By CLAIRE CRUZ, Staff Writer

BROWNSVILLE — A week full of rivalry games in the Rio Grande Valley was capped by a battle between the Brownsville Hanna Eagles and the Brownsville Rivera Raiders.

Each team controlled one half of the District 32-6A contest that went down to the wire. The Hanna defense came up with the clutch stop to clinch the 15-13 victory Saturday at Sams Memorial Stadium.

“These inner-city rivals, we get after it. We just want to beat each other,” Hanna coach Mark Guess said. “Our defense eventually did a good job to come up and make some plays. Our guys finally decided they wanted to win this game and not give it away. … Rivera played hard, man. They’re not a bad football team at all.”

It was a scoreless contest through one and a half quarters, and then the Eagles exploded for two scores during a five-minute span to hold a 15-0 lead at halftime. Senior defensive back Anthony Ambriz broke the tie with a punt return touchdown he took approximately 60 yards to the end zone.

Hanna rode the momentum from the big play to quickly force a three-and-out and tack on another score. Junior quarterback Joshua Villafranco directed an 80-yard scoring drive, connecting with senior receiver Ethan Pena and Ambriz and using his legs to move the chains.

Villafranco had four carries and hurdled a defender on the sideline to set up the score. He hit Pena in the end zone for a 33-yard touchdown — a redemption play for the receiver after an early drop on a would-be touchdown. Hanna faked the extra point, with Ambriz taking the snap and rushing in for the two-point conversion.

“(Moving to quarterback), it’s just settling into the new plays I have to learn,” Villafranco said. “(I did) pretty good. Did what I could to get those yards. Just had to step up and be that leader of the team. I love that we never quit. I give it up to our defense for that win.”

Rivera came out strong during the second half, led by quarterback Ramsey Rocha. The senior signal caller gave a gutsy performance to give the Raiders a fighting chance.

The Raiders took the opening possession of the second half 74 yards to trim their deficit. Junior running back Luis Reyes ran hard to keep the offense rolling, and Rocha hit junior Devin Parker and senior Adrian Arriaga. Rocha scored on a 2-yard carry after getting Rivera to first-and-goal on a 10-yard rush.

Hanna had a good drive going after the score, but a costly penalty slowed the Eagles and resulted in a punt.

“We’ve been in a couple of tough ones this year where we had to come back. This is the first time we had the lead and had to really hold somebody off,” Guess said. “We played well enough to win. Definitely not a pretty game, but the kids played hard and that’s all we can expect from them.”

Rivera responded with a solid 95-yard scoring drive. Rocha was 5-for-8 on the drive, converting on third down twice in the air and once with his legs, and converting on fourth down with a pass to Arriaga. Arriaga had four receptions in the drive, including a 28-yard touchdown. Rivera’s two-point conversion failed, keeping Hanna on top 15-13 with 9:10 on the clock.

“(Rocha), this whole season he’s just been growing and maturing,” Rivera coach Beto Leal said. “We put a lot on his plate as far as throwing the ball and running the ball. He’s stepping up to the plate as a leader, and we appreciate that.”

The teams exchanged turnovers-on-downs on the next three possessions, and the Raiders got the ball back on their own 35-yard line with two minutes to play. Rocha hit Robert Flores for a 30-yard gain to get into Eagles territory, but after an incompletion on third down, Rivera missed a long field goal.

Hanna kneeled out the clock, improving to 3-4, 2-2. Junior standout running back Kriz Pena was sidelined with an injury during the first quarter. Villafranco picked up his second win in as many starts after winning the quarterback job following inconsistency at the position early in the season. Ambriz, Humberto Garcia, Manrique Cantu and Ramon Reyes led Hanna defensively.

“(Villafranco) still has some things we need to clean up, but we feel he gives us the best opportunity to win football games,” Guess said.

Rivera falls to 2-5, 0-4. Alan Montano, JR Acevedo, Abel Campos, Eric Arevalo and Rogelio Lopez were among the top defensive playmakers that held Hanna scoreless during the second half.

“Our kids battled. We’re not the Rivera of old. We’re not. These kids never quit. They keep rolling, and that’s all I can ask for,” Leal said. “We told them at halftime and before the game, ‘I want you to leave every ounce of blood, of tears, of sweat out on the field.’ Second half, defense shut ’em out, offense put up 13 points, but we came up short on the two-point conversion.”

