By CLAIRE CRUZ, Staff Writer
LYFORD — The Port Isabel, Raymondville and Rio Hondo football teams will be playing a very reduced schedule during the 2020 season.
The District 16-4A Division II coaches met Wednesday to finalize plans for the district season. The eight-team district has five teams located outside of the Rio Grande Valley that began practicing Aug. 3, and three East Valley squads that can’t hit the field until late September. Cameron County pushed back the date athletics can return to Sept. 28, and Willacy County schools will remain closed until Sept. 21.
Because of the disparity, 16-4A DII decided to split into two zones. Ingleside, Robstown, Rockport-Fulton, Sinton and West Oso will compete in the North Zone for the Nos. 1, 2 and 4 playoff seeds. The Bearkats, Bobcats and Tarpons will battle in the South Zone for the No. 3 seed.
“The reason for the zones is that’s the only thing we can do. There was no way to get an even split on the districts, so that was the only logical thing,” Rio Hondo coach and athletic director Rocky James said. “We voted, and it was a 5-3 vote anyway because those five were sticking together. Those five schools are playing football, so it was only fair for them to stick together since they’re not having the problems we’re having right now.”
Last week, James said his Bobcats and Port Isabel were aiming to start strength and conditioning Sept. 7 after Rio Hondo superintendent Roger Ellis allowed James’ squad to meet face-to-face one week before the school will reopen. But the county’s delayed reopening date was the nail in the coffin for the hopes of any additional games for the East Valley teams.
“The shutdown ’til the 28th is really what hurt our chances of getting an even 4-4 split. That left us with few options,” James said.
Port Isabel coach and athletic director Tony Villarreal said the finalized district schedule for the RGV teams will be released today. The tentative schedule, according to James, has Port Isabel playing at Rio Hondo on Oct. 23, Rio Hondo at Raymondville on Oct. 30 and Raymondville visiting Port Isabel on Nov. 6. The postseason begins with the bi-district round Nov. 12.
Even though the East Valley 16-4A DII schedule was cut drastically, James thinks the competition and energy in the contests will be as strong as ever for his Bobcats, and he’s hopeful nothing else changes to jeopardize his team getting the opportunity to play.
“On a positive note, at least the two games are against our rivals. The kids don’t need anything to fire them up against Port Isabel or Raymondville,” James said. “We started working out with the kids again on (Aug. 3), virtually, so we’re going to continue doing that, continue having our Zoom meetings and hope for the best. Hope that we don’t get shut down and that it doesn’t get bumped again, because if it gets bumped any further, then we will not have a season because we’re down to the last three weeks.”