By CLAIRE CRUZ, Staff Writer

The final week of the Texas high school football regular season is upon us, but it won’t be the last time many East Valley teams compete in 2021.

Most East Valley teams know if they’ll be advancing to the postseason heading into Week 11. Seeding and matchups are still to be determined in some cases.

The No. 2 Harlingen South Hawks continued to roll last week, improving to 9-0, 6-0 in District 32-6A with a 28-14 victory over Weslaco High. Harlingen South ran all over the Panthers, accumulating 299 rushing yards and scoring twice on the ground. The win puts the Hawks on the cusp of a perfect season.

Also, the win helped the playoff chances of a pair of East Valley teams. No. 8 Harlingen High (6-3, 4-2) and No. 7 San Benito (7-2, 4-2) entered Week 10 in a three-way tie with Weslaco High fighting for the final two spots. Both the Cardinals and Greyhounds handled business and picked up wins over Donna North and Brownsville Rivera (2-7, 0-6), respectively, to take hold of the No. 3 and 4 seeds.

No. 9 Los Fresnos (6-2, 5-1) sits solely in second place with a district title matchup against Harlingen South looming. The Falcons picked up their fifth straight victory with a 32-13 finish over Brownsville Hanna (6-3, 2-4).

The Falcons exploded for 29 points during the second half to erase a slow start. Senior quarterback Matthew Padilla scored twice, once in the air to Cody Taylor and once on the ground. Sophomore kicker JJ Contreras was 3-for-3 in PATs and 3-for-3 in field goals to aid the victory. Defensively, Los Fresnos recovered four fumbles and notched two interceptions.

Brownsville Veterans Memorial (6-3, 6-2) will be the only Brownsville ISD team in the postseason after clinching its ticket in District 16-5A Division I on Friday. Brownsville Pace (3-6, 3-5) snapped a five-game losing streak with a 41-21 victory over La Joya Palmview on Saturday. Andrew Gonzalez scored four rushing touchdowns and accounted for 244 of Pace’s 309 rushing yards in the contest.

No. 10 La Feria (7-1, 4-0) clinched the undefeated District 16-4A Division I championship Friday. In District 16-4A Division II, Port Isabel (7-2, 4-2) punched its playoff ticket by defeating Corpus Christi West Oso 42-28 on Friday. The Tarpons sit in fourth currently but can shake up the standings with a win in the regular season finale against Rockport-Fulton (8-1, 5-1).

Lyford (6-3, 3-2) had a bye in Week 10 but is locked in as the No. 3 seed in District 16-3A Division I.

Brownsville St. Joseph (4-5, 3-3 in TAPPS Division II District 3) took the first step toward punching its ticket to the postseason with a 61-26 rout of Austin Hyde Park on Friday. Senior quarterback Luigi Cristiano threw for 404 yards and six touchdowns, and added one score on the ground. Adrian Del Pozo caught four touchdowns and racked up 209 receiving yards, and also rushed for 146 yards and two scores. A win Friday will put the Bloodhounds in the playoffs.

By CLAIRE CRUZ, Staff Writer

The volleyball playoffs got started Monday with a few East Valley teams in action.

The No. 21 Lyford Lady Bulldogs, runners-up in District 31-3A, swept Brownsville Jubilee (District 32-3A third place) 25-23, 26-24, 25-18 at Harlingen Jubilee to advance to the second round.

“It was a very tight match,” Lyford coach Rebekah Perez said. “It’s always good to have that, especially in the playoff atmosphere. We really had our work cut out for us.

“They’re a very talented team, so it was a good matchup for us. I was impressed with how we played and to see the kids are still hungry after a very, very long season. They still have that fight in them.”

Perez said Jubilee went on a big scoring run during the opening set that could have rattled her team. But she saw improved mental toughness and solid decision making from her squad, which ended up being the difference and helping the win.

Lyford will play No. 25 Bishop in the area round at 7 p.m. Thursday at Kingsville King.

