By ANDREW CRUM | The Brownsville Herald

Hanna makes unexpected history

It’s been a while since Hanna recorded a victory over Harlingen High. In fact, it took 14 meetings over the past 24 years to be exact after the Golden Eagles (7-2, 5-1 in District 32-6A) defeated the Cardinals, 32-6, in Week 10. Hanna last enjoyed a win over Harlingen in 1993, and making the triumph even sweeter was the revelation that the Cardinals are now eliminated from playoff contention. The Eagles bounced back from a loss to San Benito in Week 9, going on the road to upend the Cardinals. The Eagles not only won, but did so in impressive fashion when you consider Hanna had been outscored 486-191 during its 13 straight losses to the Cardinals. The Eagles were solid on both sides of the ball, as the offense piled up 341 yards, including 226 yards on the ground. Hanna’s rushing attack was led by junior running back Cesar Mancias, who finished with 103 yards on 15 carries with a touchdown. Through the air, sophomore quarterback Victor Campos threw for 115 yards and a score. The defense did its part in holding Harlingen to 195 yards along with two interceptions. Both units came together to put an end to a long history of losing to the Cardinals. Balance and chemistry on both sides of the ball has fueled Hanna’s doubling of its win total from a year ago and earned the Eagles a postseason berth for the first time since 2009. Hanna isn’t finished yet and would love to head to the playoffs with momentum, and must top fellow postseason-bound ball club Weslaco East at Sams Memorial Stadium to do it before a long awaited postseason return next week.

Los Fresnos gets a wake-up call

Los Fresnos has taken an easier route to the postseason than it did last season, although its Week 10 outing against Rivera wasn’t exactly trouble-free. The Falcons (6-3, 4-2 District 32-6A) were tied with the Raiders after three quarters, but on the strength of a pair of touchdowns during the final three minutes, Los Fresnos survived Rivera, 28-14, and earned a playoff berth. On the back of senior quarterback Charles Chapa, who finished with two rushing touchdowns to go with 183 yards passing and a pair of touchdowns to sophomore receiver Nico Valencia (five catches for 138 yards), Los Fresnos earned a critical win to return to the playoffs once again. Last season, the Falcons had to win four of their final five contests to earn a postseason spot. This fall, the road has been smoother, but after starting 2-2 in district play, the Falcons have won their last two games, including a 27-20 comeback win over Harlingen High in Week 9. Los Fresnos had to hold off a spirited yet 1-8 Rivera team Saturday and it might be better off because of it. The Falcons got a wake-up call of sorts against Rivera and know they must play better to make a postseason run like they did last season, when they advanced to the third round.

Pace’s comeback brings victory, playoff berth

Hanna wasn’t the only team last week to earn a playoff berth while also ending a lengthy postseason drought. Pace (5-4, 4-2 in District 32-5A) started 1-2 in district play this season, but has since won three straight games, including a 35-31 comeback win over Donna High on the road last week. The Vikings’ offense was led by senior quarterback Randy Aguilar (232 yards passing and a touchdown), who used his legs for the game-winning score, which came via a 1-yard run with just under two minutes remaining. Junior running back Brandon Zapata ran for 98 yards and a pair of scores. Pace also earned a come-from-behind road win over Donna North in Week 8 to motor a push to the playoffs for the first time since 2011. Sandwiched in between the road wins in Donna was an impressive shocker in Week 9. Pace showed how much its defense has improved in a 34-17 victory over Edcouch-Elsa. It forced four turnovers and limited the Yellowjackets’ trips into the end zone, allowing just a pair of rushing touchdowns and a field goal. The Vikings have really come together as a team and seem to be clicking on both sides of the ball, but will face playoff-bound Lopez in the season finale Friday, with both teams looking to take some momentum into the postseason.

The Tarpons’ playoff hopes live or die in Week 11

It’s been an up-and-down season for Port Isabel, as it has learned a new offensive scheme under new head coach Jaime Infante. On top of that challenge, a rash of injuries has also affected the Tarpons this fall. Those injuries were especially harsh early in the season, especially for P.I.’s top-two signal callers in the first two weeks of the season. Port Isabel (2-6, 1-3 in 16-4A, Division II) has since learned Infante’s offense and steadily improved on defense, but it hasn’t translated to the win column. With second-string quarterback Jeremy Martinez back in the lineup after an injury, Port Isabel has shown growth on offense and finds itself in a position that didn’t look possible a month ago. In the season finale, the Tarpons face West Oso with the winner earning district’s last postseason berth. West Oso has improved this season, but has struggled at times in district play. Port Isabel has given itself a chance to return to the playoffs after losing 5 of 6 games to start the season. A win would not only get the Tarpons in the playoffs, but would also be something to build on in Infante’s second season at the helm in 2018.

St. Joseph gets a shot at a district title nearly 40 years in the making

Two weeks ago, St. Joseph Academy got a monkey of its back with a TAPPS Division I, District 2 win over Central Catholic (San Antonio), its first victory over the Buttons in four years. After a rough non-district loss to All Saints Academy (Fort Worth) in Week 10, the Bloodhounds (5-4, 1-0) will get an opportunity to capture their first district title in 37 years. Senior dual-threat quarterback Kai Money, who has accounted for over 3,000 yards of offense and 32 touchdowns on the season, hopes to lead St. Joseph to a district title that has eluded the program during his outstanding four-year career. The Bloodhounds get their chance with a trip to San Antonio to face Antonian Prep, who they defeated 42-21 at home a year ago. If St. Joseph can earn a victory, it would be the first district title for the school since 1980. After starting the season 1-3, the Bloodhounds have won 4 of 5. Already with a big win over Central Catholic this year, St. Joseph hopes to run the table and reach the postseason in statement-making fashion.

Andrew Crum covers sports for The Brownsville Herald. You can reach him at (956) 982-6629 or via email at [email protected]. On Twitter, he’s @andrewmcrum.

By ANDREW CRUM | THE BROWNSVILLE HERALD

It’s been a tough season for Porter and it didn’t get any easier against Mercedes.

The Cowboys’ offense moved the ball well, but didn’t get into the end zone in a 54-0 loss to the Tigers in a District 32-5A game on Friday night at Sams Memorial Stadium.

To add insult to injury, Porter quarterback Ramiro Martinez — already playing quarterback after freshman quarterback Kevin Garcia was lost to injury — exited on a stretcher by EMS in the fourth quarter, but it’s not known for what type of injury or if he’ll be able to play in the season finale next week.

“Ram’s a tough kid, I love that kid,” Porter coach Carlos Uresti said. “That kind of took the air our of our offense … now we’ve had to move a running back to quarterback. It’s tough. We’ve lost a handful of players already and seems like every other game we’re losing another one.

“Ram’s a good one, he does a lot for us.”

Porter (0-9, 0-6 in District 32-5A) rushed for 209 yards on the night, but it convert those yards into points or match the passing game by Mercedes (7-2, 5-1), who had senior quarterback Marc Ledesma throw for 236 yards and four touchdowns to clinch a postseason berth for the Tigers.

“It’s exciting to know we’re back in the postseason and keep that streak going,” Mercedes coach Roger Adame Jr. said. “For these seniors, their season will continue and they’ll have more opportunities.

“It was an overall team victory.”

The Cowboys junior running back Ulises Guzman led the team with 67 yards on the ground and senior running back Jose Villalon finished with 55 yards rushing.

After Porter punted after its first drive, Mercedes used a 35-yard punt return for a short field. And three plays later, sophomore running back Sonny Vela scored on a 1-yard run for a 7-0 lead with 6:59 left in the opening quarter.

