BY DENNIS SILVA II | STAFF WRITER

McAllen High coach Kevin Brewer says tonight is just another District 30-6A game. McAllen Memorial coach Bill Littleton acknowledges its importance for the community, but he’s just trying to keep it like any other week.

But make no doubt about it. When the rival Bulldogs(6-2 overall, 4-0 district) and Mustangs (6-1, 3-0) clash at 7:30 tonight in The Monitor’s Game of the Week there will be a little more oomph, a little more hoorah. It’s normal for coaches to temper hype, but in some cases that is unavoidable, especially for a game that has developed into one of the Valley’s top rivalries.

As is usually the case when these two teams play, the game carries weight. The winner is expected to have the inside track for the league title. Both teams still have La Joya Palmview on the docket. Palmview is also 3-0 in district.

This is one of those cases, particularly coming off last season, when Memorial spoiled McHi’s bid for an undefeated regular season with a classic 50-48 win.

“It lingers from what happened last year and being a city rivalry,” McHi quarterback Fred Hover said. “We know they’re a good team; that obviously raises the stakes a little bit. But you try not to get too involved in that and try to take it as just another team in your way trying to stop us from getting our district title.”

McAllen Memorial has won the last four meetings. And these two teams are pretty much the same as last season.

The Mustangs boast All-Valley stud Trevor Speights, an Arizona commit who was recently offered by Tennessee. He is their workhorse, a first-down simply whenever he touches the ball. Their defense has improved since the Week 1 defeat at Sharyland, and the passing game has shown inklings of promise.

The Bulldogs are once again carried by Hover and running back Ricky Rodriguez. Memorial coach Bill Littleton said McHi is no stranger — the Bulldogs are well-coached, methodical, fundamental. McHi’s defense has progressed, with players more comfortable in the second year of defensive coordinator Tracey Hamilton.

Littleton said no one remembers his team’s four-game winning streak in the rivalry. They just remember the last game played, and that’s all that matters. McHi leads the all-time series 19-13.

“Any time you can win a ballgame, you always take pride in it,” Littleton said. “We’ve been fortunate enough that we’ve been able to win four in a row. Everybody just remembers the last game you played. They don’t remember the previous years.”

The M.O. for each team tonight is simple. Limit the big plays. Speights has his own personal highlight reel of back-breaking runs this season. And Hover and Rodriguez are each capable of making a defense look silly.

There are no surprises, no gimmicks. Each team will line up and be who it is. Try and stop it.

“We’re going to do what we do, we’re not going to change anything,” Brewer said.

And the idea for McHi is that no change leads to a change on the scoreboard.

“That loss really stuck with me,” Rodriguez said, “and I don’t really want to do it again.”

Monitor writers Greg Luca and Jon LaFollette contributed to this report

DENNIS SILVA II | STAFF WRITER

Donna High is back in business. Now, coach Ramiro Leal said, all the Redskins have to do is ride the momentum from last week’s overtime win over PSJA High and win out to comfortably secure a playoff spot.

“It was a playoff-type game,” Leal said of the 14-7 win. “It was a must-win. We knew, mathematically, it could still happen, but we feel we have to almost win out to make the playoffs.”

Leal credited the defense, specifically the line, which used its quickness to thwart the Bears’ bigger line.

“Our guys answered the call, came off the ball pretty quick,” Leal said.

It also helps that Donna High (3-3, 2-2) is finally starting to get a rhythm. Leal said the three-week break between Week 2 and Week 5 was costly.

“Going three weeks with no game is hard,” Leal said. “The consistency of playing lets you get your form. It’s almost like we went through two two-a-day periods. Finally our timing is better.”

Leal is, however, concerned about the kicking game. The Redskins missed three field goals in a close-knit game.

“They were just kicking into the wind and they just couldn’t judge it,” Leal said. “We might have to just go with it on fourth down. You never want to leave points out there.”

Donna High went for it on fourth down three times last week, and converted two.

DEPLETED TIGERS

Mercedes will be without junior linebacker David Alvarado this week. Alvarado was hit during Friday’s game against Edcouch-Elsa and had to get stitches on his bottom lip. He also has a couple of teeth loose.

Tigers coach Roger Adame Jr. said the stitches will take at least a week to heal. Alvarado does not have a concussion and is permitted to play if the stitches heal, but Adame said he would hold him out anyway. Alvarado has not missed a game the last two seasons.