“I was definitely super proud of the kids that they were a lot more mentally tough (Monday) than what I’ve seen throughout the season,” Perez said. “I don’t know if it’s because of what’s at stake, you lose and you go home. To see that mindset, especially from our seniors, was nice. We had some seniors that have been kind of quiet really show up (Monday), so that was exciting to see. … We’re pretty pumped. We know (Bishop is) a pretty great team, so we’re excited to play against them.”

The No. 25 Rio Hondo Lady Bobcats, who went undefeated to clinch their first District 32-4A championship, had their season come to an end in the opening round. Rio Hondo lost to Robstown (fourth place in District 31-4A) 25-19, 27-25, 26-24 in Falfurrias.

Also in Class 6A on Monday, Brownsville Rivera (second in District 32-6A) rallied to defeat Edinburg Vela in four games, 13-25, 25-13, 25-20, 25-14.

By CLAIRE CRUZ, Staff Writer

In his first game handling No. 1 running back duties, Brownsville Pace junior Andrew Gonzalez was downright unstoppable.

The reformed defensive back was thrust into the role because of a season-ending injury suffered by Ivan Gonzalez last week. Andrew Gonzalez shined as he led the Vikings (3-6, 3-5 in District 16-5A Division I) to a 41-21 victory over La Joya Palmview (3-6, 2-6), scoring four rushing touchdowns.

“It was just heart. Honestly, it was just running hard and playing hard, putting the pedal to the metal,” Andrew Gonzalez said. “It was a little tough. I had to learn the offense really quick. But the line stepped up tremendously. Good blocking from receivers and the O-line, and the quarterback would open it up because he’d get yards and they’d sleep on me so I could get some plays.”

Both halves started in similar ways, with Pace getting off to a fast start and Palmview responding.

The Vikings took their first two possessions to the end zone. Gonzalez slipped tackles and kept his legs pumping to carry defenders with him for extra yards, pacing the offense all game.

Junior quarterback Brandon Narvaez and senior receiver Alexander Agado connected twice for 36 yards to set up the first score, a 4-yard rush by Gonzalez. Gonzalez extended Pace’s lead with a tough 24-yard rushing touchdown early in the second, escaping a shoestring tackle before pounding his way to the end zone.

“The offense had some continuity. They actually kept drives alive,” Pace coach Danny Pardo said. “At halftime, that’s all I preached, just take care of the little things and let the offense keep moving, and we’ll go from there.”

The Lobos moved slowly and methodically downfield behind the efforts of junior quarterback Christian Reyna and a trio of playmakers. Senior running back A.J. Chapa carried the load and used his own tough running for consistent gains. Junior running back Eddie Pena and junior receiver Tony Villarreal contributed to the comeback.

On fourth down, Reyna handled a low snap and stayed composed with Pace’s Ricardo Alvarez in pursuit. He heaved the ball downfield, and Villarreal made the catch at the 25. After a Pace penalty on fourth down gave them new life, the Lobos scored on a 4-yard rush by Chapa late in the second.

Shortly after, junior Cristian Quitanilla recovered a fumble to give Palmview the ball deep in Pace territory with two minutes to play. Reyna hit big tight end Julian Sepulveda for a 23-yard touchdown to tie.

Pace drove downfield quickly, looking to retake the lead before the break, but Palmview senior Gino Ibarra wrecked those plans with an interception, keeping it tied at 14.

The Vikings again scored on their first two possessions of the third quarter, making it 28-14.

Agado took the opening kick approximately 90 yards for a touchdown. Gonzalez then scored his third touchdown on a 7-yard carry, racing to the edge then cutting inside a lane created by receiver Nathan Herrera’s block.

Palmview responded well, going on another time-consuming drive paced by consistent runs. Reyna and Sepulveda connected for a 17-yard touchdown as the big target beat the defense midfield.

Determined to end a five-game losing streak, the Vikings’ defense didn’t let Palmview maintain its momentum, coming up with timely stops during the fourth quarter. Senior Emilio Cahuiche had a huge game, racking up tackles and going 5-for-6 in PATs. Jonathan Lerma, Jorge Rodriguez and Alvarez played well to help the defense. Jesus Coello snagged an interception late in the game.