By CLAIRE CRUZ, Staff Writer

The Brownsville St. Joseph cross country teams had a stellar day at the TAPPS 5A District 5 meet Saturday in Victoria.

The boys and girls teams won district championships to advance to the state meet scheduled for Nov. 1 in Waco.

The boys cruised to victory, recording a team score of 23 as all five scored runners finished in the top 10. Alejandro Ramirez led the way with a second-place finish and was joined on the podium by Pedro Cardenas, who finished third. Jorge Albores (fourth), Mauricio Gonzalez (sixth) and Juan Gonzalez (eighth) rounded out the team score, and Julio Silguero was 19th.

Coach Teddy Lopez said the Lady Bloodhounds came through, slimly defeating host Victoria St. Joseph by just one point. Brownsville St. Joseph’s girls tabbed a team score of 31. Valeria Bazan was their top finisher, taking second place. She was joined by Amanda Hinojosa (fourth), Zoe Voreis (fifth), Kylee Voreis (ninth) and Lucia Gonzalez (11th) in the scoring. Ale Gonzalez and Eloisa Hinojosa finished 12th and 14th.

The Santa Maria girls won the District 32-2A team championship Oct. 9. The Lady Cougars notched a score of 39 with Mia Picazo (second) and Joselyn Villasana (fourth) leading the way. Marlett Flores (15th), Lucero Chavez (17th) and Maya Lopez (20th) contributed to the team’s victory. Giselle Mendoza and Gabriela Gonzalez were 21st and 27th.

Santa Maria’s boys team scored 51 points to finish second in the team standings. Juan Morales won the boys individual championship, clocking in at 17:37.7. Angel Gonzalez (ninth), Ivan Rico (13th), Rosendo Fernandez (14th) and Emmanuel Diaz (18th) contributed to the score. Pablo Ibarra finished 25th.

The Region IV-2A meet is scheduled for Oct. 25 at TAMUCC. The 2A girls will run at 11:40 a.m., and the boys will follow at noon.

By CLAIRE CRUZ, Staff Writer

District title odds and playoff seeding were shaken up in Districts 32-6A and 32-5A this week.

The No. 25 Harlingen High Lady Cardinals maintain sole possession of first place in 32-6A. They improved to 10-1 after sweeping San Benito on Saturday. Los Fresnos (9-2) and Brownsville Rivera (9-2) are tied in second after defeating Weslaco High and Brownsville Hanna, respectively, on Saturday.

Rivera defeated Los Fresnos on Tuesday, avenging a first-round loss. The Lady Falcons will look for the same kind of revenge when they play host to Harlingen High in a pivotal match Tuesday.

Harlingen South (6-5) remains in the playoff picture after sweeping Donna North on Saturday.

In 32-5A, the Brownsville Pace Lady Vikings (9-2) suffered a loss at the hands of Edcouch-Elsa (8-3) on Saturday.

Brownsville Porter (5-6) lost in four sets to Donna High (6-5) in an important match and now sits just outside of the playoff picture. If the Cowgirls win out and get some help via a Donna High loss, they could sneak into the fourth playoff spot.

Brownsville Veterans Memorial continued its winning ways, sweeping Mercedes on Saturday. The 11-0 Lady Chargers are three wins away from an undefeated district title.

Brownsville Lopez earned a sweep over Weslaco East on Saturday.

By CLAIRE CRUZ, Staff Writer

SAN BENITO — For the third straight year, the Harlingen High Cardinals earned bragging rights in the Battle of the Arroyo.

The No. 3 Cardinals (5-2, 3-1 in District 32-6A) picked up a 17-0 victory over the No. 4 San Benito Greyhounds (5-2, 2-2) on Friday at Bobby Morrow Stadium. Harlingen High’s defense used a superb performance to unravel the Greyhounds’ offense, recording its first shutout in the storied rivalry since 2013.

“Since I was a kid, all I ever wanted to see was the Cardinals soar. Tonight they soared, and I’m so proud of them,” Harlingen High coach Manny Gomez said. “A lot of people have been counting out the Cardinals, but you know what? It’s all good. Thank God he gave us the glory today.”