As for running back Isaac Vela, who did not play last week’s game after being cleared to practice earlier in the week, he will be re-evaluated today. Vela does basic drills with the running backs during practices, and then works with trainers rehabbing.

As for last week’s big win, Adame credited the onside kick as a big play after the Tigers returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown. The Tigers recovered the kick, scored a couple plays later, and had a 14-0 lead before a minute had passed.

“We’re an aggressive team,” Adame said. “We’re going to try to get the ball into the offense’s hands as much as possible. If we lost the (opening) coin flip, we made a decision to go with (onside). We want to put opponents in a bind, get them in positions where they’re not comfortable.”

SOUTHWEST ROLLING

With three games left, PSJA Southwest is in place for a solid playoff seeding at 3-1 in District 32-5A.

“A year ago today, we were 1-6 and we weren’t in anybody’s conversation about being in the playoffs,” Southwest coach Jesus Reyes said. “This year we are. Everything goes back to their determination and hard work.”

The Javelinas are heading into the gauntlet of their schedule. Over the next two weeks, they play at Edcouch-Elsa and at Mercedes.

It helps that they’re coming off their finest performance of the season, a 52-8 rout of Donna North.

Southwest averaged 7.2 yards per play in amassing 340 yards.

“The key word is we executed,” Reyes said. “The kids came out there and they executed for four quarters. We played a complete game for the first time this season. We did everything well last week.

“When you’re playing people like Edcouch-Elsa and Mercedes, you have to execute.”

DENNIS SILVA II | STAFF WRITER

EDINBURG — Albert Herrera was determined to avoid a repeat of last year’s finish at the district cross country meet.

Coming into the last 100 meters, the Weslaco East senior, then a junior, was in the lead. But he lost it almost as easy as he got it, and saw a precious opportunity slip away.

“I got kicked down last year and I didn’t want that to happen,” Herrera said. “I knew I’d have to set the pace and that’s what I did.”

Herrera certainly made up for last year, and then some, winning the varsity boys division at Saturday’s District 31-6A meet at Ebony Golf Course in Edinburg. The top 10 individuals and top three teams qualify for regionals at UTSA on Nov. 1.

Herrera won with a time of 16:17.7. Edinburg North’s Tristan Peña (16:30.8) finished second, followed by Weslaco East’s Luis Ramirez (16:42.9), Edinburg High’s Rolando Ramon (16:45.2) and Herrera’s teammate Jayven Cordova (16:48.5).

Edinburg North’s Leonel Rivas, PSJA North’s Jerrell Ledesma, Edinburg North’s Michael Garcia, Weslaco East’s Bryan Vela and Edinburg North’s Jose Quintanilla rounded out the top 10.

The win was Herrera’s first of the season. He came in second at last month’s Meet of Champs.

Weslaco East, looking to qualify for state for the third consecutive year, was first as a team with 31 points, followed by Edinburg North (37) and PSJA Memorial (97). PSJA North (115) and Edinburg High (125) finished fourth and fifth, respectively.

All but two Wildcats are underclassmen.

“We lost a couple of key runners last year,” Herrera said. “Coming into this season, we looked sluggish. But coming into these last few meets, we started looking better. We’re pretty tight as a team and we just have to keep it like that.”

Edinburg High senior Alex Cruz defended her district title, winning the varsity girls division authoritatively.
Cruz cruised to a first-place finish with a time of 18:15.3. Edinburg North’s Beth Ramos (18:32.9) finished second, followed by Edinburg Economedes’ Emily Suarez (19:23.4), Edinburg Economedes’ Ana Ochoa (19:52.1) and Edinburg High’s Vianney Sanchez (20:24.7).

“I had to bump up my mileage, bump up the quantity and the intensity to get this one,” Cruz said. “I feel stronger, better. It’s good to know I did better on this course than last year, and I just wanted to go out there, defend my title and leave my mark.”

Weslaco High’s Gloria Martinez, Edinburg North’s Yvette Yracheta, PSJA Memorial’s Violet Torres, Weslaco High’s Stephanie Sauceda and Edinburg Economedes’ Allison Marroquin finished in the top 10.
Cruz is shooting for another trip to state, and a top-five finish there. But even more than that, she wants to run collegiately, and it’s that that is pushing her this year.

“I want people to see that a Valley girl can actually qualify to state again,” she said. “It’s not just about a district title. It’s about state, it’s about going to a school and becoming a collegiate athlete. I’m stronger and I’m more confident in myself.”

