NON-DISTRICT
McALLEN MEMORIAL AT SHARYLAND HIGH
WHERE: Richard Glyn Thompson Stadium, Mission
WHEN: Friday, 7:30 p.m.
RECORDS: McAllen Memorial (0-0); Sharyland High (0-0)
GAME NOTES: The Monitor’s Game of the Week features two of the top teams in the Valley in the RGVSports.com preseason poll — both with aspirations of deep playoff runs. … Sharyland High has the experience, having posted 10-0 regular seasons the past two years while advancing to the third round of the playoffs. Memorial is seeking to erase memories of last year’s 6-5 finish and first-round ouster. … The Rattlers defense should be plenty occupied trying to contain the Mustangs’ Trevor Speights, the reigning All-Valley player of the year. Speights rushed for 2,267 yards and 25 touchdowns as sophomore last season. He returns noticeably stronger this year. … Diego Chrysler and Lance Madden, who will share snaps again for Sharyland High, boast varying styles of play, with Madden being the more elusive runner of the two dual threats. … The Rattlers should prevail in what could very well be a tough-fought nail-biter.
PREDICTION: Sharyland High, 28-24
— Mario Aguirre
NON-DISTRICT
McALLEN HIGH VS.
ODESSA PERMIAN
WHERE: D.W. Rutledge
Stadium, Converse
WHEN: Saturday, 1 p.m.
RECORDS: McAllen High (0-0); Odessa Permian (0-0)
GAME NOTES: One of the Valley’s best clashes with one of the state’s most historic teams. … Permian has won six state championships but has fallen on relatively hard times recently, going 20-23 in the past four years. … Both teams boast a strong quarterback and running back. For Permian it’s Heath Wood and Brandon Bailey, and for McAllen High it’s Fred Hover and Ricky Rodriguez. … McAllen High returns three all-district starters on the offensive line, while Permian enters the season with an entirely new defensive line. … Permian has a talented group of receivers, but McHi expects its secondary to be the strength of its defense. DBs Reuben Gutierrez, Ashton Rolls and Mikey Martinez are all returning starters.
PREDICTION: McAllen High, 27-24
— Greg Luca
NON-DISTRICT
PORT ISABEL AT GRULLA
WHERE: Joe R. Sanchez Stadium,
Rio Grande City
WHEN: Friday, 7:30 p.m.
RECORDS: Port Isabel (0-0); Grulla (0-0)
GAME NOTES: Arguably the top sub-5A Week 1 matchup in the Valley. Port Isabel is a perennial power of late, going 28-10 the last three years, and Grulla is coming off a program-best season in which it made it to the area playoffs. … The Gators return 12 starters, including star Troy Trillayes, and have a bevy of speedy athletes. Port Isabel returns five starters, just two on defense. … Grulla has a new QB in Eddie Anzaldua after graduating Offensive Player of the Year Rey Penablanca. Anzaldua has a stronger arm, so the offense could feature more variety this season. … Port Isabel coach Monty Stumbaugh lauded his linemen and team speed in the offseason, but has gaping holes at quarterback and on defense.
PREDICTION: Grulla, 28-13
— Dennis Silva II
NON-DISTRICT
HARLINGEN SOUTH AT
WESLACO HIGH
WHERE: Bobby Lackey Stadium, Weslaco
WHEN: Friday, 7:30 p.m.
RECORDS: Harlingen South (0-0);
Weslaco High (0-0)
GAME NOTES: A matchup of two playoff teams who finished in second place in their district in 2013. … Harlingen South is as inexperienced as any team in the Valley, bringing back just two starters on each side of the ball. … While most of South’s losses were to graduation, star running back Jaedon Taylor also left via transfer. … With so many new starters, South’s offense could struggle against Weslaco’s dominant defensive front, highlighted by defensive end Rene Perez. … Weslaco will continue to run coach Tony Villarreal’s slot-T offense. Returning all-district slot back Eric Gonzalez ran for 1,187 yards and 14 touchdowns on 141 carries last year, an average of 8.4 yards per carry. … If Weslaco has a weakness, it’s the secondary. Perhaps South QB Jimmy Morton can take advantage.