“I almost forgot what it felt like (to win),” Pardo said. “It’s been a while. Pace Vikings are not used to having a losing streak. Not a good taste in our mouth. They feed off that defense, and the defense made a couple plays there to get them cranking up. … These kids are coming together. As we go, we’re trying to finish up the year strong. Hopefully it carries into next week.”

Pace scored twice during the fourth quarter as Gonzalez continued to slice through the Lobos’ defense like a knife. He zig-zagged through lanes and juked defenders with ease, and capped his tremendous night with a 33-yard rushing touchdown. Agado scored on a fake field goal, taking the snap as the holder and running 15 yards to the end zone.

Quitanilla, Ezquiel De Hoyos and Jan Garcia contributed to Palmview’s defensive effort. Junior DB Bryan Garces notched an interception during the third quarter.

Both teams will close their seasons next week. Pace faces Brownsville Veterans Memorial, and Palmview will battle Brownsville Lopez.

“It was good to catch a win,” Gonzalez said. “It was tough losing those games. We look forward to taking on Vets with a win under our belt.”

By CLAIRE CRUZ, Staff Writer

The University Interscholastic League volleyball playoffs begin Monday, and many East Valley teams will be starting their push to the state tournament.

Action starts at 7 p.m. Monday with Brownsville Rivera (second in District 32-6A) traveling to face Edinburg Vela. District 31-3A runner up No. 14 Lyford will play 32-3A’s third-place team, Brownsville Jubilee, at 7 p.m. Monday at the Harlingen Jubilee campus.

The District 32-4A champion Rio Hondo Lady Bobcats will play Robstown at 6 p.m. Monday at Falfurrias Junior High.

All other bi-district matches will be played Tuesday.

No. 25 Harlingen High, the District 32-6A champion, faces Edinburg North at 7 p.m. at home. Los Fresnos plays host to Edinburg High at 7 p.m. Harlingen South will play at 7 p.m. at PSJA High.

No. 22 Brownsville Veterans Memorial will play host to McAllen High at 7 p.m. Brownsville Pace heads to McAllen Rowe for a 7 p.m. match.

La Feria plays Alice at 6 p.m. at Falfurrias Junior High. Raymondville lost to Grulla in a seeding match and will be the fourth seed out of 32-4A.

District 32-3A runner-up Brownsville IDEA Frontier plays Donna IDEA at 6:30 p.m. at home. Brownsville IDEA Riverview defeated Santa Rosa to reach the postseason as 32-3A’s fourth seed.

By CLAIRE CRUZ, Staff Writer

For the first time since 2018, the Brownsville Veterans Memorial Chargers are playoff bound.

Brownsville Veterans (6-3, 6-2 in District 16-5A Division I) secured its spot in the postseason with a tough 28-7 victory over Donna High on Friday. The Chargers’ “Blue Wall” defense played lights out, and the hard-running duo of Jose Moreno and Jorge Alvarado was stellar to back the win.

“It’s amazing. We’ve been working every day. I feel relieved that we’re back in,” said Moreno, a senior running back/defensive back. “I felt amazing out there. I don’t know how to describe it, it’s just a lot of emotions, and I feel good running the ball again and scoring. The energy (the defense) brings is what we feed off. We got to give all props to the defense, they did a wonderful job.”

Moreno and Alvarado led an efficient opening drive that ended with a score. Alvarado picked up three first downs in a row by trucking through lanes midfield. Junior running back Michael McHale used his speed after a pitch to beat Donna High around the edge for a 6-yard touchdown.

Donna High’s defense settled in and played tough to keep Brownsville Veterans’ typically fast and explosive offense in check. The defensive line comprised of seniors Lupe Ramos and Caleb Torres and junior Mario Limon was solid to shut down runs at the line of scrimmage. The Redskins held firm and forced a turnover on downs inside the red zone.

Donna High junior defensive back Brian Juarez had a tremendous game stopping the run and in pass protection. He snagged an interception during the second quarter to stymie a fourth consecutive Chargers drive.