Edinburg Economedes won first place as a team with 46 points, followed by Edinburg North (55) and PSJA Memorial (78). Edinburg High, heartbreakingly, barely missed the cut for regionals, finishing with 79 points. Weslaco High, last year’s district winner, finished fifth with 101 points.
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District 31-6A Cross Country Meet
At Ebony Golf Course
Saturday’s Results
Boys
Team Results — 1. Weslaco East, 31 points; 2. Edinburg North, 37 points; 3. PSJA Memorial, 97 points; 4. PSJA North, 115 points; 5. Edinburg High, 125 points; 6. Edinburg Economedes, 129 points; Weslaco High, 183 points.
Individual Results — 1. Albert Herrera, Weslaco East, 16:17.7; 2. Tristan Pena, Edinburg North, 16:30.8; 3. Luis Ramirez, Weslaco East, 16:42.9; 4. Rolando Ramon, Edinburg High, 16:45.2; 5. Jayven Cordova, Weslaco East, 16:48.5; 6. Leonel Rivas, Edinburg North, 16:54.6; 7. Jerrell Ledesma, PSJA North, 17:00.7; 8. Michael Garcia, Edinburg North, 17:01.5; 9. Bryan Vela, Weslaco East, 17:13.3; 10. Jose Quintanilla, Edinburg North, 17:21.1; 11. Joshua Doria, Edinburg North, 17:33.7; 12. Angel Quirino, PSJA Memorial, 17:37.4; 13. Jose Coronado, Weslaco East, 17:39.4; 14. Victor Munoz, PSJA Memorial, 17:42.4; 15. Juan Ortiz, Weslaco East, 17:44.1; 16. Matthew Perez, Edinburg High, 17:49.8; 17. Mario Ferrer, Edinburg Economedes, 17:51.2; 18. Aldo Nava, Edinburg North, 17:53.2; 19. Brandon Sauceda, PSJA Memorial, 17:58.4; 20. Emilio Morado, Edinburg Economedes, 18:03.8.

Girls
Team Results — 1. Edinburg Economedes, 46 points; 2. Edinburg North, 55 points; 3. PSJA Memorial, 78 points; 4. Edinburg High, 79 points; 5. Weslaco High, 101 points; 6. PSJA North, 136 points.
Individual Results — 1. Alex Cruz, Edinburg High, 18:15.3; 2. Beth Ramos, Edinburg North, 18:32.9; 3. Emily Suarez, Edinburg Economedes, 19:23.4; 4. Ana Ochoa, Edinburg Economedes, 19:52.1; 5. Vianney Sanchez, Edinburg High, 20:24.7; 6. Gloria Martinez, Weslaco High, 20:25.1; 7. Yvette Yracheta, Edinburg North, 20:29.3; 8. Violet Torres, PSJA Memorial, 20:33.3; 9. Stephanie Sauceda, Weslaco High, 20:34.1; 10. Allison Marroquin, Edinburg Economedes, 20:36.1; 11. Stephanie Ovalle, PSJA Memorial, 20:46.6; 12. Pam Hernandez, Edinburg North, 20:41.8; 13. Kasandra Rodriguez, PSJA Memorial, 20:50.2; 14. Mayra Serrano, Edinburg Economedes, 20:56.0; 15. Daniela De La Cruz, Edinburg Economedes, 20:57.8; 16. Lynnda Lozano, Edinburg North, 21:06.2; 17. Alyssa De Leon, Weslaco High, 21:15.2; 18. Angela Nuno, Edinburg North, 21:22.6; 19. Stephanie Martinez, PSJA Memorial, 21:24.2; 20. Teresa Garcia, Edinburg Economedes, 21:25.0

DENNIS SILVA II | STAFF WRITER

There is a different feeling around Mercedes this season.

Yes, the Tigers are strong again. Yes, they’re in the hunt for another district title, and yes, that probably comes down to Friday’s showdown against rival Edcouch-Elsa at Tiger Stadium.

But Mercedes looks different. This is a Tigers team not only competing for its second district title in three years, but also has what it takes for a lengthy postseason run.

“One key word with them, and that’s balance,” Edcouch-Elsa coach Joe Marichalar said. “It sticks out. It’s a balanced, all-around team. They put points on you real quick and defensively they can stop you real quick. This is one of their better teams, yeah.

“But,” Marichalar added, “we’re good, too.”

