Pasadena's Julio Jimenez (7) launches a header into the net to tie the game at 1-1 late in the first half.
DEER PARK -- The Pasadena Eagles' quest to go where no Pasadena ISD soccer team had gone before – to the state tournament – came up a head short on Saturday.
The Eagles boys fell to playoff-wise Fort Bend Clements 2-1 in the Region III championship game at Abshier Stadium. The Rangers’ Santiago Padruno scored on a header near the midpoint of the second half for what held up as the winning goal.
Pasadena, the No. 3 seed in District 22-5A, finished the season with a 17-4-3 record.
Clements, the champion of 23-5A, will head to the state tournament in Georgetown this week with a 20-2-3 mark.
The Eagles used a spectacular header by senior Julio Jimenez with 12:45 left in the first half to tie the game.
Jimenez, 30 feet away from the Clements goal, butted in a tennis-like lob that cleared the head of the Rangers’ goalkeeper and ducked under the bar into the net.
Clements had taken the early lead on a straight-on shot by Jacob Warner 10 minutes into the game.
Pasadena players line up for pregame introductions.
Pasadena's Oziel Alcarez (18) works the ball around Gabe Costa (6) of Clements.
Pasadena's Julio Montano and the Rangers' Augustin Rodriguez battle for the ball.
Clements defender Kevin Matthews (14) gets a foot on an attempted shot on goal by Eagles senior Luis Cayon.
Pasadena's Julio Jimenez receives congratulations from teammate Oziel Alcarez (18) after his game-tying goal in the first half.