The first half was a stalemate as both defenses did well to contain their opponent’s top running back, Fabian Garcia for San Benito and Izaiah Bell for Harlingen High. The intimidating defensive fronts kept quarterbacks off rhythm.

San Benito linebacker Mariano Garcia notched an interception on Harlingen High’s first drive deep in Cardinals territory. During the second quarter, a shanked punt by the Cardinals gave the Greyhounds prime starting field position again. San Benito was inside the 30-yard line four times in the first half, and each time it fell short of the end zone following one missed field goal and a turnover-on-downs in three consecutive possessions.

“They’ve got a good defense, and we needed to capitalize and make some plays. But our kids played hard,” Greyhounds coach Dan Gomez said.

Harlingen High scored the first points with 54 seconds remaining in the first half. The Cardinals traveled 77 yards down the field on two huge passing plays from quarterback Joe Lopez. The senior signal caller found Aiden Sandoval for a 31-yard gain after Sandoval slipped his defender to haul in the reception. Then, Lopez hit Isaiah Perales for a 45-yard touchdown and a 7-0 lead at halftime.

The Cardinals played more efficiently during the second half, leaning heavily on Bell and fellow running back Kian Torres to steadily pick up yards. They started the third quarter with an eight-minute scoring drive that ended with a 29-yard field goal from kicker Joseph Garza.

Albert Vasquez stopped San Benito’s ensuing drive with an interception that ricocheted off a receiver’s hands. Bell busted up through the defensive line for a 16-yard gain on third down, then opened the fourth quarter by following offensive lineman Roy Reyna into the end zone on a 1-yard carry, making it 17-0.

San Benito went up-tempo on the following drive. Junior quarterback Andres Villagran, who shared a few series with starting quarterback junior Rodney Rodriguez early in the season, was handed the reins during the first quarter. Villagran hit Rodriguez, Jermaine Corbin and Atticus Deleon, and mixed in some decent runs to get the ’Hounds to the 3.

“(We played Villagran) to see what we could muster up,” Dan Gomez said. “Just got to execute better. I’ve got to do a better job of preparing the team myself. … We got the playoff atmosphere, and that’s exactly what we wanted. That way if things work out at the end, we’ll have some experience.”

On first-and-goal, Rodriguez went under center and heaved a pass to the end zone. Harlingen High defensive back Ray Castillo jumped the route and made a diving interception, sending the visiting sideline and crowd into a frenzy.

“I told my team I was going to get the pick, but it’s not just me. It’s my whole team, the D-line, the linebackers, they got to the quarterback, which let me get that pick,” Castillo said. “The coaches put a great game plan together, we executed and came out with the dub. All the hard work that we put in, man, I’m just happy. It was an exciting moment.”

JC Moradel, Julio Sanchez, Christian Luna and Castillo were among the defensive standouts who helped the Cardinals shut down San Benito’s offense. The Greyhounds had little success rushing, and after halftime Harlingen High limited the passing game to five completions.

After a slow first half, Bell accumulated nearly 100 yards on more than one dozen carries during the second half. He was recognized as the most valuable player by the Great American Rivalry Series.

“I was kind of down on myself because they were stopping me in the run game, but then I went into halftime and I regrouped. I had to show who I am, and I made it happen,” Bell said. “It means the most. We really work hard for this. My team gave everything they had. We’re going to continue to work. We ain’t stopping here.”

By CLAIRE CRUZ, Staff Writer

BROWNSVILLE — It was a competitive morning at the BISD Encampment as the District 32-6A cross country runners competed for tickets to the regional meet.

The Harlingen South Lady Hawks used their pack mentality to cruise to the team district championship. They accumulated a winning score of 24 as all five scored runners finished in the top 10.

“I’m so happy for them. They run as a team, they practice as a team and they really root for each other. The way they ran today really showed how they pull each other along,” South coach Ralph De La Rosa said. “I think a lot of people might see cross country as kind of a leisure sport, but when you get out there and run 3.1 miles as fast as you can, you have to have some inner fight. These girls have it. They’re tremendous competitors.”

A group of South runners went straight to the lead and ran together throughout the race. South’s Alexis Fonseca and Harlingen High junior Ayianna Olivas separated from the pack and ran side by side, until one found another gear.