PREDICTION: Weslaco High, 28-13
— Greg Luca
NON-DISTRICT
MISSION VETERANS AT MISSION HIGH
WHERE: Tom Landry Stadium, Mission
WHEN: Friday, 7:30 p.m.
RECORDS: Mission Veterans (0-0, 0-0); Mission High (0-0, 0-0)
GAME NOTES: The Patriots go on the road for what they believe could be the start of a potential 10-0 season. The Eagles, by contrast, will face an uphill battle to get into the postseason, after they were moved up to 6A following the latest reclassification. … Mission Veterans, the more stable of the two programs, returns four starters on each side of the ball, including QB Santos Villarreal, the district’s MVP his sophomore year. Villarreal, a four-year starter, is returning after tearing a ligament in his right foot last season. … Mission High, which has the lowest enrollment of any district program, will have Jesus Cuellar starting under center for the first time. … With several offensive weapons and a sturdy defense, the Patriots should have matters under control.
PREDICTION: Mission Veterans, 35-21
— Mario Aguirre
NON-DISTRICT
CALALLEN AT MERCEDES
WHERE: Tiger Stadium, Mercedes
WHEN: Friday, 7:30 p.m.
RECORDS: Calallen (0-0); Mercedes (0-0)
GAME NOTES: Calallen is Calallen. The Wildcats are always a threat to go deep in Region IV Class 5A, but these particular Wildcats are in a rebuilding stage. … Calallen has dominated this series, but Mercedes has everything in place to pull off a season-opening upset. Calallen has just four starters returning, including none on defense. … The Tigers have the Valley’s top returning passer and receiver, and boast seven returners on defense. … Expect Calallen’s secondary to be tested by Mercedes QB Rene Presas and WR Joshua Garza. Mercedes needs to jump on Calallen early and often to put itself in position to win, and it can do that. The Tigers have the potential to be the best offense in the Valley this season. … This marks the debut for Roger Adame Jr. as head coach of the Tigers.
PREDICTION: Mercedes, 24-21
— Dennis Silva II
NON-DISTRICT
EDCOUCH-ELSA AT McALLEN ROWE
WHERE: Veterans Memorial Stadium, McAllen
WHEN: Friday, 7:30 p.m.
RECORDS: Edcouch-Elsa (0-0);
McAllen Rowe (0-0)
GAME NOTES: Both teams are young and inexperienced, but the Yellowjackets are taller, stronger and bigger. That will prove to be the difference. … E-E’s strength is in the trenches, on the offensive and defensive lines, where it has depth, size and versatility. … Though initially No. 2 on the depth chart, sophomore QB Marco Aguinaga played so well in last week’s scrimmage that he will start for Edcouch-Elsa. Coach Joe Marichalar likes Aguinaga’s athleticism and playmaking ability. … The Warriors have some playmaking promise at QB, RB and WR, but defense is where they should see a positive change. Michael Uribe, formerly the head coach at Mercedes, is now the defensive coordinator, and he knows all too well about going up against the Yellowjackets. Uribe uses more four-man fronts in his coverages.
PREDICTION: Edcouch-Elsa, 17-14
— Dennis Silva II
NON-DISTRICT
PSJA HIGH VS. PSJA NORTH
WHERE: PSJA Stadium, Pharr
WHEN: Friday, 7:30 p.m.
RECORDS: PSJA High (0-0);
PSJA North (0-0)
GAME NOTES: Two teams at different stages. … The Bears are coming off a 6-4 season in which they fell minutes short of their first playoff berth since 2010. … North went 0-10 last season and welcomes new coach Jorge Pena. … The Bears are District 32-5A title contenders. North, meanwhile, would just like to win a few games … The Raiders are switching to a spread offense, so pay attention to QBs David Garza and George Olivarez. … North has a tough task at hand going up against PSJA High’s physical, aggressive defense. Garza and Olivarez are going to get a good test in reading coverages and getting rid of the ball quickly. … A contest of two former district rivals before PSJA High dropped a classification for the next two years.
