Scorpions Win RRAC Championship!

Dave Purser celebrates after scoring goal

Rogelio "Chino" Perez enjoyed the celebration

Posted October 19, 2007
 Olé! Olé! Olé!

That was the phrase put on the new T-shirts worn by the new Red River Athletic Conference champion UTB/TSC Scorpion men's soccer team Friday, October 19, at Morningside Park.

The Scorpions celebrated their 3-1 victory over Texas College by dunking Coach Dan Balaguero with ice water, and running around the Morningside Park field like little children.

The newest team in the RRAC, playing its first year of collegiate soccer, won the title in its first year of existence.

UTB/TSC is 6-0 in the RRAC and 10-4-1 with one regular season game remaining at 7 p.m. Saturday at Morningside Park against Southwestern Assemblies of God (1-14-1, 1-4-1). A good crowd is expected.

"The joy on the faces of the players and our fans at the final whistle will stay with me for ever,"Balaguero said. "I am so happy for the boys, I could not be prouder."

It was a challenge for the Scorpions against the defending league regular season champions, who had numerous players from Brownsville and the Rio Grande Valley. Texas College (6-9-3, 3-3-1) was team on the schedule most players figured would be the toughest opponent. They brought with them about 100 fans whose cheers for the opposing team made the average spectator wonder who was the home team.

TC took a 1-0 lead in the 10th minute before the Scorpions came back on a penalty kick goal by Marco Malovic. Dave Purser then scored after a corner kick by Mark McCormick, who received an assist, and the Scorpions led 2-1 at halftime.

In the second half, Brian Hardie scored from about 25 yards out to make it 3-1 to bring the smell of a championship that much closer.

In the final seconds of the game, Sebastian Gallucci and Malovic brought out the water jug and dunked the ice-cold water over Balaguero's head.

It was the ending Balaguero was hoping for but was worried about after the Scorpions lost to St. Thomas Monday, October 15, by a 2-1 score.

"The attitude of the players has been first class since Monday's loss," Balaguero said. "You could see the hunger in the way we played today. We look forward to tomorrow's game, and then the conference tournament."

With the win, the Scorpions sealed the No. 1 seed for the RRAC Tournament October 25-27. The Scorpions will play in the semifinals October 26 against an opponent to be determined.