In the second quarter, the Tigers used quick scoring drives to pull away. Marc Ledesma hit senior receiver Luis Gonzales on a 49-yard touchdown pass to make it 13-0 after the point after attempt was blocked with 6:33 left in the second.

Mercedes continued to find the end zone on its next possession as Marc Ledesma hit his brother senior Matthew Ledesma on a 62-yard catch-and-run for another touchdown and pushed the edge to 20-0 with 4:08 left in the second.

After another Porter punt, the Tigers quickly moved down the field again and capped it off as Marc Ledesma hit senior receiver Ryan Reyes on a 2-yard catch for another score and extended the lead to 27-0 less than a minute before the break.

Matthew Ledesma began the second half with a 90-yard kickoff return for a touchdown and later in the third quarter, Roger Adame III returned a Porter fumble 30 yards for another score to take a 40-0 lead midway through the third.

“The offense was explosive and we’ve been close this year (scoring) defensively,” Adame Jr. said. “Roger was able to get it into the end zone and special teams was too … those are always big game changers.”

In the fourth quarter, Marc Ledesma hit junior receiver Leeroy Garcia on a 34-yard touchdown pass and later junior running back Alex Ramos found the end zone after a 18-yard run to make it 54-0 with 4:02 left in the final quarter.

Matthew Ledesma finished with three catches for 131 yards and a touchdown and a kickoff return for another score for the Tigers.

Mercedes has plenty of momentum heading into the final week of the season and into the playoffs.

“We still have things to fix and we have to go back to work before the postseason,” Adame Jr. said. “Right now it’s all about momentum and playing well at the right time … it will carry us into the playoffs. The team that carries a lot of momentum, the team that’s playing well has a greater opportunity to continue playing in November and hopefully December.”

For Porter, it’s been a struggle to score, especially how well it has moved the ball for the majority of the season.

“We have one game left, the kids spirits are up … but it’s unfortunate we can’t catch a break,” Uresti said. “Offensively we move the ball up and down the field, but we can’t finish a drive this year for some reason. We’ve moved up a few guys and we’ll see what we’ve got left (next week).”

Andrew Crum covers sports for The Brownsville Herald. You can reach him at (956) 982-6629 or via email at [email protected]. On Twitter, he’s @andrewmcrum.

By ANDREW CRUM | THE BROWNSVILLE HERALD

After a pair of losses in District 32-5A the last two weeks, Lopez needed to regroup quickly against Edcouch-Elsa.

The Lobos did just that on both sides of the ball, overcoming a halftime deficit and blanking the Yellowjackets in the second half to earn a 23-14 victory in The Brownsville Herald’s Game of the Week on Thursday at Sams Memorial Stadium.

Trailing 14-7 at the break, Lopez senior quarterback Marco Solis — who finished with 101 yards of offense, including 70 yards through the air — threw a touchdown pass to senior receiver Johnny Ibarra to tie the game at 14 with 10:02 left in the third quarter.

Junior running back Christian Gamez scored the go-ahead touchdown on a 16-yard run with 11:20 to go in the fourth quarter.

The Lobos’ defense added a safety with less than four minutes to play in the final quarter to seal the win. The unit had an eventful night, it scored on a fumble return for a touchdown, had a pair of sacks, forced two turnovers and kept the Edcouch-Elsa offense out of the end zone over the final 24 minutes.

“It feels great … I can’t even speak right now,” Solis said. “We had more motivation and dedication (in the second half) and we were able to get this win.”

With the win, Lopez (7-2, 4-2 in District 32-5A) earns a return trip to the postseason while Edcouch-Elsa (4-5, 2-4) might have fallen out of the race with one game to go in the regular season.

“The glory goes to God and the credit goes to these coaches and these kids,” Lopez coach Jason Starkey said. “I challenged these seniors to be remembered … they’re going back-to-back (in the postseason) like only one other senior class has (at Lopez). They’re going to be remembered because of our defensive coordinator Hugo Ramirez and our offensive coordinator Alberto Leal.

“I literally had nothing to do with this plan … and that’s why it worked.”

The Yellowjackets moved the ball well in the second half, but penalties and mistakes were costly.

“I think it was more of a mental thing … (Lopez) wanted it and it seemed like we thought they we’re going to give it to us,” Edcouch-Elsa coach Joe Marichalar said. “The game of football isn’t like that. You have to work, fight, scratch for every inch and at times we did and at times we didn’t.

“(Lopez) did the whole way and that was the difference.”

Lopez used its defense to take an early lead. Edcouch-Elsa fumbled on its first drive of the game and senior running back Jose Echavarria (who was playing in the secondary) picked it up and ran 89 yards for a touchdown to give the Lobos a 7-0 lead with 9:08 left in the opening quarter.

After the teams traded punts, the Yellowjackets tied it at 7 with a 1-yard touchdown run by senior running back Jorge Gomez with 2:44 left in the first.

Both squads then turned the ball over on consecutive interceptions before Edcouch-Elsa took a 14-7 lead with another 1-yard run by Gomez. That scored held up through halftime.

Gomez finished with 182 yards on 25 carries and two touchdowns for Edcouch-Elsa.

“We got put in some critical situations and it didn’t work in our favor … in year’s past it did, but this year it didn’t,” Marichalar said. “We don’t question the Lord, this is the way it was and this is the way it is and that’s it. I’m proud of Lopez and the coaching staff … I wish those guys the best of luck in the postseason.

“We can be down and cry and point fingers or get fierce and determined and try to make sure this doesn’t happen again.”

Starkey was proud of the way his team bounced back after the last couple weeks and especially after a lopsided loss last season to Edcouch-Elsa.

“The selfless on this team … I couldn’t be more proud,” he said. “It’s good to win, but it’s great to win the right way when every kid’s all in … everybody did their job. To beat a Yellowjackets team when their backs were against the wall at our place after getting blown out at the Black Hole during their homecoming (last year), it couldn’t have happened at a better time.

“We got to the third season (postseason), now it’s our job to advance … I don’t care who we’re playing. Brownsville can play football now … let the Valley take notice.”

Andrew Crum covers sports for The Brownsville Herald. You can reach him at (956) 982-6629 or via email at [email protected]. On Twitter, he’s @andrewmcrum.

By ANDREW CRUM | THE BROWNSVILLE HERALD

With just two games left in the District 32-5A season, both Lopez and Edcouch-Elsa are seeking an invite to the postseason.

Both the Lobos and the Yellowjackets have lost their last two games, so it will be an especially-crucial matchup when they clash in The Brownsville Herald’s Game of the Week at 7 p.m. tonight at Sams Memorial Stadium.

Lopez (6-2, 3-2 in District 32-5A) had won six straight games, but played football that was uncharacteristic for the Lobos in losses to Brownsville Veterans Memorial and Mercedes over the last two weeks. Edcouch-Elsa (4-4, 2-3) lost to Mercedes in Week 8 and then to Pace last week.

Each team is looking to get back on track and back to playing the way they know they can.

“We’ve been honest … about what this game means and regards to playoff implications for both teams,” Lopez coach Jason Starkey said. “This week is about regrouping and getting back to playing Lopez football … that’s a physical brand of football that’s aggressive on defense and physical on offense … we’ve paid attention to just getting back to the basics.”

For Edcouch-Elsa, it’s getting focused.

“I’ve been working of the mental aspect of the game,” Edcouch-Elsa coach Joe Marichalar said. “It’s about motivating them and keeping them upbeat and focus on the task at hand. It’s more of a mental game and making sure they stay focused because we face a tough team in Lopez, they are explosive and have a good thing going on.”

