DENNIS SILVA II | STAFF WRITER

DONNA — Everything may be new about PSJA North, but it doesn’t look like it two weeks into the season.

Under a new head coach in Marcus Kaufmann, with a new system and new culture to abide by, the Raiders have started this season as if everything has been in place for a while. PSJA North has been impressive, following up last week’s 30-point rout at Mission with a 27-6 win against Donna High on Thursday night at Bennie La Prade Stadium.

The Raiders, who have yet to play a home game as they enter their bye week, scored on the third play of the opening series, when the game was only 61 seconds old, and never relinquished control. PSJA North looked like a well-oiled machine, running the ball at will and then setting up the pass for big plays downfield. The defense was stifling, all over the the Redskins’ playmakers early and often.

The Raiders’ only setbacks were a slew of false starts and other penalties (16 for 125 yards) and a lethargic second half that kept the game closer than it should have been.

Otherwise, however, the Raiders appear to be a team to be reckoned with.

“I wouldn’t say I’m surprised,” North senior running back Bo Adams said. “I have a high expectation level for myself and my team. We’re not there yet, but we’ll keep striving. There’s no doubt.”

After torching Mission High for 216 yards last week, Adams tallied 172 on 20 carries against a quality Donna High defense.

Adams burned the Redskins (1-1) with his speed and maneuverability. He scored that opening touchdown on a 77-yard burst down the Raiders’ sideline and added a 16-yard scoring reception in the second quarter for a 20-0 lead.

If it wasn’t Adams doing damage, it was fellow running back Rene Ramirez between the tackles or quarterback Darren Fuentes making plays. Ramirez had 51 yards and a touchdown and Fuentes completed 2 of 5 passes for 51 yards and a TD. Backup quarterback Randy Reyna completed his only pass for a 37-yard touchdown to Sammy Badillo.

“These kids are playing lights out right now,” Kaufmann said. “The coaching staff is doing what it needs to do, watching kids and not watching the ball like young coaches do. They’re coaching their positions and getting to work. I feel like we’re on the right track.

“Our kids came out with aggression and they came out focused on what they needed to do. But we got complacent, lost focus, and this is part of growing up and learning to put people away. They didn’t do a very good job of that, but they did do a good job of getting on them from the start.”

After a spanking of Valley View last week, Donna High looked like the team it was supposed to be: inexperienced, particularly at the skill positions, with a lot of work that needs to be done before it can compete with the top teams.

Still, Kaufmann and Donna High coach Ramiro Leal commended the Redskins’ fight.

Donna High played a strong second half, especially defensively as it held the Raiders to 81 total yards during the final two quarters behind stellar play from defensive end Homer Webber and linebacker JP Sandoval.

But offensively, the Redskins severely lacked the firepower to make the game a competitive one.

The Redskins had just 33 total yards at halftime, when it trailed 20-0, and finished with 134. In a bizarre result for a program built upon the I-formation, they finished with more passing yards (85) than rushing yards (49) and turned the ball over three times.

Only Guillermo Garcia’s 19-yard reception from Hector Guerrero with 40 seconds left prevented the shutout.

“That’s an experienced ballclub, and they’re good,” Leal said of North. “We made mistakes. We shot ourselves in the foot with two missed field goals, some turnovers. But a loss can be good if you learn from it, so we have to see how we respond. A game like this can put us in check.”

NOTE: Bags were passed around Bennie La Prade Stadium during Thursday’s game to collect money to support 16-year-old PSJA North sophomore Michael Contreras, who suffered a helmet-to-helmet hit during a game last week against Mission and underwent brain surgery. Contreras, a junior varsity player, is being treated at Doctors Hospital at Renaissance in Edinburg. “Michael’s a great kid,” Adams said. “We all love him. He plays the same position as me, so I was with him every day in practice. It’s been tough for us as a team. We’ve come together and we couldn’t be more united, but we’re playing for him. We love him and we want him back.”

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DENNIS SILVA II | STAFF WRITER

ELSA — After Wednesday’s late afternoon practice, Edcouch-Elsa coach Joe Marichalar gathered his team and talked about redemption.

