Brownsville Rivera’s Longoria repeats as Herald/Star DPOTY

4 months ago 107

WRITER’S NOTE: This story is part of a series highlighting the Brownsville Herald/Valley Morning Star boys soccer all-area award winners. The Herald/Star coverage area ranges from Brownsville to La Feria. Check back throughout the week as we reveal the Lower Valley’s other superlative winners and be sure to pick up a copy of Saturday’s newspaper for a complete list of the all-area winners.

Brownsville Rivera junior Adrian Longoria established himself as a household name among defenders last season, locking down opposing team’s best players en route to the Herald/Star’s 2023 DPOTY award.

Longoria proved last season was no fluke during his junior campaign, continuing to anchor a Rivera defense which allowed just 11 goals in 10 district games.

For his defensive prowess, Longoria is the Herald/Star 2024 All-Area Boys Soccer Defensive Player of the Year.

“Winning this award back-to-back years means a lot,” Longoria said. “It just makes me want to go for even more next year.”

A strong defense has been the key to Rivera’s success the past two years, allowing less than one goal per game each of those seasons.

Longoria has been at the forefront of it all, bringing a much needed aggressive and physical playstyle to the pitch.

“It’s just about communication and dedication to not let anyone score,” Longoria said. “We just want to go in their hard every play.”

While not the biggest on the field, Longoria wasn’t hard to miss during most games, flying to the ball play after play as a defender.

This year he even stepped up as a scorer for the Raiders when needed, netting six goals during district play. Longoria’s six scores tied for first on the team during district this season.

The Longoria-led Raiders finished the regular season with a 18-2-1 mark, including a 9-1-0 record during district play en route to their third straight 32-6A title.

The Raiders’ season ultimately ended in heartbreak, seeing their state title aspirations dashed during a first-round loss to Edinburg Economedes.

Brownsville Rivera is set to make the move down to Class 5A next season, joining other perennial powers like Porter and Lopez in District 32-5A. Still, Longoria and the Raiders aren’t shying away from their expectations next season – looking to continue their dominance and bring home a state crown.

“It’s a different district, but we still expect to dominate next year,” Longoria said. “We’re just going to have to go in harder next year.”

ivan@themonitor.com

The post Brownsville Rivera’s Longoria repeats as Herald/Star DPOTY appeared first on MyRGV.com.

Read Entire Article