Offensively, Lopez averages 342 yards and nearly 33 points per game. The Lobos are led by senior running back Jose Echavarria with 974 yards and seven touchdowns, but have struggled to run the ball the last two weeks and want to get back to what they do best.

“(We have to) run the dag gum football,” Starkey said. “If we can’t run the ball … we don’t have a chance to be successful. From a play-calling standpoint, we’ve tried to get too complicated … we need to keep it simple to give our kids an opportunity to make plays.

“It’s now or never.”

Edcouch-Elsa averages 366 yards and nearly 24 points per game on offense. It had four turnovers against Pace and the Vikings were able to capitalize on a couple of them that contributed to the difference in the final score.

“The turnover ratio was big and it came back to haunt us,” Marichalar said. “We need to do a better job of controlling the ball … if we can eliminate turnovers, I think we have a shot.”

On the side of the ball, the Lobos and Yellowjackets are the top two defensive teams in District 32-5A. Lopez is the top unit allowing 216 yards and 17 points per game. Edcouch-Elsa isn’t far behind allowing 241 yards and less than 25 points.

Both teams are stingy when it comes to the opponents’ offensive output and the game could come down to which unit steps up and takes care of business.

It’s certain that each teams knows the stakes and what this game means to their season.

“It’s seizing the moment, taking one play at a time and not trying to do too much,” Marichalar said. “Any district game is a crucial game … the pressure is the same every game. We put that pressure on ourselves because we want to shoot for the stars … we have to play ‘Jacket football for four quarters, that’s our goal.”

For Lopez, its senior class has a chance for back-to-back playoff berths, something not common in past years.

“We’re not ok with just a winning season,” Starkey said. “Our objectives and goals remain the same, getting to the (postseason). My challenge to them is do you want to be remembered or be forgotten?

“These seniors have a chance to be remembered and I’m looking forward to taking the field with them to see that play out.”

Both teams have struggled in the past two weeks, but each hopes to get back on track and earn a postseason berth in the last two weeks of the regular season. Lopez and Edcouch-Elsa are very similar offensively, but the Lobos have averaged nine more points per game. Defensively, these are the top two units in District 32-5A and it could come down to which team can create some turnovers and hold the opponent in check. If it comes down to defensive stops, Lopez gets the edge and that could be the difference on the scoreboard.

PREDICTION: Lopez 28, Edcouch-Elsa 21

Thursday’s Game
District 32-5A
BROWNVILLE VETERANS MEMORIAL AT DONNA NORTH
WHEN: 7 p.m., Thursday
WHERE: Sams Memorial Stadium
RECORDS: Edcouch-Elsa (4-3, 2-2); Pace (3-4, 2-2)
GAME NOTES: Brownsville Veterans scored a season-high 70 points against Porter last week. … QBs Gustavo Vasquez and Liam Longoria combined to complete 28 of 34 passes for 360 yards and two scores. … Longoria threw for 194 yards while also running for 121 yards and three touchdowns. … The Chargers recorded eight of their 10 TDs on the ground. … Brownsville Veterans also recovered three fumbles. … A win for the Chargers would clinch a district championship regardless of what happens in Week 11. … Donna North dropped its annual rivalry game against Donna High. The loss to Donna drops North to 0-4 in the all-time series. … Vasquez is second in 32-5A with 1,135 rushing yards with 15 TDs. The Chiefs’ running game was halted to just 93 yards on 32 carries, good for 2.9 yards per carry. … Senior wide receiver Sergio Canales hauled in his team-leading third touchdown catch of the season against Donna.
PREDICTION: Brownsville Veterans 35, Donna North 6
— Nate Kotisso

Friday’s Games
District 32-5A
PACE AT DONNA HIGH
WHEN: 7:30 p.m., Friday
WHERE: Bennie LaPrade Stadium
RECORDS: Pace (4-4, 3-2); Donna High (4-4, 2-3)
GAME NOTES: Both Pace and Donna High are fighting for a 32-5A playoff berth with two games left in the regular season … Thanks to capitalizing off some turnovers, Pace is fresh from a surprising 34-17 home win against Edcouch-Elsa in Week 9. Donna High downed Donna North 21-10. … Pace boasts the top passer and receiver in 32-5A as QB Randy Aguilar has completed 82 of 140 passes for 1,370 yards and 16 TDs with seven INTs. Receiver Gabriel Zapata has made 37 receptions for 682 yards and nine TDs. … Pace averages approximately 350 yards offensively, while Donna High averages approximately 220. Defensively, the Redskins allow approximately 280 yards a game while the Vikings give up approximately 370 … The Redskins have a pair of capable ground gainers in RBs Eliseo Alvarado and Carlos Bowen plus a productive sophomore QB in Alex Sanchez.
PREDICTION: Pace 31, Donna High 28
— Roy Hess

MERCEDES AT PORTER
WHEN: 7:30 p.m., Friday
WHERE: Sams Memorial Stadium
RECORDS: Brownsville Lopez (6-1, 3-1); Mercedes (5-2, 3-1)
GAME NOTES: Mercedes defeated Lopez 34-7 in Week 9. The Tigers’ offense averages 391 yards and nearly 30 points per game. Quarterback Marc Ledesma leads the offense with 612 yards and 14 touchdowns on the ground and has thrown for 1,287 yards and eight scores. … Mercedes’ defense allows 253 yards and less than 19 points. … Porter lost to Brownsville Veterans Memorial 70-0 in Week 9. … The Cowboys’ offense averages 234 yards and nearly 14. Freshman quarterback Kevin Garcia leads the offense in passing (579 yards/three touchdowns) and rushing (391 yards/six touchdowns), but he didn’t play last week and may be injured. His status for this week is unknown. Running backs Jose Villalon and Ulises Guzman have combined with 552 yards and a touchdown this season. … The Porter defense allows 453 yards and 45 points per game.
PREDICTION: Mercedes 35, Porter 17
— Andrew Crum

District 32-6A
HANNA AT HARLINGEN HIGH
WHEN: 7:30 p.m., Friday
WHERE: Boggus Stadium, Harlingen
RECORDS: Harlingen (5-3, 3-2) Hanna (6-2,4-1)
GAME NOTES: Harlingen High has reached a crossroads with two weeks left in the regular season. The Cards have uncharacteristically dropped two games in a row and are looking to rebound versus the Eagles on Friday night. … Cardinals quarterback Daniel Ramirez (1,648 passing yards and 18 touchdowns) will look to rebound in Week 10 and hit his top targets Ethan Martinez and Joe Reyna. … Meanwhile, Hanna saw its six-game win streak snapped at the hands of San Benito. … Hanna still sits in a comfortable position with a 4-1 district record. … The Eagles’ offense is led by sophomore quarterback Victor Campos (743 yards passing and 11 touchdowns). … Although Hanna fell behind early to the Greyhounds, the offense still posted 27 points and 328 total yards. … Both teams should slug it out as we approach the final week of the regular season.
PREDICTION: Harlingen High 26, Hanna 24
— Kevin Narro