Olivas picked up her pace during the third mile and never looked back as training took over, perfectly executing her game plan. She finished in 20 minutes, 21.3 seconds, to win the individual district title and lead the Lady Cardinals team (52) that earned second.

“It’s amazing. I honestly want to cry, but I’m trying to keep it all in,” Olivas said. “I’ve been talking with my coach since the season started about how, this year, I’m going to come back stronger and try to go win it. We’ve been working real hard all season to get to this point so I could go out there and kill it.”

Fonseca held on to second place, and she was followed by a pair of Lady Hawks in Aliyah Fonseca (third) and Arriana Rodriguez (fourth). Victoria Scarberry and Damaris Solis took eighth and ninth place, securing the team’s victory.

“I would not want to play any sport against (the Fonseca sisters). They are cutthroat,” De La Rosa said. “Alexis had been nursing a bit of an injury, and when you see her run that first mile, it was pretty phenomenal. She just has that fight. She’s got a lot of guts.”

Brownsville Hanna’s Brissa Stinson rounded out the top five finishers, qualifying for the Region IV-6A meet as an individual along with teammate Fernanda Aguilar (seventh) and Los Fresnos’ Jasmine Ponce (sixth).

The second-place Lady Cardinals were represented by Olivas (first), Stephanie Suarez (ninth), Annabel Reyes (12th), Irene Ramirez (14th) and Brianna Venegas (16th). Weslaco High (66) — comprised of Kalissa Cavazos (10th), Lexie Escamilla (11th), Kaylee Munoz (13th), Anna Vela (15th) and Kennedy Villalpando (17th) — finished third.

The Donna North Chiefs (39) earned a tight team district championship in the boys race. They were led by Ricardo Rubio (fifth), Benjamin Rubio (sixth), Jose Torres (eighth), Melvin Gomez (ninth) and Jairo Pedraza (11th).

Brownsville Hanna senior John Abrego dominated the race to clinch the individual district championship, running it in 16:11.6. He led from start to finish, making a move midway through the second mile to create separation that consistently increased until he crossed the finish line more than 40 seconds before the next runner.

“It was the mental strategy,” Abrego said. “Learning the signs, feeling when it’s time to go, and most of all not doubting. When the time feels right, just do it, just go.

“It feels like I’m being a good role model for the rest of my team … showing that hard work pays off, getting people up north to say, ‘Hey, RGV’s pretty good.’”

Harlingen High senior Geovany Cisneros took second, followed by teammate Dominic Luna in third to lead the Cardinals (44) to a second-place finish in the team standings. A trio of Cardinals in Richard Loya (12th), Chris Nowak (13th) and Carlos Marchand (14th) aided the team score.

Abrego and Cisneros have battled in stellar races throughout their strong careers. The duo finished first and second last year, with the placings swapped. Abrego credited Cisneros and other competitors for pushing him.

“I think (last year) was more of a lesson learned to know that it’s not just me on the field that’s fighting hard,” Abrego said. “Those guys are on the same level as me, but I think it separates with the mental strategy.

“(Cisneros) had a little loss of pattern in his breath in the first mile and a half, so I took that sign and took off.”

Ethan Perez (seventh), Carlos Montes (10th), Juan Perez (15th) and Esteban Roblero (20th) helped Hanna (53) finish third. Weslaco High’s Derek Rodriguez (fourth) qualified as an individual.

The Region IV-6A meet is scheduled for Oct. 25 at Texas A&M Corpus Christi, with the 6A girls running at 8 a.m. and the boys at 8:30 a.m.

By CLAIRE CRUZ, Staff Writer

Two of the best offenses in a loaded District 16-5A Division I faced off Thursday at Sams Memorial Stadium, but the game was more slugfest than shootout.

Brownsville Veterans Memorial made key stops at opportune moments, including two turnovers and one blocked PAT, that made all the difference. The Chargers (5-2, 5-1) defeated the McAllen Rowe Warriors (4-3, 4-2) 21-19 in an important game to stay one game back from the leader in the district standings.

“I’m really proud of our boys. (McAllen) Rowe’s a great team, and when you’re going to beat a good team you have to go through adversity. I thought we responded well, counterpunched, and I think that’s a sign of our young kids growing up,” Chargers coach Kelley Lee said. “We expected kind of a low-scoring game because we knew that their defense was solid and we felt like we had a good game plan, and if we executed, it would be this kind of game. To go out and fulfill what we wanted, see it come to fruition, it’s very rewarding.”

