RGV football fans will be treated to potential playoff matchups as non-district play nears its end this week, with four matchups pitting 31-6A teams against 32-6A competition slated for Week 5.
Kicking things off is a battle between RGVSports.com Top 5A/6A Top 10 teams, as No. 9 Edinburg High (3-1) hosts No. 6 Los Fresnos (3-1).
The Bobcats are coming off their second straight win of the year, taking down previously undefeated Edcouch-Elsa 12-9 on the road to vault them into the top 10 poll for the first time this season.
Meanwhile, the Falcons dropped their first contest of the season last Friday, falling 40-24 to PSJA High in the RGVSports.com Game of the Week. The loss tumbled them down the rankings from No. 3 to No. 6 with the loss.
Kickoff for the game is slated for 7 p.m. today at Richard Flores Stadium in Edinburg.
Another bi-district matchup on deck pits the Brownsville Veterans Chargers (2-2) against the No. 3 PSJA High Bears.
The Chargers are coming off a heartbreaking loss to Laredo Alexander in Week 4, losing 44-42 to the Bulldogs last Friday at home. Still, Brownsville Veterans has the makings of a postseason contender, with a dominant ground attack paving the way. Junior Cesar Belmontes has emerged as the team’s lead back, eclipsing the 100-yard mark during each of the Chargers’ first four games. He’s tallied 499 yards and three touchdowns in four appearances.
On the opposite side, PSJA High is set to deploy the Valley’s most lethal aerial assault, with the Bears averaging 316.3 yards through the air. Senior quarterback Myles Lopez and wideout Ryan Vallejo pace the Bears’ aerial assault, with Lopez ranking No. 1 in the RGV in passing yards (1,265) and Vallejo leading the Valley in receiving yards (555).
Kickoff between the Chargers and Bears is scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday at PSJA Stadium in Pharr.
Other Class 6A cross-district clashes during Week 5 include Brownsville Hanna (0-4) taking on La Joya High (0-4) and San Benito (0-4) taking on Weslaco High (2-2).
The Eagles are set to host the Coyotes at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Sams Memorial Stadium in Brownsville, and the Greyhounds travel to Bobby Lackey Stadium in Weslaco at 7 p.m. Friday for their game against the Panthers.
For a full look at this week’s upcoming games, click here.
COMING ALIVE
The Weslaco High Panthers have roared to life after an 0-2 start to the season, picking up back-to-back wins to move to .500 on the year.
The Panthers open the season with two straight opponents ranked in the RGVSports.com 5A/6A Top 10, taking on then-No. 3 Harlingen High and then-No. 5 McAllen Memorial to start the year.
A 42-28 loss to the Cardinals and a 45-38 loss to the Mustangs resulted in an 0-2 start, but the Panthers haven’t been deterred, taking care of business at home in Week 3 against Laredo LBJ (27-8) and picking up a close 24-21 victory over Laredo United in Week 4.
Senior quarterback Frankie Trevino, who transitioned from receiver last year, has been pivotal to the Panthers’ success, completing 30-of-52 passes for 636 yards and six touchdowns through the air, and adding 299 yards and four touchdowns on the ground in his first four starts.
Do-it-all athlete Chris Luna has been arguably the team’s biggest weapon this year, hauling in 18 catches for 410 yards and five touchdowns on offense, and also seeing some time at defensive back when needed. His fourth-quarter interception during last week’s game against Laredo United ultimately sealed the Panthers’ second straight win.
Weslaco High will look to make it three straight to close out non-district play, hosting San Benito at 7 p.m. Friday before kicking off district play the following week against La Joya High.
SCORING PROWESS
Some of the Valley’s top scorers this year reside at the Class 6A level, with four of the RGV’s top 20 coming from either District 31-6A of 32-6A.
Brownsville Veterans senior quarterback Storm Montoya and Harlingen High running back Noah Huerta enter Week 5 tied for eighth with 48 points each. Montoya has eight rushing touchdowns to his name this season, with Huerta finding the end zone seven times on the ground and once through the air.
Weslaco High’s Luna is tied for 12th in the area with seven total touchdowns, including two during last week’s win over Laredo United.
Meanwhile, PSJA High wideout Ryan Vallejo vaulted himself into the top 20 with a five-touchdown performance against Los Fresnos in Week 4, bringing his season total to six touchdowns scored.
For a full list of all the area’s stat leaders, click here.