Lobos vs. Coyotes: The Shocking Rivalry That Could Change High School Soccer Forever!

The District 28-4A soccer competition is set to kick off for both the Uvalde Lobos and the Uvalde Coyotes on January 30. The Lobos will be hosting the defending district champion Pleasanton Eagles at the Uvalde High School soccer field, with the varsity match scheduled for a 7 p.m. start. Before that, the junior varsity teams will face off at 5 p.m. Meanwhile, the Coyotes will be playing against the Eagles in Pleasanton at the same times—junior varsity at 5 p.m. and varsity at 7 p.m.

Coach Keith Pendleton’s Lobos enter this critical district opener with a season record of 2-6-2, following a challenging road match against the Fredericksburg Billies on January 27, where the varsity match is set for 6:30 p.m., preceded by another junior varsity match at 5 p.m. The Lobos are coming off a tough 4-2 loss to the Laredo United Lady Longhorns at home on January 20. In that match, Paloma Rodriguez and Faith Baker each scored a goal for the Lobos.

Prior to the loss against Laredo United, the Lobos participated in the competitive San Antonio Edgewood soccer tournament. They ended on a high note by defeating the San Antonio Memorial Lady Minutemen 2-0 in their tournament finale on January 17, with both goals scored by Faith Baker. However, earlier in the tournament, the Lobos faced tough competition, losing to San Antonio Jay Mustangs (3-1) and Laredo United South Panthers (4-2) on January 16, where Baker scored all three of Uvalde’s goals. The Lobos also suffered losses against the Brownsville Veterans Memorial Chargers (2-0) and Schertz Clemens Buffaloes (5-0) on January 15. Coach Pendleton acknowledged the challenges, stating, “It was a really tough tournament. We went up against several really good teams. But hopefully, we learned a lot from the experience.”

Interestingly, the previous season saw the Pleasanton Eagles clinching the district soccer title, finishing just one point ahead of the Lobos. In their matchups, Uvalde and Pleasanton split their two district matches, but the Eagles outperformed the Lobos by going 9-0-1 against the rest of the district, while Uvalde posted a 9-1 record. Pleasanton faced a setback, losing to Wimberley in the second round of the playoffs last season but has started this season strong with a record of 6-3-2. Notable wins include games against Luling, Southside, Beeville Jones, San Antonio YWLA, Corpus Christi Tuloso-Midway, and Yoakum. Their losses came against San Antonio Cole, Fredericksburg, and Waxahachie, with ties against Cole and San Angelo Lake View.

On the boys' side, Coach George Menchaca’s Coyotes, with a record of 3-6 for the season, are gearing up for their match against Pleasanton’s boys. They recently played a home match against the Bandera Bulldogs on January 23, with results to be reported in a future edition of the Uvalde Leader-News. The Coyotes will have a bye on January 27, which allows for some much-needed rest and preparation. However, on January 20, they faced a tough 6-1 loss against the La Vernia Bears, with Talon Gonzales scoring a goal, assisted by Joshua Arredondo.

Last season, the Pleasanton boys finished fourth in the district standings and have started this season with a mixed record of 5-6. Their victories include matches against Corpus Christi Carroll, IDEA Ewing Hasell, Canyon Lake, Alice, and Gonzales, while their losses include games against Eagle Pass Winn, San Antonio Harlandale, Corpus Christi Incarnate Word, Corpus Christi Ray, Beeville Jones, and San Antonio Christian.

As both the Lobos and Coyotes prepare to start their district play, the upcoming matches promise to be pivotal for both teams as they look to assert themselves in a competitive district landscape. With the Lobos seeking redemption against a strong Pleasanton squad and the Coyotes looking to improve their standings, fans can expect an exciting evening of high school soccer on January 30.