By CLAIRE CRUZ, Staff Writer
It’s officially playoff time for the UIL sub-5A programs in the East Valley.
Three schools begin their postseason journeys this weekend, while large schools continue on their quests to earn playoff bids.
The Raymondville Bearkats kick off the bi-district action when they face the Devine Warhorses at 7 p.m. Thursday at Buccaneer Stadium in Corpus Christi. The Bearkats (2-0) have only played one game this season, way back on Oct. 9. They got into the playoffs after the Port Isabel Tarpons had to cancel the only District 16-4A Division II game on either team’s schedule.
Raymondville received the No. 3 seed as the winner of the district’s south zone. Devine (8-2, 4-1) enters the matchup riding a three-game winning streak and has outscored opponents 146-0 during that span. Raymondville’s offense can score in a hurry, too, led by senior running back ZaRaiVion Armendarez, and senior defensive end Dylan Ramirez anchors the Bearkats’ defense.
District 16-4A Division I runner-up La Feria (3-1) faces Corpus Christi Miller (6-4, 4-2) at 7:30 p.m. Friday at the Cabaniss Athletic Complex. The La Feria Lions are averaging 34.5 points per game behind the efforts of three seniors: running back Angel Garcia, athlete Dereck Perez and quarterback Dario Sanchez.
Miller is on a two-game winning streak and won a shootout 86-76 game last Friday.
The District 16-3A Division I runner-up Lyford Bulldogs (5-1, 2-1) take on Palacios (6-3, 4-2) at 6 p.m. Saturday at Buccaneer Stadium. Lyford narrowly lost the district title and No. 1 seed last week in a 28-24 contest with San Diego. Senior quarterback Cayleb Klostermann and a stout Bulldogs defense will look to lead Lyford into the area round.
Brownsville St. Joseph (2-4) will be playing its final TAPPS Division II District 3 contest against San Antonio St. Anthony at 5 p.m. Friday at Canales Field in Brownsville. The Bloodhounds will be looking to bounce back after a 49-34 loss to Corpus Christi John Paul II last week.
District 16-5A Division I has two important zone games happening this week in the East Valley. The Brownsville Porter Cowboys (3-0, 2-0) kick off the action at 7 p.m. Thursday as they play host to the Weslaco East Wildcats (1-0) at Sams Memorial Stadium. Weslaco East opened its season with a 44-34 win over Brownsville Pace, which is idle this week. A win could put the Cowboys in prime position to contend for the top spot in the zone.
Brownsville Veterans Memorial (1-2, 0-1) and Brownsville Lopez (1-2, 0-2) face off at 6:30 p.m. Friday at Sams Stadium. Both teams enter the contest on two-game losing streaks and need a win to get back in the race for the zone play-in.
The Harlingen High Cardinals (3-0, 2-0) and Weslaco High Panthers (1-0) clash in a big game at 7:30 p.m. Friday night at Bobby Lackey Stadium in Weslaco. A win for the Cardinals would punch the team’s ticket to the District 32-6A title game as the top Northwest Zone team.
Los Fresnos (1-2) and Harlingen South (1-2) will play a non-zone 32-6A game at 7 p.m. Friday at Boggus Stadium in Harlingen. Both are coming in looking to snap two-game losing streaks.
On Saturday, the Brownsville Rivera Raiders (0-1) return to action after being quarantined due to COVID-19 to play a makeup game at 1 p.m. at San Benito’s Bobby Morrow Stadium. The San Benito Greyhounds (1-1) are coming off of a dominant 60-8 win over Los Fresnos last week, and a second straight victory would put them right behind 2-0 Brownsville Hanna, which is open for the second consecutive week, in the Southeast Zone standings.