District 16-4A DII
PORT ISABEL AT RAYMONDVILLE
WHEN: 7:30 p.m., Friday
WHERE: Burnett Stadium, Raymondville
RECORDS: Port Isabel (2-5, 1-2); Raymondville (7-1, 2-1)
GAME NOTES: The Bearkats enter Week 10 looking to rebound after its first loss of the season to Rio Hondo, while the Tarpons hope to keep their momentum up after beating Progreso last week for their first district win. … In Port Isabel’s 54-30 win against Progreso, the Tarpons racked up 394 yards of offense, including 259 on the ground on 40 carries for seven of the team’s eight scores. . … Running back Travis Camacho had his finest game of the season, rushing for 113 yards and three scores on 15 carries, while Jeremy Martinez passed for 135 yards and a score on 9 of 17 passing. … The Tarpon defense allowed more than 300 yards and four touchdowns to the Red Ant offense, but also intercepted two passes and recovered a fumble. They have forced nine turnovers this season.
PREDICTION: Raymondvlle 35, Port Isabel 20
— Mark Molina

SATURDAY’s GAMES
Non-district
ST. JOSEPH ACADEMY AT ALL SAINTS ACADEMY (FORT WORTH)
WHEN: 11 a.m., Saturday
WHERE: McNair Stadium, Fort Worth
RECORDS: St. Joseph Academy (5-3, 1-0); All Saints Academy (Fort Worth) (7-0, 0-0)
GAME NOTES: St. Joseph defeated Central Catholic (San Antonio) 45-21 at home in Week 9. … The Bloodhounds’ offense average 466 yards and 43 points per game. Senior quarterback Kai Money is a dual threat as he has thrown for 1,564 yards and 24 touchdowns and has rushed for 1,013 yards and eight touchdowns. Senior running back Anthony Cantu has run for 617 yards and seven touchdowns. … The St. Joseph defense has allowed less than 23 points per game. … All Saints Academy defeated St. Pius X (Houston) 49-37 in Week 9. The Saints’ offense averages 529 yards and 46 points per game. Senior quarterback Shaun Taylor has thrown for 2,503 yards and 36 touchdowns. Sophomore running back Jacob Matlock has 917 yards and six touchdowns on the ground.
PREDICTION: All Saints Academy 42, St. Joseph Academy 35
— Andrew Crum

Saturday
District 32-6A
LOS FRESNOS AT RIVERA
WHEN: 1 p.m., Saturday
WHERE: Sams Memorial Stadium
RECORDS: Los Fresnos (5-3, 3-2); Rivera (1-7, 0-5)
GAME NOTES: Los Fresnos looks to keep pace in the jumbled 32-6A playoff race as it’s one of three teams with two district losses vying for a playoff spot. Rivera is hoping to rattle off a win or two in light of a disappointing season. … The Falcons defense stepped up in a big way last week, holding Harlingen High scoreless in the second half of a come-from-behind 27-20 win. … The defense ranks fourth in the district, giving up just 285 yards of offense to opponents. … The Falcons’ offense got a big boost last week from running back Albert Banuelos, who ran for 118 yards and a score on 23 carries. On the season, he has 501 yards and three touchdowns on 99 carries. … Quarterback Charles Chapa scored the winning touchdown last week and has continued to be a force, passing for 1,070 this season and running for 395 more with 11 total touchdowns.
PREDICTION: Los Fresnos 38, Rivera 17
— Mark Molina

By ANDREW CRUM | The Brownsville Herald

Pace says ‘We’re still here’

Pace has been on a roller coaster this season, and all season it has felt as though we’ve been waiting to see what it can really do. After back-to-back District 32-5A wins, including last week’s 34-17 upset of Edcouch-Elsa, the Vikings (4-4, 3-2 in District 32-5A) look like they’ve turned a corner. The Pace offense has generally carried the team and has been waiting for the defense to catch up. Against the Yellowjackets, the Viking defense forced four turnovers (three fumbles and an interception) which gave the offense a few difference-making opportunities on which it capitalized on on the scoreboard. The defense allowed just 17 points, including just eight points in the second half. That effort, along with the offense piling up 440 yards of offense, including 175 yards and three touchdowns on the ground by junior running back Brandon Zapata, equated to a complete team effort and one of the best games Pace has played this season. Now the Vikings need to get a win on the road at Donna High in Week 10 or at home against Lopez in the season finale to earn a postseason berth.

Hanna controls its own destiny

Hanna had trouble in Week 9 with one of the top teams in the Rio Grande Valley — San Benito — but so has everyone else. The Golden Eagles (6-2, 4-1 in District 32-6A) fell behind early to the Greyhounds and couldn’t catch up, ending their six-game winning streak in the process. The Hanna offense totaled 328 yards and 27 points, but it wasn’t enough in the end. The Eagles’ loss has a silver lining, as they sit in second place in 32-6A and still control their own destiny. With two pivotal games to go — at Harlingen High in Week 10 and home against Weslaco East in the season finale — a win gets Hanna into the postseason. If the Eagles lose their remaining games, they still have a chance to make the dance, but they’ll need some help down the stretch. After a 3-7 season in 2016, Hanna has to be happy with the progress it has made this season, but earning that playoff berth would be the icing on the cake.

Chargers fine-tune their offense

The Chargers continued to roll through District 32-5A with a decisive win over Porter in Week 9. The biggest part of their offensive output came from an attack BVM doesn’t utilize often: the passing game. The Chargers (7-1, 5-0 in District 32-5A) totaled 360 yards through the air with senior quarterback Gustavo Vasquez throwing for 166 yards and a touchdown and sophomore backup Liam Longoria adding 194 yards and a score as the two completed 28 of 34 passes (82.4 percent). With Brownsville Veterans headed for a playoff berth and possibly an outright district title (with two more wins), being able to pass the ball effectively is going to help in the postseason. If the Chargers are able to pass as well as they run the football, they could be looking at a playoff run that goes several rounds deep. With a defense that is playing just as well, BVM will be a tough out in the postseason.

The Bloodhounds got a monkey off their back

Over the past three seasons, Central Catholic (San Antonio) has had St. Joseph Academy’s number. In Week 9, in front of several alumni on homecoming night, the Bloodhounds (5-3, 1-0 in TAPPS Division I, District 2) got the proverbial monkey of their back with a 45-21 rout that meant even more for SJA in that it opened district play with a win. Senior quarterback Kai Money was a catalyst with 341 yards of total offense and four touchdowns — 174 yards and a touchdown on the ground and 167 yards and three touchdowns through the air — leading his team to its biggest win of the season. SJA has now won four straight games after a 1-3 start. The Bloodhounds have a non-district game on the road against a tough All Saints Academy (Fort Worth) team before finishing the season at Antonian (San Antonio) in its district (and season) finale with a chance to win the TAPPS Division I, District 2 title, which looked like a tall order earlier in the season.

Los Fresnos is experiencing a bit of late-season déjà vu

Last season, Los Fresnos won four of its last five games to earn a spot in the postseason before reaching the third round. This year, the Falcons (5-3, 3-2 in District 32-6A) would like to earn a return trip to the postseason, albeit with a little less stress along the way. Los Fresnos kept itself in the playoff mix with a huge 27-20 home win over Harlingen High after trailing 20-3 early before posting the go-ahead score with just over two minutes left in the fourth quarter. The offense used a heavy ground game led by junior running back Albert Banuelos (118 yards and a touchdown) to make the difference. The Falcons’ defense allowed just 257 yards, shut out the Cardinals’ offense after halftime and sealed the win with a fumble recovery during Harlingen High’s final drive. Los Fresnos needs a least a win in its final two games to stay in the playoff mix, and victories in two road games — at Rivera in Week 10 and the visitor again at Weslaco High in Week 11 — would put it in the postseason once again. While the Falcons have had their ups and downs this season, you can never count them out when it comes to the playoff stretch.

Andrew Crum covers sports for The Brownsville Herald. You can reach him at (956) 982-6629 or via email at [email protected]. On Twitter, he’s @andrewmcrum.