“Defense played excellent. I don’t think the score reflects the effort of our defense,” Donna High coach Mike Gonzales said. “That’s a good ball club. They play hard-nosed football. Offensively, we couldn’t get anything going and we struggled a little bit. They did an excellent job of defending us. … What I’m most proud of is our kids played to the last whistle, and that’s all I ask for. Play hard, play Donna tough, and I think we did that.”

The aggressive Chargers defense didn’t let Donna High capitalize on its defensive stops. The linebacker trio of senior William Wassen and juniors Bryan Chavez and Gary Bardales defended the run and pressured the Redskins’ quarterbacks. Senior defensive back/receiver Zachary Dennis made a clutch solo tackle to stop a fake punt late in the first half.

After the big stop, the Chargers moved quickly to tack on a score just before halftime. Junior quarterback Reece Sampayo connected with Alvarado for a 15-yard gain to reach the red zone, and then Moreno scored on a 3-yard run. Sampayo hit Wassen for the two-point conversion, making it 15-0 at the break.

Both defenses dominated a scoreless third quarter. Redskins senior defensive back/punter Francisco Contreras forced a fumble, but Alvarado jumped on it for the Chargers. Junior linebacker Matthew Lopez put in a good performance for Donna High.

The teams exchanged touchdowns on three consecutive drives during the fourth quarter. Moreno dragged Redskins defenders to the end zone on a 3-yard score that was set up by a pair of big rushing gains from Alvarado.

Donna High answered with a quick drive anchored by its two biggest plays of the night. First, junior receiver Luis Silva took a reverse 27 yards into Chargers territory and was stopped short of the end zone by a solid open-field tackle by BVM sophomore Gilbert Trillo. On third down, the Redskins fooled the Chargers again, and junior quarterback Jake Garcia found senior receiver Jakob Yanez all alone for a 33-yard touchdown.

Brownsville Veterans junior defensive back Jonah Alaniz, who played a nice game, recovered Donna High’s onside kick attempt to give his team a short field. Alvarado powered his way up the gut, escaping tackles to the end zone for a 5-yard rushing touchdown.

“They tried to take away our outside stuff, so … that opened things up for (Moreno and Alvarado),” Chargers coach Kelley Lee said. “That’s what you have to do sometimes. Defense takes something away, so you got to hurt them with what they’re giving you and they did a good job of that.”

During the final minutes of the contest, Bardales scooped up a loose ball following a high snap on Donna High’s punt.

BVM now sets its focus on winning the regular-season finale against Brownsville Pace to secure the No. 3 seed.

“We wanted to punch our ticket tonight, and (Donna High) didn’t make it easy, but I thought our kids fought the whole way and did what we needed to do to get the ‘W.’ It feels good,” Lee said. “They’re understanding how to win games and how to control tempo. I thought that might’ve been one of our best defensive games all year. I’m pleased with their performance.”

By CLAIRE CRUZ, Staff Writer

BROWNSVILLE — The San Benito Greyhounds picked up their second consecutive District 32-6A shutout win Thursday at Sams Memorial Stadium.

The No. 6 Greyhounds (7-2, 4-2) cruised to a 50-0 victory over the Brownsville Rivera Raiders (2-7, 0-6), keeping themselves firmly in the playoff hunt with one game remaining in the regular season. They’ll face Weslaco High next Friday with a postseason ticket on the line.

“We just had to go out and show out,” senior athlete Jermaine Corbin said. “We come in and work from Saturday through Thursday. We practice hard, and we come out and execute. … We just have to keep working hard and get ready for the next opponent.”

The Greyhounds had sophomore Atticus De Leon, who typically lines up as a running back, at quarterback in the contest. He directed the offense well, aided by big performances from Corbin and sophomore running back Fabian Garcia. San Benito’s offensive line supplied plenty of protection and running lanes, helping the explosive plays.

San Benito’s defense held Rivera to less than 50 yards of offense during the first half and forced four fumbles in the game. The hard-hitting ’Hounds controlled the line of scrimmage and applied frequent pressure to the Raiders’ quarterbacks.