Brownsville Veterans took a quick lead, cashing in on a Jonah Alaniz fumble recovery that ended Rowe’s opening possession. A short 36-yard drive anchored by senior running back Jose Moreno ended with Moreno scoring on a 1-yard rush.

The teams swapped punts, then the Warriors came back with a quick score. Senior running back/defensive back Diego Pacheco broke away around the edge for a 68-yard rushing touchdown. Brownsville Veterans blocked the PAT, maintaining a 7-6 lead.

Rowe’s defense played well up front to stymie the Chargers’ offense, forcing punts on consecutive drives. In between stops, the Warriors ate a lot of clock with a slow-and-steady, 10-play, 50-yard drive featuring nine short yardage runs. Quarterback Mateo Llanas scored on a 2-yard keeper to put Rowe on top.

Late in the second quarter, Chargers sophomore defensive back Gilbert Trillo snagged his fifth interception of the season to give his team momentum. BVM rolled 57 yards down the field in its option offense and scored on a 1-yard quarterback keeper from junior Reece Sampayo with less than one minute on the clock. The Chargers forced a quick three-and-out and held a 14-13 lead at halftime.

“(Trillo) played on JV in Week 1. He played well, we moved him up and he’s really become our leader in the back end of our defense,” Lee said. “He’s a really good ballhawk, and he fits the run well. He’s going to be a phenomenal football player. He’s already a pretty good one.”

Brownsville Veterans extended its advantage during the third on a 2-yard rushing touchdown from junior running back/linebacker Bryan Chavez. A 24-yard pass from Sampayo to senior receiver/defensive back Zachary Dennis set up the go-ahead score. Senior kicker Jose Medrano, who was 3-for-3 in PATs, made it 21-13.

The Warriors quickly responded with a score set up by a big run from Pacheco. He took a fourth-and-1 pitch 36 yards into Chargers territory, then junior running back Chris Zavala hit paydirt with an 8-yard run. Rowe attempted a two-point conversion to tie, but the pass sailed incomplete as Brownsville Veterans defended well.

“I think the big difference is we missed an extra point early, we had some penalties,” Rowe coach Robert Flores said. “When you make those kind of mistakes it hurts your field position, and not getting points on the board when you have a chance against a good team comes back to get you.”

The second half went by quick as both defenses flexed their muscles to contain high-powered offenses. Senior running back/linebacker Jorge Alvarado was solid to lead the Chargers defensively and had a huge fourth quarter to maintain the lead. Dennis and senior linebacker William Wassen aided BVM’s defense.

Freshman and junior running backs Storm Montoya and Jay Valdez were productive to help Brownsville Veterans sustain drives. Montoya was the workhouse on BVM’s final drive, consistently picking up good yardage with his legs to run out the clock.

Victor Vega, Jason Neal, Yahir Garcia and Mikhail Mata led Rowe’s defensive effort. Llanas connected with Jorge Diaz for some good gains, and Pacheco and Zavala carried the load in the run game.

“We’re in the toughest district, in my opinion, in the Rio Grande Valley,” Flores said. “Every week we’re playing playoff teams. We knew (BVM coach Kelley Lee) was going to have his guys ready, and they’ve done a great job. We’re not done yet. We still got three ballgames, and anything can happen. All we can control is our own destiny. We need to focus on correcting the mistakes we made and get ready for the next one.”

By CLAIRE CRUZ, Staff Writer

HARLINGEN — For the second time this season, the Harlingen High Cardinals will be playing in a game celebrated by the Great American Rivalry Series.

Two weeks removed from the Bird Bowl, the Cardinals now have their sights set on one of the Rio Grande Valley’s most iconic rivalries — the Battle of the Arroyo. Its legend has spread beyond South Texas as the tradition grows.

No. 3 Harlingen High (4-2, 2-1) will travel to Bobby Morrow Stadium at 7 p.m. today to take on the No. 4 San Benito Greyhounds (5-1, 2-1) in a District 32-6A game. The winner will take an important step to maintaining its place in second in the district standings.

“It’s going to be a different environment, especially because we’re not playing at home. But we’ve put in so much work, we’re going to be ready,” junior running back Izaiah Bell said. “(Knowing the importance) keeps us on our toes. We have to work for it, and we can’t take no plays off. We’re going to do what we got to do.”

