RGVSports.com
With only one week remaining in the regular season, the Valley high school football playoff picture is starting to take shape. Many teams have already solidified their seeding, division and even their matchup, while others are still fighting for their postseason lives.
Here are the scenarios for each Class 6A and 5A district:
DISTRICT 30-6A
McAllen Memorial is 5-0 in district and has clinched at least a share of the district title.
McAllen Rowe is 4-1 and can secure a share of a district championship with a win over McAllen Memorial in Week 11.
Otherwise, the Mustangs will be outright champions for the fourth straight season.
The final two spots will go to two of La Joya Juarez-Lincoln, McAllen High, Mission High or La Joya High based on the results of Week 11.
If La Joya High loses its matchup against La Joya Palmview, the winner of Thursday’s game between McAllen High and Mission High will advance to the playoffs along with La Joya Juarez-Lincoln. The Eagles can only reach the playoffs with a win and a Coyotes loss.
If La Joya High beats Palmview and McAllen High beats Mission High, then McHi and La Joya High advance from a three-team tie that would also include La Joya Juarez-Lincoln.
If La Joya High beats Palmview and Mission High beats McAllen High, then La Joya High and Juarez-Lincoln advance from a three-team tie that would also include Mission High.
McAllen Memorial will be the top seed in division I unless both La Joya High and Juarez-Lincoln qualify. In that case, the Mustangs will be top seed in Division II.
DISTRICT 31-6A
Edinburg Vela has clinched at least a share of the district title. PSJA High can take the other share with a win against Edinburg North and a Vela loss to Edinburg Economedes. Any other scenario gives Vela the title outright.
PSJA High is in the playoffs and will compete in Division II. Edinburg High has also clinched a spot and will play in Division I. Vela will be in Division I only if PSJA Memorial is the fourth team. If any other team takes the fourth spot, Vela is in Division II.
The fourth spot requires many tie-breaking scenarios. Edinburg North is in a great spot, as it owns many of the tie-breakers. Only two scenarios don’t put Edinburg North in the postseason.
In order for PSJA North to advance, it needs to beat Edinburg High, and it needs all of Economedes, Edinburg North and PSJA Memorial to lose.
PSJA Memorial can get to the postseason if it beats PSJA High, PSJA North wins and Economedes loses.
Since Vela could go to either division and the seeding in Division II of District 32-6A is still uncertain, the playoff matchups are unsettled until Week 11’s games are completed.
DISTRICT 32-6A
The four playoff teams in District 32-6A will be San Benito, Brownsville Hanna, Weslaco East and Los Fresnos.
San Benito will be the No. 1 seed in Division I, while Los Fresnos will be the No. 2 seed in Division I.
Brownsville Hanna and Weslaco East will both be in Division II, and the winner of their Week 11 matchup will be the No. 1 seed.
If PSJA Memorial advances to the postseason from District 31-6A, it will play the winner of the Week 11 game between East and Hanna.
If Edinburg North or PSJA North makes the playoffs, that team will be 31-6A’s No. 2 seed in Division I and will face San Benito.
PSJA High will play Brownsville Hanna or Weslaco East. Edinburg High will play San Benito or Los Fresnos.
The only team Vela can’t draw in the bi-district round is San Benito.
DISTRICT 31-5A
Mission Veterans, Sharyland High and Laredo Nixon have all clinched playoff spots heading into the final week of the regular season at 6-1. The three programs could share the District 31-5A crown if Mission Veterans downs Valley View, Sharyland High defeats Rio Grande City and Laredo Nixon beats Laredo Martin in Week 11.
Mission Veterans and Laredo Nixon will be the Division I representatives from 31-5A. Provided they both win their season finales, the Patriots would take the No. 1 seed, and the Mustangs would slide in as the No. 2 seed due to the Vets’ 48-17 win over Nixon on Oct. 13. Veterans would still lock in the No. 1 seed if the Patriots and Mustangs both drop their finales. If Mission Veterans loses to Valley View and Nixon wins its finale against Laredo Martin, the Mustangs would be the No. 1 seed and the Patriots would settle for the No. 2 seed.
The only certainty in the district is that Sharyland High will be the No. 1 seed in Division II and will likely square off with Brownsville Pace — the current No. 2 seed in Division II representing 32-5A — in the bi-district round.
Sharyland Pioneer and Rio Grande City are the two squads fighting for the final playoff spot and No. 2 seed in Division II. Pioneer gets in with a win at Roma on Friday, or if Rio Grande City loses in its finale at Sharyland High. Pioneer owns the tiebreaker over RGC following its head-to-head victory on Oct. 13.
Rio Grande City needs the most help to get into the playoffs. Not only do the Rattlers need to win at Sharyland High this week, but Pioneer must lose at Roma for RGC to secure a playoff berth. The team that claims the final playoff spot in 31-5A will face Mercedes in the bi-district round.
DISTRICT 32-5A
The four playoff teams in District 32-5A are set entering Week 11: Brownsville Veterans, Mercedes, Brownsville Lopez and Brownsville Pace. The Division I representatives will be Brownsville Veterans (No. 1 seed) and Brownsville Lopez (No. 2 seed), while Division II will have Mercedes (No. 1 seed) and Brownsville Pace (No. 2 seed).
In Division I, Brownsville Veterans will face the No. 2 seed from District 31-5A, which could be Mission Veterans or Laredo Nixon. No. 2 seed Lopez will meet either Mission Veterans or Laredo Nixon, depending on which team captures the No. 1 seed in Division I from 31-5A.
In Division II, No. 2 seed Pace will meet Sharyland High, and No. 1 seed Mercedes will meet either Sharyland Pioneer or Rio Grande City in bi-district competition.