Indeed, which is why Friday’s contest should be one of the finest games of the season. The Tigers are 5-1 overall, 3-0 in District 32-5A. The Yellowjackets are 4-2, 3-0. Mercedes has won five games in a row. Edcouch-Elsa has won four straight.

And while E-E holds a 33-28-1 all-time record in the rivalry, winning 15 of the last 18, it is going up against a Mercedes team that ranks in the top five, statistically, in the Valley in offense and defense.

“This is probably one of the best overall teams we’ve had,” said Mercedes first-year head coach Roger Adame, who has coached at Mercedes the last 12 years. “We’ve had teams with great offenses, teams with great defenses. But this is one of the few teams that have had a combination of both.”

Adame has changed the culture of the program, “changing the swagger,” as he likes to put it. Mercedes is more physical, more intense. And because of talent like quarterback Rene Presas and receiver Joshua Garza, along with a defense that may be more explosive than the offense, the Tigers have a good shot of breaking the losing skid and beating the Yellowjackets.

But a big “if” is in play.

Junior running back Isaac Vela was cleared to practice this week after injuring his leg during a Sept. 15 practice. But he has not progressed as much as Adame has liked.

Adame said he would only play Vela if he was “at least” 75 percent of full health. As of Thursday afternoon, Adame said Vela was 60 percent.

If the game had been Thursday, Adame said Vela would not have played. But he did not rule him out for tonight with one more walk-through and night of rest in store.

“We don’t want a reaggravated injury,” Adame said. “The doctors say it’s healing quick, and we don’t want to take steps backward.”

In three games, Vela has 216 rushing yards and three touchdowns, with three catches for another 120 yards. He adds a shifty, speedy element that has been visibly absent in Mercedes’ backfield attack while he has been sidelined. With him, the Tigers, primarily a passing team, averaged 120 rushing yards in three games and could control possession and tempo. Without Vela, however, the Tigers have averaged just 87 rushing yards.

“Obviously he wants to be on the field,” Adame said. “This is a big game he worked hard to try and get back for. But my first responsibility is the safety of our players. I won’t sacrifice a player’s health for one win.”

The Yellowjackets, meanwhile, have found their rhythm. After starting the season 0-2, Edcouch-Elsa has outscored its opponents 104-28.

Marichalar said attitude has been the backbone behind his team’s surge.

“We knew we had an inexperienced team, but because of the potential we thought it’d take us 2-3 quarters to get things going, not 2-3 games,” Marichalar said. “But even when we were 0-2, the vibe was never that we were out. Our vibe was to still shoot for state.

“Call it stubbornness, but that’s what we believe.”

Each coach will tell you Friday’s game is no more important than any other one. The fans and ex-players certainly don’t believe so; the game was sold out by Wednesday afternoon.

But each team has a bigger picture in mind, not just one game out of what each coach hopes is a long season. Still, a win tonight would be a big step for someone in reaching their ultimate destination.

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DENNIS SILVA II | STAFF WRITER

PHARR — Fundamentals. Sure tackling. Sound, not fancy. Great, not good.

This is what it takes to play defense at PSJA High.

“Defense is the backbone of this program,” senior defensive back Bobby Guard said. “A stacked defense, aggressive, hard-hitting … that’s PSJA. We’re just trying to maintain that, get it known again in the Valley.”

Consider it done.

The Bears (4-2, 2-1 District 32-5A) are the fourth-best defense in the Valley in regard to yards allowed. They allow 12.8 points on 199.6 yards per game. That shouldn’t surprise anyone. They were seventh in defense in the Valley last year.

It’s second-year coach Steve Marroquin’s recipe for success. Develop kids who are tough, aggressive and no-nonsense, and voila!

You have the Bears.

“The season before I got here (2012), the defense hadn’t done so well, and that’s one of the first things I addressed,” Marroquin said. “You think about PSJA High, you think about running the football and tough defense, tough kids.

“Our guys have bought in.”

ATTACK, ATTACK, ATTACK

It’s a quartet of playmakers that has spurred the defense: Guajardo, linebacker/defensive back Eric Castillo, 6-foot-1, 205-pound linebacker Christian Sanchez, and 6-3, 260-pound defensive end Thomas Quiroz.

“It’s pretty simple,” Castillo said. “We take away zones, take away the gaps. Christian plugs the holes. The rest of us make the reads.”

Sanchez is the engine, compiling 54 total tackles, four fumble recoveries, three fumbles caused, 2.5 sacks and two defensive touchdowns this year.

