LEE's Joann Rivera scores pair of goals, but Reagan forces draw in 27-6A action

The sophomore forward gave the Volunteers the lead twice, but the Rattlers answered each time. The two teams fell from a three-way tie for first place in 27-6A.

Jan. 31, 2026 at 1:31am

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LEE's Joann Rivera scored two goals, but it was not enough to get the win as Reagan forced a 2-2 draw in a match between District 27-6A contenders Friday at Comalander Stadium. All the scoring came in the back-and-forth first half, as LEE and Reagan ended the night in a two-way tie for second behind first place Churchill.

Why it matters

This match was a key battle between two top teams in District 27-6A, with the result impacting the district standings. LEE and Reagan were previously tied for first place, but the draw dropped them into a tie for second behind Churchill.

The details

Rivera, LEE's sophomore forward, earned the brace against a Reagan defense that had only given up one goal against its first three district opponents. LEE coach David Rogers made a strategic decision to shift Rivera to the left side, which paid off as Rivera scored on a scissor kick and a breakaway. Reagan used set pieces to score its goals, with Braylon Jernigan and Carlos Huereca finding the net.

  • The scoring all came in the back-and-forth first half.
  • Rivera's first goal came at the 26:45 mark of the first half.
  • Rivera's second goal came with less than three minutes left in the first half.
  • Jernigan's goal came at the 21:42 mark of the first half.
  • Huereca's goal came with 1:08 left in the first half.

The players

Joann Rivera

A sophomore forward for LEE who scored two goals in the match.

David Rogers

The head coach of LEE who made a strategic decision to shift Rivera to the left side, which paid off.

Braylon Jernigan

A Reagan player who scored a goal on a corner kick to tie the game at 1-1.

Carlos Huereca

A Reagan player who scored the equalizing goal on a header off a free kick.

Gilbert Villarreal

The head coach of Reagan who was proud of his team's resilience in coming back from deficits twice.

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What they’re saying

“Honestly, only being a sophomore, the sky's the limit. He's only going to get better, and he's very technical with the ball, explosive and he knows how to finish. We see it every day in practice, and he came out and did his job tonight and played lights out.”

— David Rogers, LEE head coach (expressnews.com)

“It's always a tough, tough game against LEE. These teams know each other well. A lot of them played club together, and so it's always hard fought. I thought we did a really good job of coming back. We were down twice tonight and we came back twice. Trying to teach these kids to be resilient and still believe and keep playing. So, I'm excited to see that because we haven't been down too much this year, and so to see them come back both times is a big positive.”

— Gilbert Villarreal, Reagan head coach (expressnews.com)

What’s next

The two teams will continue their district schedules, with LEE facing Churchill and Reagan taking on Roosevelt in their next matches.

The takeaway

This hard-fought draw between two top teams in District 27-6A showcased the competitiveness of the district race, with LEE and Reagan demonstrating their resilience in coming back from deficits. The result leaves the district standings tight, setting up an intriguing second half of the season.