Redemption for last week’s loss at Los Fresnos. Redemption for a defense that appeared lost in the process.

Marichalar told his team he couldn’t care less that the Yellowjackets are hosting Edinburg Vela on Friday in The Monitor’s Game of the Week. The only question he wants answered, he said, is “Who are we?”

He might as well have been talking directly to the defense.

There are many reasons why the Yellowjackets, traditionally a defensive powerhouse in the Valley, gave up 50 points on 454 total yards to the Falcons. No. 1 was poor tackling. No. 2 was poor special teams play that put the defense in compromising field position and led to two touchdowns.

In the Yellowjackets’ 4-3 read-and-react defensive scheme, those losses are vital. Now it’s upon everybody else to find a way to get back on track.

“We’re going to take it like grown men and figure things out,” Marichalar said. “It is what it is, and we’re going to have to come together and get the job done.”

Last week, senior safeties Nathaniel Rodriguez (13 total tackles, two pass break-ups) and Rene Ayala (13 total tackles, 1 interception) made up for some of the lost production as run-stoppers. Senior linebackers Pedro Reyes (10 total tackles) and Joel Cardoza (12 total tackles) also did some damage. But outside of end Eddie Gomez (11 total tackles), no one else on the line had that strong of a game.

“We lost huge parts of our D-line,” Gomez said. “Their speed was excellent. They were quick and always on the ball. It’s a tough adjustment without them. We’re not as fast, but we’re still strong and we have to play to our strength. It’s not the same, but we’re confident we’ll get back to the Edcouch-Elsa defense of old.”

The Yellowjackets have confidence in backups like Adryan Hernandez and Richard Martinez, among others. But they have to grow up quickly. Hernandez and Martinez are being asked to play above their standards, and to do so against quality programs like Los Fresnos, Edinburg Vela and La Joya Juarez-Lincoln next week before district play starts.

“It starts in practice,” Ayala said. “With Seth and Elias gone, we have to step it up, and that begins in practice. We have to go harder and faster. They were our rocks. They were the guys who would stuff that run. Now that they’re gone, it’s on all of us.”

Marichalar said he will not adjust anything schematically just yet. The Yellowjackets lost one-on-one battles last week. They have to fight harder to win those moving forward.

They have to wrap up and contain better. They have to do a lot more than just show up and expect to win, Marichalar said.

“It might not happen right away, but it will come,” Marichalar said. “It puts more pressure on everybody else. Safeties have to be there for run support. The expectations for our linebackers have always been high, and they’ve got to meet that right now. Everybody will have a sense of urgency to do their job better.”

As if the situation wasn’t precarious enough, Robert Guerra comes to town Friday.

The Vela senior running back accounted for a Valley-record nine touchdowns and 429 total yards last week. Marichalar and players said Guerra is similar in power and speed to Los Fresnos quarterback Mark Mata, who torched E-E for six total touchdowns Friday.

The Yellowjackets are defiantly confident that last week’s defense isn’t representative of what they are. Gomez admitted Guerra is a good running back, but also noted that “he can be stopped, and that’s going to be our job this week.”

“This is just another game. We all have jobs to do,” Rodriguez said. “I trust that whoever is out there will get the job done. Everyone’s excited and ready to prove everyone wrong for this game, especially this defense.”

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DENNIS SILVA II | STAFF WRITER

Donna High has never been known for its passing game. The Redskins are recognized for their trademark ground-and-pound, in-your-face running out of the I-formation.

But in the last two games, including their final scrimmage two weeks ago, the Redskins attempted 46 and 15 passes, respectively. Donna High completed 22 of 46 passes in a scrimmage against Brownsville Rivera, and 6 of 15 during last week’s season-opening win against Valley View.

“I haven’t thrown that many times in a season before, let alone a game,” Redskins coach Ramiro Leal said of the 46 attempts versus Rivera. “But it comes down to a lack of experience. They (Valley View) were stuffing us at the line, so we threw. We weren’t going to force something that wasn’t there. I’m trying to get a feel for what these kids do best.”

