Sweet 16 Preview: Bel Air Highlanders

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- The Bel Air Highlanders are through to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2019 - the same year they won the school's first and only State Championship.

Their form this season gives you reason to believe they could go all the way again.

Head Coach Sergio Delgado told ABC-7 this team is better positionally than that 2019 team but they don't have as much experience and haven't really been tested throughout the season.

The Highlanders are undefeated on the season with a 25-0-1 record. The draw came in just the second game of the season and since then they've won every game, including the round of 32 by a score of 5-0.

"It all started since last year we've been pretty much the same guys since last year and we've just been working hard and have all the chemistry together," Senior goalkeeper Luis Villa said.

"The intensity that is being asked of these young men to create and the fact that they're doing it speaks volumes of their goals and hopefully they achieve those goals," Assistant Coach Alejandro Delgado said.

While the team is taking a one game at a time mentality those goals stretch as far as the State Championship.

Two of the big reasons, big red have been so successful this season could be to do with the duo in charge.

Sergio brought in the longtime head coach of Socorro and his brother Alejandro to be the assistant two years ago and so far the new acquisition seems to be paying dividends.

"We have a whole bunch of ideas that we've spoken about for the past 20 years even though we played against each other," Alejandro said. "Now we get to combine those ideas and we get to try and create a team that we enjoy."

Bel Air play Centennial on Friday in the Sweet 16 at 12.30 p.m. at Memorial Stadium.