By ANDREW CRUM | The Brownsville Herald

Junior running back Brandon Zapata fumbled on Pace’s first drive against Edcouch-Elsa, but he certainly made up for the early miscue.

Zapata finished with 175 yards on the ground and three touchdowns to lead the Vikings to a 34-17 victory over the Yellowjackets in a crucial District 32-5A game Thursday in Week 9 at Sams Memorial Stadium.

“I was just reading the blocks, if I don’t get the blocks I can’t run … everyone has to do their part,” he said, giving credit to his teammates. “It feels good … we’re all feeling really good. We’re proud of each other, we did it as a team.”

Zapata scored twice before halftime on runs of 1-yard and 26-yards and found the end zone again in the fourth quarter on a 14-yard run to lead the way on the ground as Pace (4-4, 3-2) piled up 277 yards via its rushing attack in a game that keeps it in the postseason mix. The loss by Edcouch-Elsa (4-4, 2-3) is its second straight in district play and it needs to regroup quickly with just two games left in the regular season.

“This was a huge win because it puts us a little closer to where we want to be,” Pace coach Danny Pardo said. “Our defense is playing with confidence … they played great (Thursday). I think we caught Edcouch-Elsa a little bit down after losing to Mercedes last week.

“We’ll take the win anyway we can.”

The Vikings’ defense forced three fumbles and got an interception by senior defensive back Rafael Dominguez and senior quarterback Randy Aguilar finished with 163 yards through the air and two more touchdowns as Pace totaled 440 yards on offense during the night.

After a fumble on the first drive by both teams, Edcouch-Elsa took the early advantage late in the opening quarter. Senior running back Jorge Gomez broke free on a 50-yard touchdown run for a 6-0 lead after the run conversion failed with 2:09 left.

Pace got going on its next possession, as Zapata capped off the drive with a 1-yard touchdown run to gain a 7-6 lead with 8:57 left in the second quarter.

The Yellowjackets answered with a 33-yard field goal by senior kicker Ronaldo Mata to retake the lead, 9-7, with 6:51 left in the second.

The Vikings answered a minute and a half later as Zapata found the end zone again after a 26-yard scamper and Pace regained the edge, 14-9.

After Edcouch-Elsa punted, the Vikings scored with 30 seconds before halftime as Aguilar hit senior receiver Misael Monsivais on a 24-yard strike for a touchdown and a 21-9 advantage at the break.

“I don’t know if you want to pinpoint the offense or defense, but as a team we didn’t ‘Jacket football,’” Edcouch-Elsa coach Joe Marichalar said. “You have to give credit to Pace, they were ready for the moment. We gave it up and they capitalized and that’s the way it went down (Thursday).

“We fell into a hole and couldn’t get out of it.”

In the third quarter, Aguilar hit senior receiver Gabriel Zapata on a 26-yard touchdown pass to extend the edge to 27-9 with 3:52 left.

In the final quarter, the Yellowjackets scored on an 18-yard run by junior quarterback Albert Trevino and Gomez added the two-point conversion to cut it to 27-17 with 7:32 left to play.

Brandon Zapata put it out of reach with his third touchdown on the night late in the final quarter to seal it for Pace.

Trevino finished with 93 yards and a touchdown on the ground and he threw for 173 yards, but four turnovers by the Yellowjackets’ offense — three in the second half — stopped drives and it couldn’t find the end zone enough after halftime.

The Edcouch-Elsa defense also forced four turnovers on the night, but its offense only scored off one, with its lone score in the second half.

“(Pace) knew what was at stake and they made a push toward the postseason … they went all out and we didn’t,” Marichalar said. “I tell the kids that life isn’t easy … this is the hand we’re dealt. Either you cry about it or find a way to get it done … so we’re going to find a way to get it done.”

Pardo sees his team coming together at the right time as it tries to carry this momentum into a possible postseason berth.

“The kids played fast and they’re finally having fun … they’re really enjoying it,” he said. “We have to keep working though. We’re not doing anything different except the kids are enjoying playing … it started last week after they saw we can win a tight game. Pulling out a game like last week helped them.

“They played good (Thursday) … they played fast and they played aggressive and that’s what I wanted.”

Andrew Crum covers sports for The Brownsville Herald. You can reach him at (956) 982-6629 or via email at [email protected]. On Twitter he’s @andrewmcrum.

By ANDREW CRUM | THE BROWNSVILLE HERALD

Through four District 32-6A games, Hanna has come out unscathed, but it faces its toughest test of the season against unbeaten San Benito in Week 9.

The Golden Eagles play host to the Greyhounds with plenty on the line in The Brownsville Herald’s Game of the Week at 7 p.m. Saturday at Sams Memorial Stadium.

Hanna (6-1, 4-0 32-6A) will battle against San Benito (7-0, 4-0), and the stakes are high with just three weeks left in the regular season. The winner ascends to the top of the standings and is a step closer to the district title.

The Eagles are focused on the Greyhounds and the task at hand.

“We take each game one at a time, one week at a time,” Hanna coach Mark Guess said. “We focus on the team we’re going to play. We can’t worry about anything else … we have to take care of business that week; we can’t look ahead or certainly can’t look back.

“We have to continue what we’ve been doing and hopefully we’ll come out on top this week.”

Even Guess admits that won’t be easy. But the preparation for this week has been similar to every other week this season.

“They’re 7-0 for a reason … they do a lot of things well,” he said of the Greyhound. “Coach (Dan) Gomez has done a great job preparing his kids; not only are they prepared physically, but they’re prepared mentally. We have to focus on doing what we do … they pose problems in all three phases of the game.”

San Benito has the top offense in 32-6A, as it averages 385 yards and 40 points per game. Senior running back Tyrone Harper is the ’Hounds’ go-to with 834 yards rushing and 12 touchdowns. Senior quarterback Erick Retta has thrown for 961 yards and nine touchdowns to go with 349 rushing yards and a pair of scores.

“Defensively, we have to do our job … every kid has an assignment, we just have to play fundamentally sound and make tackles,” Guess said. “They’re tough to tackle … they can make you look silly.”

The respect is mutual on both sidelines.

“They’re playing very good football at this point in the season,” Gomez said. “When you play good teams like Hanna … which we consider one of the top teams in the Valley … they do well in all three phases. We’re focused on (what we can do in) all three phases. No turnovers on offense and create them on defense and play sound on special teams.”

Hanna can move the chains and put points on the board too, it averages 311 yards and 28 points per game. Junior running back Cesar Mancias has 645 yards and five touchdowns on the ground while sophomore quarterback Victor Campos has thrown for 596 yards and nine touchdowns this season.

For Gomez, the approach for his team is simple.

“We have to hold onto the ball when we have it and try to take the ball away when we don’t have it,” he said.

Defensively the two teams aren’t that far apart. San Benito allows only 265 yards per game — the best in the district — and 19 points allowed. Hanna allows 292 yards and 16 points per contest. Each is faced with a tall task against two potent offenses.

For the Greyhounds, the opponent or week doesn’t matter. The preparation remains the same as it has all season.

“Our approach to every team in 32-6A is the same … we’re facing the best team in our district,” Gomez said. “If we let up on that approach, it may come back and bite us and it won’t be good in the end.

“We’re going in there with the mindset that we’re facing the best team in 32-6A.”

But the Eagles believe in themselves. After falling just short in two close games last year against Los Fresnos and Weslaco East — teams that both went to the third round of the playoffs a year ago — the team regrouped in the offseason and worked exceptionally harder for another chance.