PREDICTION: PSJA High, 21-7
— Dennis Silva II
NON-DISTRICT
ROMA AT LA JOYA HIGH
WHERE: La Joya Stadium, La Joya
WHEN: Friday, 7:30 p.m.
RECORDS: Roma (0-0); La Joya (0-0)
GAME NOTES: What both teams lack in playoff experience, they make up in returning starters. … Roma has never made the postseason, but returns six starters on offense and seven on defense from a team that went 6-4 last year. Six of those players will be three-year starters. … La Joya hasn’t made the playoffs since the ISD split in 2007, but the Coyotes bring back nine on offense and seven on defense. … Roma suffered by far the biggest loss on either side, with running back Orly Solis graduating. Solis set the Valley’s single-game rushing record with 460 yards and 5 touchdowns against Laredo Cigarroa last year. … La Joya quarterback Julio Garcia was part of a rotation last year in an offense that averaged just 5.1 points per game outside of a 64-0 rout of Brownsville Porter. This season, he and a stable of running backs should have more success behind an experienced offensive line.
PREDICTION: La Joya, 17-14
— Greg Luca
NON-DISTRICT
LA JOYA JUAREZ-LINCOLN AT
PSJA MEMORIAL
WHERE: PSJA Stadium, Pharr
WHEN: Thursday, 7 p.m.
RECORDS: La Joya Juarez-Lincoln (0-0); PSJA Memorial (0-0)
GAME NOTES: A matchup of two teams who figure to be fringe playoff contenders in their respective districts. … Juarez-Lincoln was probably the better of the two teams last year, but the group returns only three starters on each side of the ball. … The Huskies are light on depth in the trenches and will start at least three sophomores on the offensive line. … That may be an issue against PSJA Memorial, which figures to have a strong defensive line, highlighted by end Joseph Gamez. … Memorial finished 2-8 last year but now admits it was partly playing for this season: the team returns nine starters on offense and five on defense. … Michael Gonzalez is back as the starting quarterback, but keep an eye on wideouts Eric Medellin and John Anthony Sanez to run the ball either on sweeps or as wildcat QBs.
PREDICTION: PSJA Memorial, 24-10
— Greg Luca
NON-DISTRICT
BROWNSVILLE PACE AT EDINBURG VELA
WHERE: Cats Memorial Stadium, Edinburg
WHEN: Friday, 7:30 p.m.
RECORDS: Brownsville Pace (0-0);
Edinburg Vela (0-0)
GAME NOTES: This Week 1 matchup pits two teams that have a realistic shot of outdoing last year’s performance. For Pace, that means bouncing back from consecutive 1-9 seasons. But with a bevy of returners, in a new district, that should simplify things with several three-year players in key positions. Edinburg Vela, on the other hands, has its sights set on the playoffs, after falling short by way of a tiebreaker. … The quarterback duel will be something to watch, with Pace’s Alex Cisneros, a three-year starter, going up against Vela’s Ebher Lopez, the top newcomer in district last year. Both seniors are primed to have their best year yet. … The game will more than likely be decided on the defensive end, with Vela putting valiant efforts last season to keep games close last year as it finished 5-5.
PREDICTION: Edinburg Vela, 42-10.
— Mario Aguirre
NON-DISTRICT
VALLEY VIEW AT PSJA SOUTHWEST
WHERE: PSJA Stadium, Pharr
WHEN: Saturday, 7 p.m.
