By Brian Argabright
The 830 Times
Two full halves of soccer weren’t enough to decide whether Del Rio or San Antonio O’Connor would advance to the second round of the Texas high school soccer playoffs.
Down 2-1 at halftime, the Del Rio Rams (11-2-8) rallied to tie the match and then with less than three minutes left in extra time, Demian Fernandez found the back of the net to send he and his Rams teammates to the Area round for the second consecutive year Friday night at San Antonio’s Gustafson Stadium.
Del Rio will now face Mission (17-10), the fourth seed from District 31-6A. Mission knocked off Hanna, 2-1, also in extra time.
The Rams’ first goal came from the red hot Alfain Peñaloza. The junior midfielder scored in his fourth straight match with a strike in the first half to cut O’Connor’s lead to 2-1 at the break.
Peñaloza wasn’t done, tying the game in the second half thanks to an assist from senior midfielder Roberto Garcia.
With the match tied 2-2 at the end of regulation, the team headed to a pair of 10-minute halves in extra time. Had the two teams remained tied at the end of extra time, then they would have advanced to a shootout.
But the Rams didn’t it let get that far as Fernandez struck for Del Rio’s third goal with 2:50 left to play in the second half of extra time. That goal was good enough to carry the Rams onto the next round.
It was a good first round for the teams from District 30-6A. District champions LBJ won its first round match against San Antonio Brennan, 3-2; and district runners-up Laredo Alexander defeated San Antonio Marshall, 5-2.
The only 30-6A team not to advance past the first round was fourth seed Laredo Nixon. The Mustangs lost 3-0 to San Antonio Harlan.
No details for Del Rio’s second round match against Mission have been announced as of press time.
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Contact the author at drnhsports@gmail.com