Donna High is going with Hector Guerrero and Josh Mata, just now returning from injury, at quarterback. There is also a platoon at tailback with juniors Jacob Mata and Guillermo Garcia.

But Jacob Mata and Garcia have slight builds, and the offensive line isn’t as big or physical as it generally has been. So Leal had to open things up.

“We want to stay as balanced as possible,” he said. “We don’t have that Amonte Bowen that you give the ball to and score. We scored 50 or more points four times last year. We won’t be doing that this year.”

Donna High returns just two starters on offense. Both are linemen. At one point during Friday’s game against the Tigers, the Redskins had underclassmen manning all the skill positions.

“We have a little bit more continuity,” Leal said “The first two scrimmages, we struggled. Numbers-wise, we’re hurting. So we’ve been looking for continuity. For the first time, we were able to sustain our blocking assignments on the offensive line. We saw kids getting to the right guy, and that’s a start. We were missing the wrong people before.”

ON TO THE NEXT

Before the regular season even started, Sharyland Pioneer was already implementing the “next man up” philosophy.

Senior running back Brandon Casas tore his ACL and partially tore his MCL during a scrimmage two weeks ago, ending his season. The Diamondbacks will wear Casas’ No. 24 on the back of their helmets out of respect.

For now, however, that means more opportunity for junior Christian Rivera and sophomore Michael Benavides. They saw most of the carries during Thursday’s loss at McAllen Memorial. Rivera is more of a downhill runner, while Benavides is shiftier and more elusive.

“Brandon was our best running back and more of a home-run runner,” Pioneer coach Jason Wheeler said. “We’ve got guys who can pop some runs, but he had the most experience.”

Rivera ran for 42 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries against the Mustangs. Benavides had 23 yards on eight carries. Quarterback Jacob Rosales and receiver Alec Garcia also carried the ball.

“We won’t change our offense one bit,” Wheeler said. “We’re still going to run and pass, do some two-back stuff. We had good balance the last game and we’ll stick with that as much as we can.”

THEIR OWN MAN

Sharyland High coach Ron Adame doesn’t want to hear one of his current players compared to a former player.

One of the first questions Adame received after Friday’s defeat to Weslaco East was how senior quarterback Alan Alvarez stacked up to past Rattler signal-callers Lance Madden, Diego Chrysler, Seth Carter, Tres Barrera and others.

“I don’t think it’s fair to compare anybody to anybody else, but we’re going to work with what we have,” Adame answered. “We’re going to focus on the positives and correct the areas where we get beat.”

Alvarez had an inauspicious start during his first game as a varsity quarterback. He completed just 2 of 11 passes for 10 yards and threw for two interceptions in the first half. Adame said East threw a defensive look — an odd-man front — that his team didn’t expect, and it threw the offense off a bit.

But Alvarez responded in the second half, completing 6 of 7 passes for 83 yards and rushing for a touchdown. He ran for a total of 50 yards on 10 carries.

“He just let the game come to him,” Adame said. “He understood he has a supporting cast and he doesn’t have to do everything himself.”

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RGVSPORTS.COM

There’s movement, but the top three teams remain for RGVSports.com’s Top 10 high school football poll heading into Week 2.

In an unanimous vote once again, Harlingen High has been voted upon by RGVSports.com as the Valley’s No. 1 team. The eight voters are writers who cover RGV high school football for AIM Media’s three newspapers (the Monitor, Valley Morning Star and Brownsville Herald).

The Cardinals dominated Mission Veterans Memorial 44-14 in Week 1, even despite limited production from top running back Leo Tienda. Harlingen High hosts Laredo United South this week.

The next two teams flip-flopped for the second and third spots in the poll. San Benito jumped over Edinburg Vela for second following its impressive 47-21 rout of regional power Laredo United last week in Laredo. The Greyhounds, expected to be in a rebuilding year this season, showed a balanced offense and the defense was lights out against one of the top offensive attacks year in and year out in South Texas.