Garcia scored on an 18-yard carry to cap San Benito’s opening drive following a big punt return from Bomani Guy. Corbin tacked on three of his four touchdowns before halftime.

After a fumble recovery by Mariano Garcia ended Rivera’s second possession, Corbin pranced into the end zone on a 4-yard rush and ran for the two-point conversion. He added a 3-yard rushing score and a 21-yard touchdown reception from De Leon.

San Benito got right back to business after the break, scoring twice during the third quarter to make it 44-0. De Leon notched a 19-yard rushing touchdown and a 52-yard passing touchdown to Corbin.

“I give credit to all my teammates. They always push me, and I’m not the way I am without my teammates and my coaches,” Corbin said. “Players go down, and you got to step up and fill in. (De Leon) did a really good job.”

Greyhounds coach Dan Gomez pulled the starters late in the third, but the scoring didn’t stop. Backup quarterback Aaron Corona and running back Aaron Garza drove down field consistently, beating Rivera to the edge and following blocks up the gut with strong running. Noe Zavala added a 4-yard rushing touchdown in the fourth.

“(I liked) the energy we brought out. (Getting other players) experience is big because you can’t coach experience. It goes a long way,” Gomez said. “The challenge was put on our seniors to make sure that we came out and got things done, and we were happy with the way our seniors came out tonight. We’ll go in tomorrow and watch film, and focus up for Weslaco and be as prepared as we possibly can for a very good team.”

The Raiders showed their fight and battled through a bevy of injuries. Three different quarterbacks were used, and Rivera was without some key playmakers. Senior starter and junior backup quarterbacks Ramsey Rocha and George Vergada both got hurt and spent some series on the sideline, but their tenacity brought both back to the field.

“We’re beat up right now. We have kids that, despite being injured, they don’t want to get off the field,” Raiders coach Beto Leal said. “I want them to know that, as coaches, we see that. We know what kind of kids we have. I love these kids. They play hard, and I know they’re never going to quit. What else can I ask for?”

Sophomore running back Edgar Rocha ran hard and notched Rivera’s biggest play, bursting through a lane on a first-down carry and using his speed for a 44-yard gain. A penalty negated a would-be touchdown pass, and Rivera turned it over on downs after the breakaway.

Mariano Garcia, Nova Bejaran and Josh Vasquez were among the defensive standouts for San Benito. Marcos Cantu and Damien Longoria recovered fumbles.

Eric Arevalo, Rogelio Lopez, Arnold Rodarte and Jesus Pardo played well for Rivera’s defense.

Rivera’s seniors will play their final game next Thursday. It hasn’t been the season the Raiders hoped for, but they’ll look to end things on a high note against Donna North.

“It’s like life. We’re going to have ups and downs, and we’re going to keep working,” Leal said. “For the seniors, (next week) is going to be the last time they get to play at Sams Stadium. How do you want to go out? We’re going to keep them motivated. We’re going to stay working.”

By CLAIRE CRUZ, Staff Writer

LA FERIA — Last season, the La Feria Lions didn’t like sharing the District 16-4A Division I championship.

At 7:30 tonight, La Feria (6-1, 3-0) plays host to Hidalgo (3-4, 1-1), the team with which it shared the title in 2020. The Lions are confident they’ll be securing the district championship outright and with an undefeated district record with a victory in their regular-season finale.

“We feel pretty great with our game plan. We’re coming in really strong because of what happened last year,” senior defensive back Elijah Vela said. “We didn’t want to share it last year, and we don’t want to share it this year. We’re for sure going to get it for ourselves this year. It would mean a lot, going out No. 1 in the district and undefeated in district, especially in my senior year.”

Vela is part of a talented senior class setting the example for the young Lions this season. He leads the team in tackles and interceptions. He took on a leadership role because of the inexperience the roster had, and his guidance has helped the Lions become a solid unit.

“Half these guys really were new to varsity, and I had games under my belt from last year, so helping them getting used to it was my job,” Vela said. “We can depend on each other. Causing turnovers (is a strength of the defense). As of right now, our secondary has, like, 10 interceptions. Our turnovers help give the ball back to our offense so we can score.”