But where PSJA High thrives is its depth. Despite his overpowering presence, Sanchez has been double-teamed all game just once this season, against Brownsville Pace two weeks ago. Because opponents also have to account for the likes of Guajardo (37 total tackles, one fumble caused, one interception), Castillo (48 total tackles, three fumbles caused, two interceptions) and Quiroz (29 total tackles), they can’t afford to single out just one Bears defensive player.

Sanchez likes it that way.

“I know teams will double-team me more as the season goes on,” he said with a smile, “but I really, really hope they don’t.”

PSJA High’s defensive M.O. is the same as any good defensive team: stop the run. It just so happens the Bears are better at it than most, surrendering just 108 rushing yards per game.

That success is birthed from simplicity. The Bears run just a handful of formations. The players do all the work.

“Our defense isn’t hard or complex,” Quiroz said. “Just attack.”

THE SPARK

While Sanchez may be the Kevin Durant of the defense, Castillo is the Russell Westbrook.

He plays three positions (linebacker, safety and cornerback), five including offense, and has solid genes. His brother Jesse was an all-district standout for the Bears three years ago.

“I love playing linebacker,” said Castillo, who last week returned an interception for a touchdown. “My brother was really good at it and I’ve always wanted to be like him. I get compared to him a lot, and I want to be better.”

It’s certainly possible.

“Eric’s a heck of a football player,” Marroquin said. “He does everything and anything. He’s the true meaning of a football player. Out of all the kids we have, he’s the one that when he steps onto the field every day, he goes 110 miles per hour.”

Entering the season, Marroquin didn’t know what to expect from his defense.

The unit returned just two starters and lost All-Valley defensive linemen Ray Guajardo and Nick Mendoza. And another hurdle occurred late in the summer when defensive coordinator Elifonso Esquivel abruptly retired, and Eddie Torres and Crespin Gonzalez were named co-defensive coordinators not long before the start of two-a-days.

But Marroquin said those question marks quickly turned into check marks, thanks to the emergence of the four seniors as leaders, not just gritty hard-hitters.

“We’re a family on this defense, and that’s what makes this fun,” Bobby Guajardo said. “When it comes to defense, we’re focused.

“Playing defense for the Bears takes a toll on us. But it also wins games for us.”

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DENNIS SILVA II | STAFF WRITER

A lot has gone right during this historic season for PSJA Southwest.

The Javelinas (4-2, 2-1 District 32-5A) have 32-5A’s top running back in junior Jesus Acosta. They’ve managed to stay, relatively, injury-free. And they have a veteran coach in Jesus Reyes whose patience has paid off sooner than even he expected.

But perhaps the biggest thing for Southwest has been the progress of the defense. The secondary, led by the aggressive Jorge Cantu, is not big, but it is quick. The defensive line, anchored by Jorge Sanchez, has gotten better every week. And the linebackers are paced by stalwart Joe Angel Garcia.

For the first time in program history, the Javelinas are averaging more yards gained than surrendered.

“I could not be more proud of them,” Reyes said. “This defense is undersized, but these boys fight. They do a great job of moving on to the next play. They have short memories, and that’s big.”

Southwest is averaging 303 yards offensively and giving up 287.7. The Javelinas allow just over 20 points per game, opposed to when they gave up more than 33 per game each of the last two years.

YOUNG CHIEF

It’s been a rough go for Donna North’s offense this season. The Chiefs (0-6, 0-3 32-5A) are averaging just 12.2 points on 153 yards. That’s what happens when your top two offensive players are sophomores.

The promising sign is the Chiefs have those players, quarterback Manny Ramirez and running back Dominic Ochoa, for this year and the next two. As underclassmen, they are asked to lead coach Tommy Sauceda’s spread offense.

Each has shown the potential to fulfill that responsibility, particularly Ochoa. At 5-foot-11, 190 pounds, Ochoa is ideal for the Chiefs’ running game, accompanying his size with toughness and speed.

“I’ve always said he can be a very good back,” Sauceda said. “His work ethic has gotten better, and once he learns how to practice at a high level, that will transfer to the games. He’s just a sophomore. He’s still learning how to prepare.”
Ochoa is seventh in 32-5A in rushing, amassing 315 yards and two touchdowns, averaging 6.8 yards per carry. He has accounted for more than 62 percent of Donna North’s success on the ground.

SURGING ‘O’

PSJA High (4-2, 2-1 32-5A) has experienced an offensive epiphany of sorts lately.

