By CLAIRE CRUZ, Staff Writer
LYFORD — It’s the final week of the regular season for Class 1A through 4A teams, and some East Valley squads will be battling for playoff spots.
The Santa Rosa Warriors (0-2) will play host to Taft (6-3, 1-1) at 7:30 p.m. Friday to keep their season alive. The winner will earn the No. 4 playoff seed in District 16-3A Division II.
Lyford notched a big 42-35 win over Corpus Christi London last week to earn a spot in the District 16-3A Division I championship game. The Bulldogs (5-0, 2-0) will face San Diego (3-1, 2-0) at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Javelina Stadium in Kingsville for the title and the No. 1 playoff seed.
The Raymondville Bearkats will return to the gridiron after a month-long hiatus to play at Port Isabel at 7:30 p.m. Friday. The Bearkats (1-0) were one of the first Rio Grande Valley teams to hit the gridiron for a game, but after a statement win over Victoria West on Oct. 9, they’ve been sidelined due to COVID-19.
The Tarpons (0-1) opened their season last week with a close 35-28 loss to PSJA Southwest. The winner of the Raymondville-Port Isabel game will clinch the No. 3 playoff seed in District 16-4A Division II.
Brownsville St. Joseph (2-3) snapped a two-game skid with a 36-21 victory over Austin Hyde Park last week. The Bloodhounds will look to keep that momentum rolling when they travel to Corpus Christi John Paul II (3-3) for a district game at 7 p.m. Friday. SJA has one more district game scheduled for next week.
All four East Valley teams in District 16-5A Division I will be in action this week. Brownsville Veterans Memorial (1-1, 0-1) kicks things off with a game at 6 p.m. Wednesday against McAllen Rowe at Sams Memorial Stadium. Brownsville Pace (1-0, 1-0) travels to face Weslaco East at 7 p.m. Thursday at Bobby Lackey Stadium. Also Thursday, Brownsville Porter (2-0, 1-0) and Brownsville Lopez (1-1, 0-1) will play at 7 p.m. at Sams Memorial Stadium.
District 32-6A teams Brownsville Hanna and Brownsville Rivera are open this week. Hanna (2-0) sits atop the Southeast Zone after defeating Los Fresnos last week. San Benito (1-0) travels to Los Fresnos (1-1) for a 7 p.m. kickoff Friday. Harlingen High (2-0, 1-0) will face Donna North (0-2, 0-1) at 7 p.m. Friday at Boggus Stadium. Harlingen South (1-1) travels to face Weslaco High in the Panthers’ season opener at 7 p.m. Friday at Bobby Lackey Stadium.