Bell serves as the workhorse in the Cardinals’ backfield, grinding out yards and scoring touchdowns behind his powerful running style. He said he’s grown as a player since last season, focusing on his mentality and work ethic to handle the responsibility he has on offense.

“Last year, I didn’t play as well as I should have, but I put a lot of work in and I prepared for this. I knew I had to do some things to get better,” Bell said.

Along with himself, Bell said the whole team has grown up during this season. He praised the offensive line’s improvement from the first day of practice to now. Also, he said senior quarterback Joe Lopez and the receiving corps of Aiden Sandoval, Isaiah Perales, Zachary Sauceda and Ian Solis makes plays when it is called upon.

Bell expects Friday’s game to be competitive and said the Greyhounds’ speedy defense has been a point of emphasis for the Cardinals’ offense.

“They move pretty quickly, they don’t just let themselves get blocked, so we’re gonna have to be more physical and work harder to block them,” Bell said. “I feel like it’s going to be wild, it’s going to be crazy. I think it’s going to be a good game.”

Defensively, senior linebacker JC Moradel is a top contributor in a talented bunch. He and senior defensive lineman Nathan Huerta are longtime standouts for Harlingen High, but Moradel also credited senior defensive back Julio Sanchez for “stepping up to lead the younger DBs.”

Moradel said the Cardinals don’t change the way they prepare just because it’s a rivalry game. They’ve watched film, and he feels confident in Harlingen High’s chances at stopping San Benito’s offense.

“I’m hoping to see full domination,” Moradel said. “Our defense plays very aggressive. We’re very smart, too. We take time off the field to prepare for what’s on the field. We also play fast. … I expect everybody to be on point. Yeah, it’s a big game, and it can get to some people’s minds. But I just try to keep everybody straight as a leader and try to lead my team to victory.”

One of Moradel’s objectives as a leader is to bring the energy. He doesn’t have to try too hard to do that before a game like this, but his special relationship with the BOTA gives him extra ammunition and more desire to close his career with a 3-0 record in the rivalry.

“My sophomore year, this was my first game starting, so it means a lot to me going in to play San Benito,” Moradel said. “I do feel extra adrenaline running through me. I try to hype up my dogs, my teammates. I like talking to them 1-on-1. I like feeding their heart, and I want them to feed my heart as well. I want them to feel how much it means to me and for them to carry on the tradition, because in Harlingen it’s all about tradition.”

By CLAIRE CRUZ, Staff Writer

SAN BENITO — One of the first things observers will see walking into the San Benito fieldhouse is a pair of trophies from the Great American Rivalry Series.

Those trophies recognize two of the Greyhounds’ victories in the legendary Battle of the Arroyo. They haven’t won it since 2018, but they feel confident they’ll be ending that streak today. No. 4 San Benito (5-1, 2-1) will play host to the No. 3 Harlingen High Cardinals (4-2, 2-1) at 7 p.m. at Bobby Morrow Stadium in an important District 32-6A contest.

“It’s two cities close to each other, separated by the Arroyo. Everyone comes out to compete,” junior receiver Ricky Perez said. “It’s the bragging rights, that’s what (fires us up), getting to say we beat them. Even if it wasn’t the Battle of the Arroyo, it’s always good to get a ‘W.’”

The rivalry has been tight recently, with both teams winning five matchups during the past 10 years. Five of those contests have been decided by five points or fewer. It feels like this season’s matchup will be another close thriller, so the ’Hounds are thankful they’ll be playing on their home turf.

“The atmosphere is different when you come play in San Benito. You hear everybody, our fans get wild, and it gives us a boost on the field,” junior free safety DeAnthony Mireles said. “Every time you get to play at home, you get a little advantage. When our fans come in, hopefully they’ll be louder than theirs and we’ll perform for them Friday night. We’re going to try to prove everybody wrong and come out on top.”

Perez leads San Benito with four receiving touchdowns and has accumulated 200 yards on 15 receptions. He’s one half of a dynamic receiver duo, along with senior Jermaine Corbin, that helps the Greyhounds shake things up.