Leading the high-powered La Feria offense is senior quarterback Aaron Trevino. Since the 7-on-7 season over the summer, Trevino has been building chemistry with the plethora of playmakers on the roster. All the work in the offseason has paid off, resulting in La Feria averaging 46 points per game.

“It’s a lot about tempo, keeping the offense moving and making sure we’re all doing what we’re assigned to do, making reads,” Trevino said. “We’re a real explosive team. At the beginning of the season, I feel like I wasn’t really doing my best or what I was capable of. As the season went on, I really found my rhythm.”

Trevino has long wanted to be the leader for a team, and he’s made the most out of that opportunity this season. He has surpassed 1,000 passing yards, is the No. 2 rusher and leads the team in touchdowns scored. He sets the standard for La Feria with his stellar performances.

“It’s been a dream of mine to lead a team and be the captain of my team,” Trevino said. “This year it’s a lot of younger guys that haven’t really been on varsity, so they look up to me, so it’s about being a role model. Say we get down in a game, I have to keep my head up and make sure the guys are still going.”

The Lions had concerns about depth and inexperience during the preseason. But plenty of players have stepped up throughout the season, including freshman starting linebacker Andrew Rivera and sophomore running back Zion Dickerson.

Dickerson has done well in his role as La Feria’s leading rusher, maturing and improving quickly and consistently. He believes the offense’s speed is a strength that keeps the unit successful.

“I’ve been pretty all right,” Dickerson said. “(I’ve been) practicing harder, being focused. It’s a lot of pressure. I got to do good. My athleticism helps.”

La Feria coach Oscar Salinas wants his team to be aggressive to counter Hidalgo’s physical play. The Lions are prepared to see a lot of rushing and to be challenged by the Pirates. Salinas said the team has been working hard, knowing what’s on the line, and believes the mentality La Feria has will give it an edge.

“(Hidalgo is) a power-running team, well-coached team, a very big football team. We’ve prepared ourselves mentally to play a physical game and go all out every play,” Salinas said. “These kids have Lion pride. They believe every game that they have a chance to win. They go out with a lot of confidence, and they play as hard as they can.”

Salinas thanked the La Feria community for the consistent support it has showed the Lions this season. He hopes there will be a big crowd in attendance tonight to cheer on the team and the senior class as they battle in Lions Stadium for potentially the last time. Trevino and Vela hope to cap their careers by continuing La Feria’s winning ways.

“We’ve made (winning district) a repeat thing,” Trevino said. “It’s a tradition that we’re trying to keep going, so it’ll be real big for me and all these seniors to win.”

By CLAIRE CRUZ, Staff Writer

Senior quarterback Luigi Cristiano knows people doubted Brownsville St. Joseph’s chances at reaching the playoffs this season.

Since the Bloodhounds have lost their past three games, he said outsiders are probably once again counting them out.

But the Bloodhounds (3-5, 2-3 in TAPPS Division II District 3) are in control of their own destiny with two home games remaining on the schedule. If they win out, starting with today’s 5 p.m. matchup with Austin Hyde Park (0-8, 0-5) at Canales Field, the youthful Bloodhounds will make the playoffs, surpassing even the expectations they had for themselves.

“No one believed in us,” Cristiano said. “I wouldn’t even say I believed in us in spring football. … Everyone started to count us out after the last three weeks, but that wasn’t the real Bloodhounds. The real Bloodhounds are coming back (today).

“No one frames a state playoff shirt, but this would be one to frame if we make it this year,” he added. “These guys are all my friends that play soccer, other sports. They came to play for me, for the school. And for us to be good enough to make the playoffs in this district would be crazy.”

Cristiano’s top supporting cast members have been seniors Adrian Del Pozo and Nick Jackson, two-way players that coach Tino Villarreal called especially dangerous on offense. Junior Francisco De La Garza also plays both ways and has impressed Villarreal. Junior offensive and defensive lineman Miguel “Pumba” Cortez is playing well to lead both lines.

