By RGVFútbol/Staff

PHARR, 20 Feb. - Last season PSJA North completed a 180-degree turnaround by finishing second in District 31-5A and qualifying to the playoffs for the first time in several years. This year the Raiders are making a beeline for the district title and another taste of the postseason.

PSJA North reached the halfway point of the 31-5A season this week in first place with a 7-1 record and 21 points out of a possible 24. The Raiders have a two-point advantage over McAllen (6-2, 19 points) and PSJA Memorial (6-2, 19).

Two seasons ago, PSJA North finished 4-10 with 13 points and in sixth place. Last year, the Raiders made an about face and went 10-4 with 30 points and qualified to the playoffs as the District 31-5A runnerup.

The Raiders were eliminated in the 5A bi-district round of the 2012 playoffs by Brownsville López in a hard-fought 3-1 overtime loss.

After eight district matches this season, PSJA North is eyeing the district title and another shot at the postseason.

Leading the Raiders’ charge is head coach Jacob Hinojosa and a core group of returning players, among them: Erick Villanueva, Aldo Beltrán, Tony Esparza, and Juan Lachino.

Beltrán and Esparza are among the district’s goal-scoring leaders with five goals each, and have contributed 10 of the team’s 21 goals in eight district matches.

PSJA North got a breather Tuesday with a bye to close out the first leg of the district season. The Raiders defeated Weslaco East, McAllen, and PSJA to jump out to a 3-0 mark before falling to playoff and district title contender San Benito, a 32-5A transfer this season.

The silver-and-black got back in the saddle and went on a four-game winning streak to wrap up the first half with victories over Weslaco, McAllen Memorial, McAllen Rowe, and tri-city rival PSJA Memorial.

One of the bright spots for the Raiders this season has been the defense. North has allowed only eight goals in the same amount of district matches.

The Raiders will look to continue their first-half success when they kickoff the second round of the season with an away match against Weslaco East (5-3, 15 points) on Feb. 22 at 6 p.m.