San Benito is averaging 32 points per game, heavily helped by a strong run game with nearly 1,500 yards in tow. Sophomore running back Fabian Garcia carries the lion’s share in the backfield, and junior quarterback Rodney Rodriguez has been solid leading the unit.

Perez said the Greyhounds play fast offensively, which helps the young group do damage. He’s expecting Harlingen High to stack the box to try and stop the run, so he’ll be ready to make plays and help his team pick up a win.

“Our coach always tells us, ‘When the ball comes your way, you have to be the playmaker.’ And even if it doesn’t come our way, we still have to execute,” Perez said. “Our speed, our tempo, is good. I feel like we’ve improved a lot. … It’s going to be very loud, and it’s going to be something different. It’s not like no other game. Your adrenaline is high and, I don’t know how to explain it, you just have to be there.”

San Benito’s defense has been tough, holding opponents to a low average of 12.67 points per game. Mireles, Mauricio Padilla, Mariano Garcia and Nova Bejaran have been some of the defensive standouts.

Mireles will be playing in his first BOTA on Friday, and he’s excited to join the rich tradition of the rivalry. He said this season has taught the Greyhounds how to play for each other and believes they’re “in a groove and we’re rolling” as they head into this game, striving for victory.

“We know they’re going to come out swinging. We just have to take it and swing right back,” Mireles said. “(On defense), we all communicate, we fly to the ball, we’re all on the same page. Violence, straight violence. We come out ready to play every Friday night.”

By CLAIRE CRUZ, Staff Writer

Brownsville Lopez and Brownsville Porter are separated by roughly five miles, traveled primarily along Southmost Boulevard.

The two football programs on the south side of town face off in one of Brownsville’s best rivalries — the Battle of Southmost. This year’s edition will be played at 7 p.m. Friday at Sams Memorial Stadium, and with both the Porter Cowboys and Lopez Lobos chasing their first District 16-5A Division I wins, it has an extra layer of importance.

“It’s friends playing against friends for bragging rights on this side of town,” Lobos coach Armando Gutierrez said. “If you look at the totality of both programs, we’re kind of along the same lines. It makes it that much bigger of a game, and it adds more to the mystique of the entire thing. … It sounds cliché, but honestly, it’s the heart of Southmost. That’s why I think this one’s huge, and it can go either way.”

Said Cowboys coach Carlos Uresti: “Growing up in the same area makes it much more interesting. It’s very competitive, very emotional and it’s a game that both schools look forward to playing each year. … It adds an extra spice to the game. Coaches don’t want to lose any games, but the kids especially don’t want to lose this game.”

Lopez (0-6, 0-5) hasn’t had junior quarterback Jacob Cortinas for a couple of weeks due to an injury, and it’s questionable whether he’ll play Friday. Senior Juan Jaramillo, the team’s MVP in Gutierrez’s eyes, has stepped up to share quarterback duties with senior Matthew Compean. The Lobos’ running back committee — comprised of senior Omar Cervantes, senior Diego Sixtos, junior Jesus Castillo and sophomore Pablo Lopez — is utilized in different schemes.

Senior middle linebacker Manny De La Cruz leads a young but growing defense that Lopez will depend on as it aims to contain Porter’s speed.

“We’re doing (quarterback) by committee as well as our running backs, so there’s a lot of moving parts. One of the biggest things for us is being able to come in and out offensively in different formations,” Gutierrez said. “Our ability to suffocate their backfield is going to be the key for us, so we’ll be leaning on our defense for sure. They’ve had to handle a lot. With our offense not being on the field a lot, they’ve had to carry the brunt of the work, and they’ve stepped up.”

Porter (1-5, 0-5) has a dynamic defensive end duo of senior Arath De La Torre and junior Sam Moreno leading its solid defensive front. Senior defensive back Adriel Trevino shores up the secondary and has multiple interceptions and a fumble recovery score to his name.

Offensively, Porter’s running backs — senior Juan Zavala, junior Marcos Ramirez and sophomore Gael Hernandez — work behind an improving offensive line. Junior receiver Gunnar Williams has a knack for making things happen with the ball in his hands.

Uresti said the Cowboys have been watching a lot of different Lopez games on film to prepare for a number of offensive looks. Lopez’s size poses a challenge, so Uresti wants the defense to be “extra aggressive” and for the running backs to “buck up and start running more downhill.”