Since giving the ball to senior Troy Flores under center the last two games, the Bears’ offense, which had previously been last in the district and dreadful with a plethora of giveaways and poor execution, is averaging 34.5 points on 289 yards, with demonstrative wins over PSJA Southwest and Brownsville Pace.

Flores adds a running dynamic at quarterback, and his ability to extend plays has opened more opportunities for teammates. Receiver Jerry Perez has become a factor, and fellow wideout Nathan Sifuentes has become more dangerous now that PSJA High has more of a vertical game. Coach Steve Marroquin said he has been able to mix up his offense more, incorporating more passing to an offense that had been one dimensional.

Still, the go-to guy has been senior Andrew De La Cerda. He is unquestionably the rock of the Bears’ offense.

Since Week 1, De La Cerda has embraced being the main guy. The running back has compiled 433 rushing yards and five touchdowns on the ground, while adding another 124 yards and two scores on receptions.

“The majority of our kids on offense, only three or four were fulltime starters last year,” Marroquin said. “He’s one that played quite a bit last year, and we needed him to step up. He’s done that.

“He’s very even-keeled and he’s stepped up big for us. He’s always been there for us.”

Now he has more help.

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DENNIS SILVA II | STAFF WRITER

The Hidalgo Pirates feel like they’re on the brink. On the brink of another win, on the brink of a breakthrough, on the brink of righting the ship.

Hidalgo is 1-5 heading into its District 16-4A, Division I, opener Friday at Zapata. The signs are there, however, of a team that can quickly turn things around.

“We’re extremely competitive, we just have to learn how to finish,” Hidalgo coach Taihi Jones said. “We’ve been in every game, but the last 3-4 minutes of every game have gotten away from us.”

The Pirates’ only win was a 47-13 decision over Progreso in Week 2. Otherwise, the results have been unfortunate. An 11-point loss to Sharyland Pioneer. A six-point loss to Santa Rosa in overtime. A four-point loss to Lyford last week. Close, but not close enough.

The Pirates have dealt with injuries — senior running back Adrian Ruiz, who was hurt during the Santa Rosa game, possibly has a fractured ankle and starting safety Francisco Garcia is out for the season — but Jones does not make excuses.

“Other teams are in the same boat,” Jones said. “It’s next man up. We have to utilize all the weapons; everybody has to step up and fill in.”

And now is the time for guys to show off.

“Everybody’s 0-0,” Jones said. “We’ve learned a lot and we have to grow. We have to understand it’s a brand new ballgame. We’re in a district where everybody’s competitive and it’s open doors. We have to not take anything for granted.”

GRULLA’S ADVERSITY

Entering the season, Grulla was considered a favorite in sub-5A ranks.

The Gators were coming off a program-best 2013 in which they fell a game short of the district title and finished in the area playoffs.

But injuries have decimated Grulla this year. A taxing non-district schedule hasn’t helped. And now the Gators are 0-5 heading into Friday’s District 16-4A, Division I, opener at La Feria.

“It’s always hard when you go winless in non-district,” Grulla coach Abel Gonzalez III said. “Of course we’d like some wins. But we had a tough schedule; we knew that. And too add on, we had to battle a lot of injuries. We had guys plugging spots, we didn’t have consistency and we couldn’t gel.”

Grulla’s non-district slate consisted of teams with a combined 19-6-1 record. Teams like Port Isabel, Rio Hondo, and Lytle. Add that Grulla has been without key starters in every game — and was out seven starters in its last game against Rio Hondo two weeks ago, a 40-0 defeat — and it makes for a tough climb uphill.

But the Gators have looked past that. Coming off an open week, they’ve had a chance for a lot of those injuries to heal. They’re still without leading receiver Leo Martinez, who is expected to return in two weeks against Hidalgo, but it’s better than being down seven starters. It’s all relative.

“I like the way we’ve worked. I like our kids’ mindset, and it’s a fresh start,” Gonzalez said. “We feel real good about where we are right now. It’s a little adversity, but we’ve always overcome it.”

Interestingly, the Gators will get their true bye next week. They were open last week because of a scheduling conflict and had to remove the game initially scheduled there not long before the season started. Because most Valley teams had already started district play, they could not replace the game.

But it’s worked out. This La Feria game will be sandwiched around open weeks desperately needed for practice time.

“These are tough kids,” Gonzalez said. “They want to win bad. We’ve been battle-tested, I think, and it’s been hard. But I’ve seen our kids be resilient and focus on the big picture.”

