The San Elzario boys soccer team's quest for a fourth state title continued Monday night with a 5-0 victory over Austin in the Class 4A regional quarterfinals at Del Valle High School.
How did the Eagles do it?
San Elizario scored four points in the first half and won for the third time against the Panthers this season.
Angel Salas and brothers Eduardo Marquez and Francisco Marquez led the Eagles' attack with multiple goals combined.
playoff success
The Eagles defeated Pecos and Wichita Falls-Hershey in the first two playoff games and outscored their three playoff opponents 14-0.
San Elizario next heads to Justin, Texas for a regional tournament scheduled for Friday and Saturday.
Austin achieved solid success
The Panthers made the playoffs for the first time since 2018, advancing to the regional quarterfinals with wins over San Angelo Lakeview and Perryton.
Words spoken by the winning coach
“I've coached three state championship teams here in San Elizario, and this is the most talented team we've had,” Eagles coach Max Sappenfield said.
Words from the winning player
“It's fun to play on this team and we play for each other,” Salas said. “This win was a big step for us. We made it to the Final Four last year, but we didn't work as hard as this team.”
More information: Soccer NewsRecaping the El Paso team's area round of the UIL Soccer Playoffs
Felix F. Chavez can be reached at fchavez@elpasotimes.com.; @Fchavezeptimes of X