The recent struggles are a result of injuries, COVID-19 contact tracing and the tough, travel-heavy schedule SJA plays. But Villarreal said the Bloodhounds are the healthiest they’ve been in a while, and with Cristiano leading the way, they’re ready to get back in the win column.

“We’re in the driver’s seat. We don’t have to depend on anybody else, we’ll just depend on ourselves to finish strong. We couldn’t ask for a better scenario than that,” Villarreal said.

“Having Luigi as our quarterback is the ultimate thing. He’ll run what we tell him to, but he has an opinion about plays, and it’s an educated opinion,” Villarreal added. “He’s able to tell you from field vision what the defense is doing, what kind of plays would give us an advantage. His leadership, his mastery of our offensive system and his ability to be a coach on the field is impressive.”

Because of the roster’s inexperience, a lot has been placed on Cristiano’s shoulders this season. He’s attempting roughly 40 passes per game and averaging more than 250 passing yards each week. He has thrown 22 touchdowns and just five interceptions with 2,057 passing yards.

Following SJA’s Week 3 rout of Santa Rosa, when Cristiano threw for 375 yards and six touchdowns, he was recognized statewide as the private school Built Ford Tough Player of the Week. Winning the award was a career goal for Cristiano and puts him in elite company with former SJA quarterback and current Texas Longhorns player Kai Money as Bloodhounds honorees.

“I got to coach Kai Money for four years and see him be a Built Ford Tough player. We have his wooden Texas plaque in the trophy case, and to be able to put one for Luigi next to it, was great. Luigi had big shoes to fill following Kai, and he’s delivered,” Villarreal said.

Cristiano’s mission was never to be the next Kai Money. He wanted to write his own legacy and lead the team his own way, which he has done during the past four years. He’s determined to continue doing that during the last two weeks of the regular season to guide his Bloodhounds back to the postseason.

“Everyone tried telling me I had to yell and be that guy in the locker room,” Cristiano said. “But these guys are my friends. They’re not any less than me. Yeah, I’m the experienced one, I know what it takes to win, so I’ve been leading by example and putting the right words in everyone’s heads.

“The key to it was not thinking about who came before me. It was creating my own story,” he continued. “You can never replace Kai. But I did my best, and now I feel like no one can ever replace me.”

By CLAIRE CRUZ, Staff Writer

RIO HONDO — The Rio Hondo Lady Bobcats have spent the past few seasons sneaking into the playoffs as the fourth seed in District 32-4A, then making an early exit in the bi-district round.

This year, they wanted more. With seven seniors leading the way, the Lady ’Cats went 10-0 in 32-4A, clinching the program’s first district championship and first undefeated district season. Now, they have their sights set on making more history with a playoff victory.

“Getting that first district championship was amazing, because every year I’ve been here we’ve been fourth, so now going into the playoffs, I feel really good,” senior outside hitter Alexis Rhyner said. “I’ve heard a lot of talk about how a lot of Rio Hondo teams go undefeated and then lose in the first round of playoffs. I want to change that, especially for volleyball. I’ve never heard of us winning a playoff game, so I at least want to win one. I think that would be amazing.”

Rhyner, an every-rotation player, and senior middle blocker Alyssa Silguero are four-year letterwinners who anchor Rio Hondo’s tall, athletic offensive attack.

Silguero is a power hitter, but her skills aren’t limited to the front row. First-year coach Esther Pena praised Silguero’s tough serving and said despite her height, she hustles for digs when she’s in the back row. Silguero said the strong chemistry the team has, which starts with the tight-knit senior class, has been a big factor in their program-changing season.

“All the seniors, since we’ve all grown up together, we’re used to playing all sports with each other, so everyone came together (this year) and we’ve had a great year,” Silguero said. “We’re making history here, and it feels so amazing to be a part of it. It’s such an honor. I really hope we make it far in playoffs. We’re really doing great this year, and we’ve worked really hard.”

Setter Jalyssa Sauceda is another experienced senior playing a big role for Rio Hondo. Pena credited Sauceda for adjusting to the increased responsibility of running a 5-1 system this season, making her the lone setter instead of splitting time with a second setter as she did previously.