RECORDS: Valley View (0-0);
PSJA Southwest (0-0)
GAME NOTES: Both teams have playoff expectations. Valley View returns 15 starters; Southwest returns 10. Each is hungry to win and start moving in the right direction. … These are two teams that run the ball and don’t have the most size. But they are quick, and they are former district rivals. This game will have the feeling of a playoff contest more so than a season opener. … The Tigers were ravaged by injuries last season, so they don’t really know what they’re capable of. Southwest runs a Wing-T and has shown to be a formidable offense. But it struggles badly defensively. … Southwest is 2-0 in season openers in its short varsity football career.
PREDICTION: Valley View, 27-21
— Dennis Silva II
NON-DISTRICT
BROWNSVILLE VETERANS MEMORIAL
AT DONNA HIGH
WHERE: Bennie LaPrade Stadium, Donna
WHEN: Friday, 7:30 p.m.
RECORDS: Brownsville Veterans Memorial (0-0); Donna High (0-0)
GAME NOTES: Donna High was going to have a new look entering this season, but it has a newer look since last week. … With QB Amonte Bowen sidelined for at least eight weeks with a broken collarbone, a new QB is in place in junior Edward Dougherty. Dougherty is smaller, but quicker than Bowen, but expect a conservative game plan offensively until he gets comfortable. … Bowen was going to be the central point of the Redskins’ offense, but now that likely falls upon RBs Michael Tamez and Paul Guerra. They will carry the Redskins’ offense. … Still, Donna will be in games because it is strong defensively and across the lines. … Brownsville Vets brings back 14 starters, including eight on offense. … PREDICTION: Donna High, 14-7
— Dennis Silva II
NON-DISTRICT
Sharyland Pioneer at Hidalgo
WHERE: Bill Pate Stadium, Hidalgo
WHEN: Friday, 7:30 p.m.
RECORDS: Sharyland Pioneer (0-0);
Hidalgo (0-0)
GAME NOTES: The Diamondbacks will go on the road for their first-ever varsity football game, facing a Pirates team that qualified for the postseason last year. … Pioneer is loaded with juniors and that could very well show early on. Hidalgo, by contrast, graduated only 11 seniors and returns nine players on offense. … Numbers are low for the Pirates, meaning that depth could be an issue sometime down the line, but not against a Pioneer team looking to find its footing. … The Diamondbacks are led by Joe Garza, who started at linebacker for Sharyland High last year’s. He’s the only starter on last year’s Rattlers team on Pioneer’s roster. PREDICTION: Hidalgo, 28-10.
— Mario Aguirre
NON-DISTRICT
BROWNSVILLE LOPEZ AT
LA JOYA PALMVIEW
WHERE: La Joya Stadium, La Joya
WHEN: Thursday, 7 p.m.
RECORDS: Brownsville Lopez (0-0); La Joya Palmview (0-0)
GAME NOTES: Both teams struggled in district play last season: Lopez went 2-6 in 32-5A, Palmview 1-7 in 30-5A. … Lopez started 2013 strong, beating La Joya High and Valley View in non-district play. … Quarterback Michael Vasquez missed the end of last season due to injury but returns for 2014. Vasquez is a dual threat: he ran for a 21-yard touchdown in a scrimmage against St. Joseph Academy. … La Joya Palmview’s Margarito Requenez will be coaching his first game since having the interim tag removed last December. Requenez brought in new coordinators, assistants and packages. … Palmview should still be a run-first team, with fullback Jose Bernal working behind an offensive line that includes the guard duo of Arturo Gutierrez and Michael Rodriguez. … Palmview returns all three starting linebackers.
PREDICTION: La Joya Palmview, 14-12
— Greg Luca
NON-DISTRICT
BROWNSVILLE HANNA
AT EDINBURG ECONOMEDES
WHERE: Cats Memorial Stadium, Edinburg
WHEN: Thursday, 7 p.m.