AILING CARDS

La Villa’s hopes for this season were moderate to begin with. With a young team and only 25 kids on varsity, the Cardinals were expecting a rebuilding year.

The process has been more demanding than imagined, as the Cardinals are 1-4 heading into Friday’s District 16-2A, Division I, opener at Three Rivers.

“Injuries haven’t allowed us to play how we’d like, but right now we have most of our kids back,” La Villa coach Joe Salinas said.

Receiver Arnold Salazar has been out since the Week 2 game versus Taft. He’s expected to be back tonight. The Cardinals are without an offensive tackle and guard Randy Cantu, but his twin brother Rodney is expected to be back from injury for tonight’s game.

Quarterback Macario Perez was out with injury for the Taft game.

“It’s been difficult,” Salinas said. “We’ve had to do a lot of shuffling around, kids learning new assignments, and we don’t have that many kids as it is. But it has allowed us to get a look at other players.”

Sophomores Mykael Cerna and Martin Perez have emerged as contributors on defense. Junior defensive tackle Aaron Diaz has stood out.

The Cardinals are not without talent. Macario Perez and Ramiro Cantu are strong out of the backfield, and Isaac Silva adds a dose of dynamic versatility.

And now the Cardinals aren’t going up against bigger, faster, stronger teams, like Lyford, Santa Rosa and Taft, and are going up against teams in similar shoes.

“These are teams in the same boat as us now,” Salinas said. “A lot of platoon, iron-man football. We’re all 0-0. We’d like to have won some, sure, and we’re not where we want to be, but we know this is an opportunity to get it together.”

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DENNIS SILVA II | STAFF WRITER

As Donna High’s offensive line goes, so does its offense. That goes for all teams, sure, but more so for the Redskins, who base their entire gameplan on running the ball.

So it’s far from a coincidence that Donna got back on the winning track last week at Brownsville Pace just as its offensive line is starting to come together. Blocking angles were better. Communication was better. Execution was better.

The result was a second straight 250-yard rushing game, but on eight fewer carries. And it was because of the front six.

Since the district-opening loss to PSJA Southwest, coach Ramiro Leal has stayed with a line of sophomore JJ Vallejo, senior Bernie Salas, senior Brandon Cardenas, junior Jonathan Grimaldo, senior Troy Bilman, and senior tight end Kristian Montemayor. Barring anything drastic, that’s who Leal will stick with, opposed to the first couple of games when he was mixing and matching to find the right group.

“It’s like anything else, they now know what to expect of the partner next to them,” Leal said. “They start playing in unison if they know who’s going to be there with them. Everything goes from there. It’s no secret — the heart of our offense is the offensive line. When they’re on, we’re on.”

PICKING UP THE SLACK

Edcouch-Elsa sophomore quarterback Marco Aguinaga left last week’s game against Brownsville Porter during the second quarter after getting his ankle stepped on.

No bother.

The Yellowjackets still rolled to a 38-7 win. Three players scored touchdowns, two with two apiece. Aguinaga is fine and expected to be back this week against Donna North, but guys like Ricky Moreno and Christian Valdez were able to show what they can do in bigger roles.

Moreno had 99 yards on four carries. Valdez had 75 yards on eight carries, with a touchdown. Valdez, a talented defensive back, also played some quarterback, completing 2 of 3 passes for 18 yards.

“It gives the guys opportunities to showcase their talent, like Ricky,” E-E coach Joe Marichalar said. “He’s probably our fastest kid and he needed a breakout game. Whatever the defense was giving us, we attacked it, and they were giving us the run.”

E-E had a season-high 346 rushing yards, averaging 8.2 yards per carry.

Aguinaga is one of the rare Yellowjackets this season that has been removed completely from a game because of injury. Aside from senior offensive lineman Oscar Andrade, who tore his ACL in spring ball, E-E has yet to have a player declared out for the season because of injury.

Marichalar credits Liz Molina, the lone athletic trainer for the junior high to varsity levels.

“She gets our kids ready,” Marichalar said. “She’s a tough cookie. Kids know the difference between being in pain and being injured.
“Lucky for us, we have a great trainer who has kept us upright.”

MANNY’S BACK

Donna North’s offense should be getting back to normal this week when sophomore quarterback Manny Ramirez returns from injury.

Ramirez hurt his wrist in the Chiefs’ district opener against Brownsville Pace two weeks ago. Last week against Mercedes, North managed 25 yards of total offense as Ramirez’s absence was painfully obvious.