Sauceda said she’s “so proud” of some other seniors who have stepped up this season, even after not playing last year. Senior libero Karley Lozano is someone Pena lauded for having a key role. Sauceda felt this team was capable of great things early in the season, and credited Pena’s leadership for sparking consistent improvement.

“When we started tournaments, I knew there was chemistry. Everyone was working well together. Once we got to our first district game, it was, like, wow,” Sauceda said. “Our offense has really gotten better. We’re not just a hitting, pounding team. We can do tips, roll shots, hit different spots on the court. …

“I knew that (Pena) was going to be hard on us because she wanted us to be how we are right now,” Sauceda continued. “She made us overcome plenty of obstacles, which I’m really happy about. I feel we have a really good chance (in the playoffs). Watching film and just waiting to see who we’re going to play next makes me so anxious and so excited at the same time.”

Rio Hondo’s bi-district match is set for at 6 p.m. Monday in Falfurrias against Robstown or Kingsville King.

“We told them this is a whole new season, so we’ve really turned up the intensity in practice,” Pena said. “I’m extremely proud of them. It meant a lot to me (to win the championship). There were some days I felt I wanted it more for them than they did for themselves. They’re a really hard-working group, and I couldn’t be happier.”

Pena has coached in Rio Hondo for six years, but this is her first season leading a program. She emphasized making her players good at everything instead of at one particular skill, and the well-roundedness of the versatile, coachable athletes has been a major boost.

But more than anything, Pena believes the Lady Bobcats’ tenacity and desire to change the program led to making history, and she hopes it’ll continue.

“Their hustle is a strength, being able to come out and give it their all,” Pena said. “We’ve been in holes, down by 10 or 12 points, and we’ve been able to come out of it. I think a big difference in this year is they’re not giving up. They want it.”

By CLAIRE CRUZ, Staff Writer

The volleyball postseason is right around the corner, set to start Monday with the UIL district certification deadline Saturday.

Several districts finished their regular season Tuesday and have playoff seeding and bi-district details finalized. Some teams won’t have a clear picture until the week ends.

No. 25 Harlingen High clinched the District 32-6A championship, the first title in 15 years for the program. The Lady Cardinals will play at 7 p.m. Tuesday at home against Edinburg North.

Two-seed Brownsville Rivera heads to Edinburg Vela at 7 p.m. Monday. Third-place Los Fresnos will face Edinburg High at 7 p.m. Tuesday in Los Fresnos. Harlingen South finished fourth and will play at 7 p.m. Tuesday at PSJA High.

No. 22 Brownsville Veterans Memorial won another District 32-5A championship, completing an undefeated district season. The Lady Chargers will play host to McAllen High at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the bi-district round. Two-seed Brownsville Pace plays at 7 p.m. Tuesday at McAllen Rowe.

The Rio Hondo Lady Bobcats won their first District 32-4A championship in program history and did it in undefeated fashion. They’ll play at 6 p.m. Monday at Falfurrias Junior high against either Robstown or Kingsville King, whichever team wins a play-in game scheduled for Friday. La Feria secured the second seed and will play Alice at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Falfurrias Junior High.

Raymondville and Hidalgo will battle at 6 p.m. Friday in Hidalgo in a seeding game to determine third and fourth place in 32-4A.

No. 14 Lyford is the No. 2 seed in District 31-3A. The Lady Bulldogs will finish their season Friday.

Brownsville IDEA Frontier and Brownsville Jubilee secured second and third place, respectively, in District 32-3A. Brownsville IDEA Riverview and Santa Rosa have a play-in match scheduled for 4 p.m. Friday at IDEA Riverview. The winner will be the No. 4 seed.

In District 32-2A/1A, the San Perlita Lady Trojans clinched the No. 2 seed and will have a first-round bye. They’ll play Medina in the area round. Lasara battles with Bruni on Thursday to determine third and fourth place.

The Brownsville St. Joseph Lady Bloodhounds advanced to the TAPPS 5A playoffs out of District 6 for the fourth consecutive year. They’ll play their bi-district match Nov. 6 against either The Woodlands Christian Academy or Frassatti Catholic.