RECORDS: Brownsville Hanna (0-0); Edinburg Economedes (0-0)
GAME NOTES: Economedes is looking to make the playoffs for the third straight year, which would be a first for the program. … Hanna wants to break a four-year playoff drought. … Both teams return four offensive starters and four defensive starters. … Hanna’s offense looked good in scrimmage action, beating Weslaco 21-14 in the live-action portion. … Junior Andres Lopez returns as the unit’s quarterback after winning the job mid-year in 2013. … Wideouts Lucas Oliveres and Marco Garcia give Lopez useful targets. … Economedes is known for playing smash-mouth football, and that won’t change this season. Expect a powerful run game from the slot-T offense and an aggressive, blitzing defense. … The player to watch for Economedes is Doroteo Arreola, who was an all-district selection as a tight end last season but has moved to halfback.
PREDICTION: Edinburg Economedes, 21-10
— Greg Luca
NON-DISTRICT
INGLESIDE AT RIO GRANDE CITY
WHERE: Joe R. Sanchez Stadium, Rio Grande City
WHEN: Thursday, 7 p.m.
RECORDS: Ingleside (0-0, 0-0);
Rio Grande City (0-0, 0-0)
GAME NOTES: The Rattlers will have their hands full coming out of the gates, facing an Ingleside team that went three rounds deep into the playoffs last year. The Mustangs return 20 upperclassmen from that squad, while Rio Grande City is adjusting to graduating 36 seniors. … The opening-week matchup should prove difficult for a Rattlers squad that essentially has a first-year starting quarterback in Jason Gorena with respect to game experience. The senior, however, is optimistic that a year watching from the sideline will give him an upper hand. … Rio Grande City returns just seven starters (three on offense), but coach Carlos Longoria takes solace in knowing his players have had stability the past four years with only one system. … Look for the Rattlers to struggle a bit while adjusting to several new pieces on both sides of the ball.
PREDICTION: Ingleside, 42-14
— Mario Aguirre
NON-DISTRICT
LYFORD AT LA VILLA
WHERE: Cardinal Stadium, La Villa
WHEN: Friday, 7:30 p.m.
RECORDS: Lyford (0-0); La Villa (0-0)
GAME NOTES: La Villa lost some considerable talent with the graduation of QB Robert Serna and the transfer of RB Lupe Moron, but the Cardinals are still deep and athletic in the backfield. … QB Macario Perez will lead the way, and he’ll have plenty of help in tailbacks Ramon Cantu, Isaac Silva and Arnold Salazar to thrive in coach Joe Salinas’ dominant rushing attack. … The defense is a concern, however. Only four starters return, and there is a new defensive coordinator. … Lyford is young and coming off a 1-9 season. The Bulldogs return nine players.
PREDICTION: La Villa, 28-14
— Dennis Silva II
NON-DISTRICT
MONTE ALTO AT
CORPUS CHRISTI LONDON
WHERE: Cabaniss Field, Corpus Christi
WHEN: Thursday, 7 p.m.
RECORDS: Monte Alto (0-0); Corpus Christi (0-0)
GAME NOTES: Monte Alto has better numbers this season, so the depth will be better. … Keep an eye on Blue Devils junior quarterback Frank Rojas, a lefty. … Monte Alto is moving up in classification, but it will play a small London team. … The Blue Devils return 14 starters, including district Newcomer of the Year RB/LB Damian Martinez. … After going 1-6 in its first varsity year in 2012, London did not field a team last year.
PREDICTION: Monte Alto, 21-7
— Dennis Silva II
NON-DISTRICT
WESLACO EAST AT
BROWNSVILLE RIVERA
WHERE: Sams Memorial Stadium, Brownsville
WHEN: Thursday, 7 p.m.
RECORDS: Weslaco East (0-0); Brownsville Rivera (0-0, 0-0)
GAME NOTES: Weslaco East is coming off another playoff season, now going on seven straight seasons and the Wildcats aren’t ready to stop that streak. Weslaco East brings a power running game and will look to control the clock against the Raiders’ veteran defense. … Rivera earned a playoff berth last season and took down District 31-5A champion McAllen High in the first round. The Raiders lost one of the Valley’s top running backs in Jacquil Evans, but Jair Guevara and Mario Mendez look to fill the void for the Rivera rushing attack. If Rivera can contain the Wildcats offense, it should be a tight game.