“Manny would’ve helped us open the game,” North coach Tommy Sauceda said. “We went up against a good Mercedes team that we had to play as perfect as possible. Once they keyed in that we wanted to run, Manny could have given us passing that we needed.”

In three games, Ramirez has completed 20 of 51 passes for 298 yards and three touchdowns. The Chiefs host Edcouch-Elsa on Thursday.

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DENNIS SILVA II | STAFF WRITER

MERCEDES — In white block lettering on the back of a black shirt reads the inspiration for the 2014 Mercedes cross country program.

“Tigers XC will fight to the finish line. In loving memory of Sylvia Martinez.”

It was the Sept. 14 passing of Sylvia Martinez, wife of assistant coach Pete Martinez, that brought the team together — to a standard not even the Tigers thought possible. Sylvia, a Mercedes grad and committed Tigers sports fan, and Pete had been married 41 years after meeting at Pan American University in 1972, and Sylvia had already overcome one bout with gastrointestinal cancer last winter. But then she was diagnosed with leukemia on June 23.

And suddenly, this season would mean more than just personal records and meet championships.

Mercedes’ boys cross country team has been ranked No. 10 in the state by the Texas Cross Country Coaches Association most of this season. It just competed as one of 22 teams in the elite stage of the prestigious Nike South Invitational in Houston on Saturday, where it placed 12th.

Through that success, it’s the loss of Sylvia Martinez that motivates the Tigers.

“Cancer is a horrible disease,” senior Matthew Peynado said. “It’s painful to think about your immune system being completely destroyed. We don’t have anything like that, and just to see how hard it was for her really inspired us. We don’t have it that bad.

“We can push harder, knowing how much pain she went through.”

Throughout her second exchange with cancer, Sylvia fought. She lived by Jimmy Valvano’s classic speech, his “Don’t Give Up … Don’t Ever Give Up” address delivered at the ESPYs on March 3, 1993.

“Cancer may take my body, but it will never take my soul.”

“She was always determined to overcome it,” Martinez said. “It was just a challenge. Athletics was in her blood. She had brothers who played sports. She was always encouraging the kids, always emphasized staying competitive and fighting for the right thing.”

During recent months, Tigers boys and girls runners rallied around Martinez.

The team had long before grown to love being around Sylvia, whom Martinez referred to as “my little girlfriend” around them. Their job became more than running. They had to be there for one of their coaches.
The boys and girls sent Martinez, whom runners refer to as “Coach Grandpa,” texts and calls, constantly staying in contact.

“As I look back, I needed all the support I could get to stay strong for her,” Martinez said. “I can’t thank the team and Captain Pete enough. We are a family.”

“Captain” Pete Martinez, the Tigers’ cross country head coach who goes by the nickname to differentiate himself from his assistant, gave Sylvia a Mercedes hoodie jacket last Christmas when she returned from Houston after going into remission from fighting cancer the first time. Sylvia “bled orange,” attending almost all Tigers sporting events.

Pete and Sylvia had two sons, Pete and Matthew, who were all-district football lettermen for the Tigers in the 90’s and a daughter Melody who played basketball and ran track for the Tigers in the early 90’s.

Just last spring, Pete and Sylvia ventured to Mercedes girls basketball games, watching their sophomore granddaughter Emily and her team’s spirited playoff run.

Mercedes’ teams were Sylvia’s teams, despite her growing up in Brownfield, not far from Lubbock.

“No matter what happens to me,” she told Martinez, who has coached at Mercedes for 26 of his 39 years and the last three as assistant to Captain Pete Martinez, “make sure you stay with your team.”

Devastation and sadness have marred the program of late. The boys team has had to somehow find a way to run and hold up its high ranking while coping with Martinez’s loss.

Like on the course, it’s been a team effort.

“The teams came together when she was battling cancer,” Captain Pete Martinez said. “They pulled together. She fought real hard. She left an example of how to fight to that finish line. Our kids are using that as a drive.”
“We have desire,” Peynado said. “You can’t really coach it. You have to have it, and this is what this team has.”

Captain Pete Martinez has always emphasized family. Togetherness. No season has been more trying of that than this one, but it’s helped the Tigers cope.

It’s helped them put their best foot forward.

“We’re taught to not give up, run with heart,” senior Victor Gonzalez said. “That’s the backbone of this team.
“If we run together, stay together, we’re going to be successful.”

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