“That’s what drove us,” Guess said. “I think the kids saw they could play with those guys. I think they believed, ‘why not us?’ If you don’t believe in each other … then you don’t believe in yourself … then you don’t have a chance on the football field.

“That belief in each other … that’s what’s got us here.”

San Benito has the top offense in District 32-6A (385 yards and 40 points per game), but its defense is also stout, allowing (a district best) 265 yards and 19 points per game. Hanna counters with an average of 311 on offense and 28 points and its defense allows 292 yards and just 16 points per contest. The offensive production is going to be key in this game and both offenses can light up the scoreboard. It may come down to the team that gets going first and makes the other play catch up. San Benito is good at getting off to quick starts and if it does, it will be hard for Hanna to keep up.

PREDICTION: San Benito 35, Hanna 27

Thursday’s Game
District 32-5A
EDCOUCH-ELSA AT PACE
WHEN: 7 p.m., Thursday
WHERE: Sams Memorial Stadium
RECORDS: Edcouch-Elsa (4-3, 2-2); Pace (3-4, 2-2)
GAME NOTES: Edcouch-Elsa lost to Mercedes 34-14 in Week 8. … The Yellowjackets’ offense averages 359 yards and nearly 25 points per game. Senior running back Jorge Gomez leads the way with 1,127 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground. Junior quarterback Albert Trevino has thrown for 604 yards and five touchdowns and has also run for 322 yards and five scores. … The Edcouch-Elsa defense allows 228 yards and 23 points per game. … Pace defeated Donna North 34-27 on the road in Week 8. … The Vikings’ offense averages 345 yards and nearly 28 points per game. Senior quarterback Randy Aguilar leads the district with 1,173 yards passing and 14 touchdowns. His favorite target, senior receiver Gabriel Zapata, has 35 catches for 656 yards and eight touchdowns on the season. … The Pace defense allows 362 yards and 30 points per game.
PREDICTION: Edcouch-Elsa 27, Pace 21
— Andrew Crum

Friday’s Games
District 32-5A
PORTER at BROWNVILLE VETERANS MEMORIAL
WHEN: 7:30 p.m., Friday
WHERE: Sams Memorial Stadium
RECORDS: Porter (0-7, 0-4); Brownsville Veterans Memorial (6-1, 4-0)
GAME NOTES: Porter lost to Donna High 52-14 in Week 8. … The Cowboys’ offense averages 252 yards and nearly 16 points per game. Freshman quarterback Kevin Garcia leads the way with 579 yards passing and three touchdowns. He also is the teams top rusher with 391 yards and six touchdowns. … The Porter defense allows 425 yards and less than 42 points per game. … Brownsville Veterans defeated Lopez 35-21 in Week 8. … The Chargers’ offense averages 357 yards and nearly 30 points per game. Senior quarterback Gustavo Vasquez leads the way with 1,124 yards on the ground and 14 touchdowns. He has also thrown for 570 yards and three scores. … Porter has been bitten by the injury bug, it has already lost four defensive starters this season.
PREDICTION: Brownsville Veterans 35, Porter 14
— Andrew Crum

LOPEZ AT MERCEDES
WHEN: 7:30 p.m., Friday
WHERE: Tiger Stadium, Mercedes
RECORDS: Brownsville Lopez (6-1, 3-1); Mercedes (5-2, 3-1)
GAME NOTES: Lopez is looking to bounce back after last week’s 35-21 loss to Brownsville Veterans Memorial while Mercedes won on the road 34-14 at Edcouch-Elsa last week. Friday’s winner stays one game behind undefeated 32-5A leader Brownsville Veterans (4-0) in the district standings … Lopez defeated Mercedes 24-21 last year in Brownsville as both teams went on to make the playoffs … Prior to 2016, the most recent game between Mercedes and Lopez was a non-district matchup in 2007 in Brownsville when the Tigers beat the Lobos 51-20 … The Tigers have a solid offensive leader in QB Marc Ledesma, who has completed 61 of 116 passes for 1,151 yards and seven TDs along with one interception. Ledesma also has run for 533 yards and 11 TDs. Against E-E, Ledesma rushed for 117 yards and three TDs while passing for 150 yards and another TD
PREDICTION: Mercedes 21, Lopez 17
— Roy Hess

District 32-6A
RIVERA AT WESLACO EAST
WHEN: 7:30 p.m., Friday
WHERE: Bobby Lackey Stadium, Weslaco
RECORDS: Rivera (1-6, 0-4) ; Weslaco East (4-3, 2-2)
GAME NOTES: Weslaco East proved that they are able to win big games even without Roy Pedraza and J.C. Vargas last week when they knocked off Harlingen at Boggus Stadium 20-17. The win was the first time they beat Harlingen in two meetings… Quarterback Richard LeFerve led the team in rushing with 145 yards and a score. He added a throwing score to knock off then-No.3 Harlingen High Now the Wildcats will be at home against one-win Rivera… Weslaco East might have trouble keeping up with the 72 points Weslaco High scored against Rivera a week ago. The Raiders are at the bottom of both offense and defense in 32-6A. Even with those low rankings, Rivera has scored over 20 points against San Benito, Harlingen and Brownsville Veterans but also surrendered 40 points in those games.
PREDICTION: Weslaco East 52, Rivera 20
— Nathaniel Mata

HARLINGEN HIGH AT LOS FRESNOS
WHEN: 7:30 p.m., Friday
WHERE: Leo Aguilar Stadium, Los Fresnos
RECORDS: Harlingen High (5-2, 3-1); Los Fresnos (4-3, 2-2)
GAME NOTES: The Cardinals and Falcons meet in a Distirct 32-6A clash of teams coming off close losses. … Los Fresnos was held to their lowest scoring output of the season in a 10-7 loss at Hanna. That was despite outgaining the Golden Eagles by 103 yards. … On the season, Los Fresnos averages 335 yards per game on offense, good for third in the district behind Weslaco East (380) and San Benito (385). … Falcon receiver Nico Valencia had the lone Los Fresnos score last week on a 43-yard pass from Charles Chapa. Valencia finished the game with 92 yards and is now fifth in the district in receiving yards with 374. … The Falcons have been solid defensively, holding opponents to 290 yards per game, which is fourth in the district.
PREDICTION: Harlingen High 27, Los Fresnos 24
— Mark Molina

District 16-4A DII
PORT ISABEL AT PROGRESO
WHEN: 7:30 p.m., Friday
WHERE: Red Ant Stadium, Progreso
RECORDS: Port Isabel (1-5, 0-2); Progreso (1-5, 0-2)
GAME NOTES: Progreso senior Aldo Martinez has been the spark for Red Ants offense. Martinez has 192 receiving yards and has also been productive in the return game. Against Santa Maria two weeks ago, Martinez went into the backfield, and was productive with 176 rushing yard and 3 TDs. Since then, Martinez has gotten carries and been a threat in the backfield for Progreso. … Junior RB Jose Medrano has 302 yards and 5 TDs on the season. … Port Isabel has had a carousel at QB this year, with four players totaling over 70 pass attempts. … One thing that has been consistent for the Tarpons is the production of sophomore RB Bryan Medina, who has 573 rushing yards and 5 TDs on the season. … The Tarpons have also gotten good work out of senior RB Travis Camacho, who has 239 rushing yards and 4 TDs on the season.
PREDICTION: Progreso, 28, Port Isabel 21
— Saul Berrios-Thomas