PREDICTION: Brownsville Rivera, 24-23
— Andrew Crum
NON-DISTRICT
EDINBURG NORTH AT LOS FRESNOS
WHERE: Leo Aguilar Memorial Stadium, Los Fresnos
WHEN: Friday, 7:30 p.m.
RECORDS: Edinburg North (0-0); Los Fresnos (0-0)
GAME NOTES: Edinburg North finished 11-2 and went to the third round of the playoffs last season. First-year coach Rene Saenz has his work cut out for him with just three starters back for a hopeful return to the postseason. … Los Fresnos advanced to the playoffs for the third straight season and advanced to the area round. Coach Clint Finley lost plenty of talent, especially in quarterback Javier Cruz. Senior Pierce Ruiz takes over as the Falcons signal caller and has plenty of weapons around him, including running back Eli Cruz for the Falcons high-scoring offense.
PREDICTION: Los Fresnos 24-21
— Andrew Crum
NON-DISTRICT
PROGRESO AT
BROWNSVILLE PORTER
WHERE: Sams Memorial Stadium, Brownsville
WHEN: Friday, 7:30 p.m.
RECORDS: Progreso High (0-0); Brownsville Porter (0-0)
GAME NOTES: Progreso moves up to Class 4A due to district realignment and looks to improve on a 3-7 campaign last season. Second-year coach Tom Salazar lost several key starters to graduation on defense, but his offense remains mostly intact with quarterback Dagoberto Zamora and tailback Esteban Ontiveros returning. … Porter hopes to rebound after a winless season under second-year coach Tom Campos. But the Cowboys are more confident this season, especially with 14 starters returning. Porter looks to junior quarterback Frank Alvarado to lead the offense again with tailback Jorge Gutierrez and fullback Zyrone Reed leading the ground attack.
PREDICTION: Progreso 24-14
— Andrew Crum
NON-DISTRICT
DONNA NORTH AT LA FERIA
WHERE: Lion Field, La Feria
WHEN: Friday, 7:30 p.m.
RECORDS: La Feria (0-0); Donna North (0-0)
GAME NOTES: La Feria might have lost star quarterback Eric Cuervo but Isaac Galpin has showed in preseason that he can move the ball. With receivers Tony Ramires and Angel Carrea look for the Lions to put some points on the board. … Donna North on the other hand will be looking to start its varsity program on the right foot against La Feria. … Having picked sophomore Manny Ramirez as the starting QB, coach Tommy Sauceda will need Luis Castillo, Manuel Lerma, and Dominick Castillo to lead his young squad.
PREDICTIONS: La Feria 21-7
— Freddy Gonzalez
NON-DISTRICT
EDINBURG HIGH AT SAN BENITO
WHERE: Bobby Morrow Stadium, San Benito
WHEN: Friday, 7:30 p.m.
RECORDS: Edinburg (0-0); San Benito (0-0)
GAME NOTES: Two different teams going head-to-head, eager to start their new coaching eras on the right foot. … The Greyhounds are looking to bounce back from a 3-7 2013 and get back to the postseason after missing the playoffs the last two seasons. The ‘Hounds welcome new coach Dan Gomez. … The Edinburg Bobcats and new coach Joaquin Escobar has hit the reset button heading into his first year. After the Bobcats finished 2-8 in 2013, they take the field under the tutelage of coaches from all across the state. … The ‘Hounds return 16 lettermen but of that group only four were starters a year ago, making San Benito an inexperienced bunch that has to learn new systems, especially on offense, where they start Christian Sierra who switched over from the running back position. … Edinburg returns just five starters and is installing new schemes on offense and defense. The defense switches to a 3-4 and the offense will look to spread it out, so there will be some bumps in the road as this team grows. However, quarterback Angel Diaz is improved and has strong targets to pass to.
PREDICTION: San Benito, 24-21
— Freddy Gonzalez