PSJA Southwest began the year 3-0 before cooling off, but one Javelinas player who remained hot all season was junior safety/linebacker Luis Banda.
Banda was a key cog in Southwest’s No. 2-ranked defense in District 16-5A DI, which allowed just 307.7 yards per game. He never stopped racking up stops as the junior leads Class 5A with 147 total tackles through 10 games.
Banda filled the stat sheet with 12 tackles for loss, two sacks, 17 quarterback pressures, two fumble recoveries, one fumble recovery and one interception this season.
The speedy and athletic hybrid linebacker/safety will be back next year to lead the Southwest defense as the Javelinas continue their hunt for the program’s first playoff berth.
REMATCH TIME
Mission Veterans won its third consecutive district title in 2019 as co-champs with Rio Grande City. With the postseason starting this week, the Patriots are hoping to go on another run like last year’s fourth-round playoff-qualifying team.
But in this year’s first round, District 16-5A DI’s No. 1-seeded Patriots (8-2, 8-1) are faced with a familiar opponent, which isn’t the typical No. 4 seed in Corpus Christi Veterans.
Both teams battled in last year’s third round at the Alamodome as the Patriots walked away with a 62-55 victory.
In that game, Mission Veterans receiver AJ Gonzaque went off for seven catches for 132 yards. This year, however, the all-state receiver will be playing behind center in shotgun as he’s taken the reins of the Patriots’ offense due to injury. In four starts at quarterback this season, Gonzaque has thrown for 981 yards, 15 touchdowns and just one interception, while rushing for another 414 yards and six touchdown runs.
The Eagles (7-3, 5-3) will look to avenge that loss, but the Patriots are determined to prove they’re the better team again in 2019.
Mission Veterans and Corpus Christi Veterans are slated to kick things off at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Tom Landry Stadium in Mission.
GATORS GOING DANCING
The Gators’ season was on the line last week as Grulla faced a must-win situation against Zapata. A loss could have eliminated the Gators from playoff contention, while a win would have assured them an invite to the postseason.
Luckily for Gators, they came through with a 33-19. While the Zapata defense focused on stopping Grulla’s star receiver, Jesse Garza (60 receptions, 981 yards, 17 TDs), the rest of the Gators stepped up. Running back Jonathan Huerta ran for 129 yards and one touchdown on 14 carries, while quarterback JT Trujio punched in two more scores on the ground.
Grulla is set to face Gonzales in the opening round of the playoffs at 7 p.m. Friday at Flour Bluff High School in Corpus Christi.