TAPPS DI DISTRICT 2
S.A. CENTRAL CATHOLIC AT ST. JOSEPH ACADEMY
WHEN: 7 p.m., Friday
WHERE: Canales Field
RECORDS: S.A. Central Catholic (5-2, 0-0); St. Joseph Academy (4-3, 0-0)
GAME NOTES: S.A. Central Catholic lost to St. Thomas Catholic 31-28 in Week 8. … The Buttons’ offense averages 291 yards and 33 points per game. Junior QB Nick Chavez has thrown for 870 yards and 13 touchdowns. Junior running back Zach Davidsmeyer leads the team 346 yards and seven TDs. Senior receiver Jack Perkins has 21 catches for 432 yards and six scores. … The Central Catholic defense allows less than 16 points per game. … St. Joseph defeated Marine Miliary Academy 56-16 on the road in Week 8. … Through six games, the Bloodhounds’ offense have averaged 486 yards and nearly 51 points per game. Senior quarterback Kai Money is a dual threat as he has thrown for 1,318 yards and 18 touchdowns and has rushed for 783 yards and seven touchdowns.
PREDICTION: St. Joseph Academy 34, S.A. Central Catholic 31
— Andrew Crum

By ANDREW CRUM | THE BROWNSVILLE HERALD

5. Vasquez putting chargers on his back

In Week 8 against Lopez — much like the last two weeks — Brownsville Veterans Memorial senior quarterback Gustavo Vasquez has played like a man on a mission. Against three of the top teams in District 32-5A, Vasquez has shown he can take over a game at any time and especially when the game is on the line. With fellow senior, running back Abel Martinez banged up and limited as of late, Vasquez has taken the reins of the offense and led the Chargers (6-1 overall, 4-0 in District 32-5A) to three big wins, each crucial toward a possible district championship. Against Mercedes on the road in Week 6, Vasquez led the comeback with a pair of fourth quarter touchdowns that was the difference in a 24-17 win where he ran for 254 yards and three touchdowns. In a Week 7 win over Edcouch-Elsa, Vasquez ran for 95 yards and a touchdown, but it was his passing game that was helped Brownsville Veterans earn the 21-19 victory. The senior completed 9 of 14 passes for 141 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Last week during a 35-21 victory over Lopez, Vasquez used a 224-yard game on the ground with four scores to help the Chargers jump out to a lead they would never relinquish. The senior quarterback has piled up 770 yards of offense and 10 touchdowns, including 573 on the ground and eight touchdowns. That’s an average of 257 yards, including 191 of those coming from the run game. Last season, Brownsville Veterans shared a district title with Mercedes. But this season, it seems Vasquez and the rest of his Chargers teammates don’t want to share again.

4. Meanwhile, BVM’s defense keeps stepping up

Certainly not lost in the three straight wins over the top tier of District 32-5A is the defensive effort by Brownsville Veterans. The Chargers’ defense has continued to show improvement and Week 8 was no exception. The Brownsville Veterans’ defense held Lopez — the top offensive team in District 32-5A — to just 203 yards and 21 points. The Lobos (6-1 overall, 3-1 in District 32-5A) came into the game averaging 396 yards and 39 points per game. Plus the Chargers held Lopez’s top threat; senior running back Jose Echavarria to just 87 yards on 17 carries (5.1 yards per carry) and kept him out of the end zone. Echavarria came into the game with 840 yards on 69 carries (12.2 yards per carry) and six touchdowns. Brownsville Veterans held Lopez to just 72 yards on the ground and sacked Lobos senior quarterback Alex Ramirez three times during Saturday’s game. The Chargers’ offense has certainly benefited with the stingy defensive effort and together Brownsville Veterans has played like a team that could make some noise in the postseason.

3. With Mercedes looming, Lopez needs to regroup quickly

After Brownsville Veterans dealt Lopez its first defeat of the season, the Lobos have no time to get down on themselves. Lopez faces tough back-to-back weeks, a road trip against Mercedes in Week 9 followed by a home date with Edcouch-Elsa in Week 10. The Lobos need to regroup to stay in the mix for the district title and for a postseason berth. Last season, Lopez defeated Mercedes at home, but lost to Brownsville Veterans and Edcouch-Elsa as the road team. The Lobos have lost again this season to the Chargers, but can bounce back with wins over the Tigers and Yellowjackets. Lopez may need to win both or at least split its next two games to remain in the hunt for the playoffs. The Lobos took a hit on both sides of the ball against Brownsville Veterans in Week 8, never really getting going on offense until the second half and their defense allowed the most yards and points it had all season. Lopez head coach Jason Starkey will certainly have his work cut out for him during the next two weeks, but the Lobos have faced this type of adversity before. One loss doesn’t mean the end of the season, but Lopez hopes it’s not the start of a late season slide, especially after starting the season 6-0.

2. Los Fresnos finds itself in a win-or-else situation

Los Fresnos is as talented as anyone around, but it hasn’t played well at times this season. The Falcons (4-3 overall, 2-2 in District 32-6A) have dropped two district games — to San Benito and Hanna, the top two teams in District 32-6A — and now faces a crucial game with Harlingen High. Los Fresnos faces a Cardinals team that suffered their first district loss last week to Weslaco East. Neither team wants to lose two straight, especially in the tough District 32-6A, where teams with two or three district losses may be left out of the postseason when it’s all said and done. As good as the Falcons’ defense was a week ago — it allowed just 198 yards and 10 points — the offense totaled over 300 yards, but penalties and a pair of interceptions stopped drives and kept Los Fresnos out of the end zone except for a 43-yard catch-and-run by sophomore receiver Nico Valencia from senior quarterback Charles Chapa. The offensive unit will need to be more productive against Harlingen High, who average 310 yards and 27 points per game. A loss by the Falcons won’t necessarily keep them out of the playoffs, but with three district losses it might be hard for Los Fresnos to recover with only two games left after this week.

1. Hanna looks like the real deal, but we’ll see

With a defensive battle (and win) against Los Fresnos in Week 8, Hanna (6-1 overall, 4-0 in District 32-6A) has now won six straight games, including an unblemished record in district play. The Golden Eagles have surprised a lot of people with their start this season, but a closer look shows that Hanna has earned it as it has gotten it done on both sides of the ball. The offense averages 311 yards and 28 points per game. On the other side of the ball, the defensive unit allows 292 yards and 16 points. While the Eagles have played in some close games, both units have stepped up when needed at different times during the season. In three of the six victories, the Hanna defense has allowed seven points twice and had a shut out in the other game. In four of the six wins, the Eagles’ offense has scored at least 35 points. While Hanna still faces a tough schedule to finish the season — playing host to San Benito and Weslaco East and a road trip to Harlingen High — it has used a complete team effort up to this point in the season to keep winning week after week. The Eagles have already doubled their win total and district mark from 2016 and don’t seem to be slowing down any time soon.

Andrew Crum covers sports for The Brownsville Herald. You can reach him at (956) 982-6629 or via email at [email protected]. On Twitter, he’s @andrewmcrum.

By ANDREW CRUM | The Brownsville Herald

Hanna needed to make a play. Victor Campos and Aaron Frausto answered the call against Los Fresnos.

Campos connected with Frausto for a fourth quarter touchdown and that was the difference in the Golden Eagles 10-7 victory over the Falcons in the District 32-6A game on Friday night at Sams Memorial Stadium.

Early in the fourth quarter, Hanna trailed by four with the ball at its own 19-yard line. Sophomore quarterback Campos was being chased by the Los Fresnos’ defense and rolled to his right looking for someone open. Junior running back Frausto ran his route and found some daylight as he caught the pass in stride from Campos. Frausto weaved through a few defenders and outran the rest for an 81-yard touchdown that gave the Eagles a 10-7 lead that they wouldn’t relinquish.

