There are several players that are key to our success this season. I would say Alfain Penaloza would be one. He’s aggressive, creative and highly capable of scoring from any position on the field. As a complement to him, Cesar Piña has come into his own on the wing and has the ability to take on any player to score or assist. In the middle, Ely Losoya, Esteban Saucedo, and Joshua Renteria can take care of the midfield. Esteban with excellent vision and accurate passing will be force to deal with. Ely is such a well-rounded player and can be used in a variety of methods on the attack. Josh has excellent vision and his calm demeanor will be invaluable.
“Defensively, Luis Villarreal, Sebastian Casas, Antonio Pineda along with Salvador Sanchez will be holding the defense. Finally, Brandon Hernandez has exceptional abilities and we have all the confidence in him to make the tough stops and to help direct the defense. I also feel that at any point some other players like Hector Losoya, Antonio Rodriguez and Adrian Salazar will start stepping up and be critical to the team’s success,” Canchola said.
“There are some JV players we are excited about that can be brought up. We are exploring and trying them out. The coaching staff is excited about Adrian Salazar and Josue Fernandez. They don’t take long to grasp what we want to see and the style we play,” Canchola added.
The Rams know a return to the playoffs is the end game for the season, but a 30-6A title would make that run easier as they’d face the lower ranked seeds from their playoff opponents. Canchola said there’s pressure for the team to both make the playoffs and win a district crown, but winning district means life is “better that way” when it comes to the playoffs.
“I feel the team has great chemistry, they are just a great group of guys. Also, another asset is the fact we can rely on our players to be versatile and play different positions as needed. This makes the team stronger,” Canchola said.
Del Rio hasn’t lost a match this season yet, but they also haven’t won every match. The Rams opened their schedule Dec. 30 with a 2-2 draw against San Antonio Cornerstone. Peñaloza and Trujillo each had a goal and an assist in the match. They then notched a 1-1 draw against Odessa High. The team then went 3-0 en route to winning a tournament in Kerrville, but Canchola said the wear and tear of the schedule is starting to take its toll, but he’s confident the team will be ready for the start of district play Feb. 10 against Laredo LBJ.
“We’ve been playing well and our players have started to step up. However, we have sustained some injuries and we’re recovering. We think they will be ready for district play. The preseason has been a bit bumpy but I’m certain we will get back to top stride by Feb 10th,” Canchola said.
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