The fighting spirit the Cowboys possess is something Uresti believes makes his team special and capable of picking up the win.

“I always say the same thing because it’s true — when you see us compete, you can’t help but respect what our kids are doing,” Uresti said. “It’s not a big team numbers-wise, but one thing I can honestly say is the kids have no quit in them. They fight from the first whistle to the last whistle, and that’s something we take extreme pride in as a coaching staff. These kids fight for everything they have.”

Both coaches are expecting to have good crowds cheering on their teams, and they’re anticipating this year’s Battle of Southmost will live up to its name.

“There’s not much I have to tell them. We started practice Monday and they knew what this game means, they knew it’s a big game for us,” Uresti said. “I expect an electric type of atmosphere. I’m looking forward to another competitive game, like most of these district games have been for us, and hopefully we come out on top. We’re due.”

Said Gutierrez: “It’s going to be what it always is, wild. (Fans are) going to be screaming and hollering, and they’re going to be excited, and our players, too. We always love the atmosphere for the kids, but for us coaches it’s about focusing and getting that ‘W.’ … It’s going to be a fight, but at the end of the day, I’m glad we can all come together and know that we’re BISD proud.”

By CLAIRE CRUZ, Staff Writer

The Brownsville IDEA Frontier boys had a historic day as the top performers at the District 32-3A cross country meet Wednesday in Brownsville.

The Frontier Chargers won their fifth consecutive team district title, recording a perfect score in the process. Junior Carlos Zavala took gold, finishing the race in 18 minutes, 39.13 seconds. Sophomore Edgar Ortiz and junior Jose Blanco joined him on the podium in second and third place, respectively. Sophomores Aaron Aguirre (fourth) and Jose Medina (fifth) rounded out the impressive performance.

“Our boys did phenomenal. They came in 1-5 for a perfect score, and we’re very proud of that,” IDEA Frontier coach Albert Alanis said.

IDEA Frontier’s success didn’t stop at the team title. Sophomores Juan Jimenez and Alejandro Maldonado took sixth and seventh place, respectively, to qualify for the regional meet and make the top seven finishers all from the same school.

“That’s amazing. That’s something that hasn’t happened in our school history,” Alanis said. “It talks a lot about their dedication through the summer, starting off right after track season ended. … It’s a very close-knit group. They’ve been running together a few years now, so I contribute it to their camaraderie and team chemistry. They motivate each other. It’s definitely a special group that we have right now.

“We’ve been in a three-year drought (in advancing to state),” Alanis continued. “They’ve been focused all year on that goal. They got the district championship, now it’s time for regionals, which is another step toward their main goal of qualifying for state. They’re excited, and I’m excited for them.”

Progreso was second and Brownsville Jubilee was third in the boys team standings to qualify for the regional meet. Santa Rosa junior Rodrigo Hernandez finished ninth to qualify as an individual.

Progreso won the girls team district championship, followed by Santa Rosa in second and IDEA Frontier in third. All three teams will advance to the regional meet, along with Brownsville IDEA Riverview junior Isabella Llamas (seventh), Jubilee freshman Makayla Garcia (eighth) and Progreso sophomore Sophia Pecina (10th) as individuals.

Senior Dyani Garcia of Progreso won the girls district title, clocking in at 13:40.31. Freshman Alexa Galvan (third), senior Rebecca Sordia (fifth), junior Syann Alaniz (sixth) and freshman Lorena Cerda (ninth) rounded out the Lady Red Ants’ team win.

Santa Rosa’s top finishers were senior Ximena Gonzalez-Flores (fourth), junior Alyssa Garza (11th), freshman Cecilia De La Cruz (12th), sophomore Kacey Lara (21st) and senior Anita Monroy (23rd).

“It’s awesome. I enjoy seeing these kids succeed, especially with all the hard work they put in,” Santa Rosa coach Robbie Cruz said. “If cross country was easy, everyone would be wanting to do it. These kids really put in the time and effort.

“It’s a tough cross country district, and I’m glad these kids came out and performed. I know the girls were a little down because they wanted to defend their title, but we got another race to prepare for, so that’s what we’ll be working on now.”

The Region IV-3A cross country meet is scheduled for Oct. 25 at Texas A&M Corpus Christi. The girls will run at 10:50 a.m., followed by the boys at 11:10 a.m.