RGVSports.com Countdown to Kickoff: No. 8 Sharyland Pioneer

No. 8: Sharyland Pioneer

2016 record: 8-3, 7-1 in 31-5A; bi-district qualifiers

Of note: Sharyland Pioneer shared the District 31-5A championship with Laredo Nixon last season.

Key returners include junior Jacob Rosales, who registered 23 touchdown passes and only four interceptions last year, and junior Michael Benavidez, who ran for 589 yards and five touchdowns.

Senior free safety Tyler Bulthuis will anchor the Diamondbacks’ secondary after pulling in three interceptions in 2016, and senior linebacker Angel Chapa returns after leading the team with 132 tackles last season.

8. SHARYLAND PIONEER

9. MISSION VETERANS

10. BROWNSVILLE VETERANS

RGVSports.com will reveal its preseason Top 10, one team per day, leading up to the start of the 2017 football season on Aug. 31.