By BRIAN ARGABRIGHT
THE 830 TIMES
Queens soccer history will be made this weekend, and Del Rioans will get to be a part of it.
For the first time in the program’s history, the Queens will host a playoff match on their home field. Del Rio is slated to host the San Antonio O’Connor Lady Panthers Saturday at noon at Walter Levermann Ram Stadium in the Bi-District round of the Class 6A Girls Soccer Playoffs.
All playoff tickets must be purchased online. Fans can purchase tickets through the following link – https://gofan.co/app/events/952351?schoolId=TX22694 . Tickets will be $4 for adults and $2 for students. Passes will be accepted through coaches associations, senior passes and faculty with ID badge.
There will also be a QR code set up so fans may purchase tickets using their smart phones. No tickets will be sold at the stadium.
Del Rio was the runners-up in District 30-6A this season, finishing with 22 points (6 wins, 2 draws,2 losses). The Queens finished one point behind eventual champions Laredo United. Del Rio was the defending district champion and reached the Area round of the playoffs last season before bowing out to Edinburg Vela, 2-1.
While no Queens player scored more than 10 goals during the district season, 11 different Queens tallied at least one goal. Monika Gonzalez led the way for the Queens, scoring eight goals and finishing fourth overall among all goal scorers in the district.
Gonzalez wasn’t Del Rio’s only big striker. Mia Ortiz had six goals, Alondra Sanchez had five goals, Alexa Rodriguez had three goals, Kaylee Hernandez, Noelia Ibarra and Daniella Trujillo each had two goals, and Aelyne Cardenas, Gisselle Castañeda, Kayla de los Angeles and Laurie Ignacio each had one goal for the Queens.
Queens head coach Wilber Rivas said it was his team’s experience that he felt would provide an advantage come district play. The Queens returned 16 players from last year’s district championship team including goalkeepers Hadriana Garabedian, Alize Neill and Daniela Quintero and field players de los Angeles, Hernandez, Alexis Segura, Ignacio, Andrea Sauceda, Ortiz, Castañeda, Sanchez, Ibarra, Xitlali Guadalajara, Alexa Rodriguez, Nicole Martiarena and Gonzalez.
Now the experienced Queens welcome the Lady Panthers to town.
O’Connor (17-5-1) finished third in District 29-6A behind champions Taft and runners-up Brennan. The team is led by senior forward Malia Dominguez who scored 22 goals this season. She was one of four O’Connor players to tally double digits in goals including Nia Leslie (13), Kendall Mason (10) and Aryana Martinez (10).
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Contact the author at drnhsports@gmail.com
