Bridgeport bulls over Dallas Pinkston and into the boys 4A D2 state-title match
The Bridgeport boys soccer team got a pair of second-half goals and made them stand up as the Bulls defeated Dallas Pinkston 3-1 in a Class 4A Division 2 state semifinal match on Friday at McKinney ISD Stadium.
It will be the second championship-game appearance for Bridgeport (21-3-0), which lost to Kilgore in the 2017 title game. The Bulls will face the winner of the Brookshire Royal (27-1-1)-Corpus Christi London (22-2-1) match in the 4A D2 championship game at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday at Brickelbach Field on the campus of Georgetown High School.
“This was a great battle and they played with so much heart,” said Bridgeport coach Brandon Medrano of his squad. “These guys have worked so hard all year and they absorbed everything that I’ve tried to give them. I’m just here to try to get these guys as far as I can get them with the tools that Coach (Justin) Newsom and I give them.”
Bridgeport controlled much of the game, especially in the first half, but a goal by Jose Joel Rangel for Pinkston (17-4-5) off a free kick from a sharp angle, 8 yards out knotted the game 1-1 at the 58-minute mark in the second half.
The match turned back in the Bulls favor in the 65th minute when a hard foul in the box on Jeus Rodriguez drew a yellow card for Angel Calix. Jared Contreras was true on the penalty kick, giving Bridgeport a 2-1 lead.
“It’s just something that you have to be sure of and you have to pick a side,” said Contreras of the penalty kick. “It’s all mental. You have to try to convince the goalie that you’re going one way and go the other.”
Cory Lopez put in the dagger in the 77th minute, finding himself wide open in the middle of the pitch with a rebounded cross from 18 yards away that he drilled into the net.
Bridgeport controlled most of the first half and got on the board first on a goal by Xxavier Garza in the 28th minute. David Duran blasted a shot from 25 yards out that hit the crossbar and bounded back in play where Jared Contreras headed it over to Garza who headed it into the net.
“For the first 15 to 20 minutes we were working hard to try to get a goal and then I saw my opportunity,” said Garza. “I went for it and when you see the ball hit the back of the net it’s an amazing feeling. I ran over to go celebrate with our fans since they drove out here for us.”
Bridgeport had an 11-3 advantage in shots in the first half and a 4-1 lead in shots on goal. All 3 of Pinkston’s shots came in a 2-minute span starting in the 17th minute.
It was Bridgeport’s third state semifinal and second in a row. The Bulls lost to Gainesville in the semis last season.
“We had a chance last year and we didn’t take it,” said Contreras of falling just short of a title appearance a year ago. “This year we’re going for it all.”
Pinkston, which didn’t even make the playoffs last season, was making the first state semifinal appearance for any Dallas ISD school boys team. It was also the first state semifinal for any boys or girls team in the Dallas ISD since the 1983 and 84 Dallas Kimball girls won state championships in the first two seasons of UIL soccer.
This story was originally published April 3, 2026 at 5:04 PM.