“I had to make something out of nothing,” Campos said. “I sprinted out and saw Aaron on the back side and I knew I had to throw it or get sacked.”

For Frausto, he was just doing what the coaches expect of him and the rest of the team.

“Our coaches tell us to never take a play off … go 100 percent all the time,” he said. “If you do, good things will happen.”

The Hanna defense did it’s part with two interceptions and three sacks on the night, but it was its play in the second half that made the difference. The Eagles shut out the Falcons after the break and forced them to punt four times, turn the ball over on downs once and a missed field goal that could have potentially tied the game late in the fourth.

“I can’t say enough about our defense (Friday),” Hanna coach Mark Guess said. “We got so many stops on our end of the field … they played their tails off.”

The win keeps Hanna (6-1, 4-0) at the top of the District 32-6A standings and a loss for Los Fresnos (4-3, 2-2) puts them in a dire situation if it wants to return to the playoffs this year.

“It starts with me before the game, we didn’t have a lot of energy … that’s on me,” Los Fresnos coach Patrick Brown said. “To be honest, I got outcoached. They had a great game plan and their kids played hard … all the credit goes to those guys they got after our tails. No excuses. We were not mentally and physically ready to play and that’s on me as a head coach.”

After a scoreless opening quarter, the Eagles finally broke the tie with a 22-yard field goal by junior kicker Miguel Payan to give Hanna a 3-0 lead with 8:38 to go in the second quarter.

Los Fresnos would answer on its ensuing drive as senior quarterback Charles Chapa hit Nico Valencia on a 43-yard catch-and-run touchdown pass to take a 7-3 lead with 5:10 to go in the half. The Falcons would take that edge into the locker room in an intense, tight game.

The second half was similar to the first as both defenses held strong. The score remained 7-3 after the third quarter as both teams tried to make a play and get some momentum.

In the defining final quarter, Campos and Frausto stepped up and made the biggest play on the season for Hanna.

“In the end, Victor extended a play on a scramble and Aaron Frausto is a playmaker … everything the guy does is gold,” Guess said. “He made a great catch and got it into the end zone. Victor has a great arm. He’s young … he’s a sophomore so he’s still learning about the position, though he has a lot of natural ability. He’s got the arm to make that throw and he showed it (Friday).”

Chapa finished with 163 yards passing and a touchdown and 52 yards on the ground. Valencia had 54 yards rushing and four catches for 92 yards and the only score for Los Fresnos.

This is the second straight week Los Fresnos has played a game going down to the wire. Last week, the Falcons held off Weslaco East, but they couldn’t do the same against Hanna. Suddenly every game is critical for Los Fresnos to return to the postseason.

“It comes down to us doing a better job coaching,” Brown said. “I don’t want to take any of the credit away from Hanna … they kicked our tails and we weren’t ready to play. We have taken out our margin of error … basically have to win out, win our last three to make sure we’re going to be a playoff team. The credit goes to Hanna … they did a fantastic job.”

Campos threw for 83 yards and the touchdown to Frausto, which was his only catch of the night, and Cesar Mancias added 67 yards on the ground for Hanna.

For the Eagles, they’ve now won six straight and keep winning crucial games to stay atop the district standings.

“We’re well versed in these close ball games,” Guess said. “Fortunately we’ve been on the right end of them because we put ourselves in that position. These kids play hard … they don’t want to lose. They’re doing everything they can on both sides to try to get a win and fortunately (Friday) we got it.”

Andrew Crum covers sports for The Brownsville Herald. You can reach him at (956) 982-6629 or via email at [email protected]. On Twitter, he’s @andrewmcrum.

By ANDREW CRUM | THE BROWNSVILLE HERALD

Porter has been looking to break into the win column and hoped to get going offensively against Donna High.

Unfortunately, the Cowboys didn’t help themselves with three fumbles — two before halftime — and fell behind early before succumbing 52-14 to the Redskins in a District 32-5A game Thursday night at Sams Memorial Stadium.

“We have to clean up it up and get better,” Porter coach Carlos Uresti said. “It’s like a broken record … all the credit to Donna, they did a heck of a job for Coach Leal, those kids play hard. We got a couple more injuries (Thursday) and they are starting to catch up with us, but no excuses … we have to get better.”

Porter stopped itself on three drives with turnovers and could never get into a rhythm offensively until the fourth quarter. The Cowboys scored both of their touchdowns in the fourth, an 86-yard touchdown pass from freshman quarterback Kevin Garcia to senior receiver Bladimir Acosta and later Garcia capped off a drive with a 1-yard touchdown run.

The loss kept Porter (0-7, 0-4) winless while Donna High (3-4, 1-3) earned its first District 32-5A win of the season.

The Redskins piled up the yards in both halves — they finished with 448 yards and scored on all eight of their possessions — highlighted by senior running back Eliseo Alvarado, who finished with 159 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

“We’ve lost four defensive starters (this season),” Uresti said among the eight players that have been injured on Porter this year. “So they’re struggling and (Thursday) we struggled offensively so we didn’t help the cause.”

Donna High scored on its first drive to open the game. The Redskins capped it off with a 2-yard touchdown run by Alvarado to take a 7-0 lead with 6:55 left in the first quarter.

After Porter fumbled, Donna High took advantage with a 1-yard run for a touchdown by junior running back Jayp Sandoval to push the lead to 14-0 with 8:30 to go in the second quarter.

After the Cowboys punted, the Redskins found the end zone again, this one a 1-yard run by Alvarado and a 21-0 edge with 2:35 to play in the first half.

“It’s been an up-and-down season,” Donna High coach Ramiro Leal said. “The biggest thing was getting our tailback back (Alvarado) … he brings a different dimension to our offense.”

Porter fumbled on the ensuing drive and Donna High capitalized with 19 seconds left in the first half. Sophomore quarterback Alex Sanchez hit junior running back Jose Guzman on a 3-yard pass for a score and a 28-0 advantage at the break.

Donna High’s defense finished with three turnovers and allowed just 245 yards of offense.

“Our defense has been stellar,” Leal said. “They bend but don’t break and that’s been our rock this year.”

In the second half, the Redskins continued their offensive breakout. In the third quarter, Carlos Bowen scored on a 7-yard run with 5:44 left in the quarter to extend the Donna High lead to 35-0.

In the fourth quarter, the Redskins found the end zone again after Sanchez hit Eddie Villarreal on a 19-yard pass with 11:14 left to play. Later, Guzman ran for a 2-yard score and Geronimo Fragoso hit a 25-yard field goal.

Leal was happy for his team’s first district win of the season, especially with several injuries on both sides of the ball.

“It’s finally coming together and we have to keep on building on it,” he said. “We have a lot of young kids. We’re taking one game at a time, but we’re going to build and build and when you’re young the only way you can get better is by experience … you have to take your lumps, but hopefully we can finish out on a good note.”

Sanchez finished with 113 yards and a pair of touchdown passes for Donna High.

Garcia finished with 143 yards passing and a touchdown and 48 yard on the ground and a score for Porter.

Uresti was glad his team finished strong, but their inexperience has been the detriment at times this season.

“The kids didn’t give up,” he said. “We’re young … but I hate saying that. We’re still learning, but injuries aren’t helping either. We (as coaches) have to get them mentally stronger. Turnovers shouldn’t cost us the game it should refocus us. Unfortunately, we’re not able to flip that switch.”

Andrew Crum covers sports for The Brownsville Herald. You can reach him at (956) 982-6629 or via email at [email protected]. On Twitter, he’s @andrewmcrum.