San Benito hosts San Antonio East Central this week.

Vela was strong in its own right by earning a 63-62 double-OT win at Victoria East. Senior running back Robert Guerra compiled a Valley-record nine touchdowns, seven rushing and two receiving. The SaberCats go to Edcouch-Elsa on Friday for The Monitor’s Game of the Week.

McAllen Memorial jumped up a spot from last week’s poll and is fourth after beating Sharyland Pioneer 40-27 last week. In the opener, the Mustangs showcased freshman phenom Campbell Speights, Trevor’s younger brother who rushed for three touchdowns and more than 150 yards.

McAllen Memorial hosts Weslaco East this week.

Los Fresnos rounded out the top five after its electrifying performance from Mark Mata and Co. during last week’s 50-40 win over Edcouch-Elsa. The senior quarterback and former defensive back totaled 367 yards of offense and six touchdowns to establish himself as one of the Valley’s premier athletic talents.

Mercedes fell two spots to No. 6 after a tough 20-7 defeat to No. 8-state ranked Calallen. The Tigers’ defense, the Valley’s best in 2015, lived up to the hype in the showdown.

Mercedes hosts McAllen Rowe this week.

Roma moved up a couple of spots to No. 7 after its 41-7 pummeling of La Joya Palmview. Even without the Valley’s leading returning rusher in Ramon Espinoza, the Gladiators proved they are more than fine against a program coming off consecutive playoff appearances.

Roma welcomes La Joya High this week.

Weslaco High dropped a spot to No. 8 after its 38-0 loss to Richmond George Ranch, which won the Class 5A state championship last season. The Panthers go to the Alamo City to play San Antonio Marshall this week.

Edcouch-Elsa dropped three spots to No. 9 after its loss to the Falcons. But the Yellowjackets’ aerial dynamics were in fine form with Marco Aguinaga and receivers A.J. Rodriguez and J.J. Flores, and they get another challenging test this week in the SaberCats.

Weslaco East made its debut in this season’s Top 10 after its methodical 21-14 win at Sharyland High last week. The defense overpowered the Rattlers, and Fabian Castro led a diverse running attack.

Other teams receiving votes in this week’s poll: Brownsville St. Joseph, Brownsville Veterans Memorial, Sharyland High, McAllen High, Mission Veterans Memorial and La Feria.

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RGVSPORTS.COM WEEK 2 TOP 10 POLL

The following are the teams in RGVSports.com’s Top 10 poll, with first-place votes in parentheses and total points based on 10 points for a first-place vote through 1 point for a 10th-place vote. The eight voters are writers who cover RGV high school football for AIM Media’s three newspapers (the Monitor, Valley Morning Star and Brownsville Herald).

Team – Record – Points – Prev.

1. Harlingen High (8) 1-0 80 1

2. San Benito 1-0 66 3

3. Edinburg Vela 1-0 64 2

4. McAllen Memorial 1-0 51 5

5. Los Fresnos 1-0 46 8

6. Mercedes 0-1 41 4

7. Roma 1-0 26 9

8. Weslaco High 0-1 24 7

9. Edcouch-Elsa 0-1 16 6

10. Weslaco East 1-0 11 NR

Other teams receiving votes: Brownsville St. Joseph (7), Brownsville Veterans Memorial (4), Sharyland High (2), McAllen High (1), Mission Veterans Memorial (1), La Feria (1).

DENNIS SILVA II | STAFF WRITER

MISSION — Weslaco East coach Mike Burget swears up and down that the Wildcats will pass more this season.

Friday night’s season opener at Sharyland High, he said, just wasn’t the time or place.

East started the 2016 season looking a lot like the Wildcats of old, pulling out a methodical 21-14 win over the Rattlers at Richard Thompson Stadium.

Boasting a physical 6-foot-4 quarterback with a powerful arm in Richard LeFevre, the plan all spring and summer was for the Wildcats to utilize more of a passing game this year. But that wasn’t necessary as East amassed 264 yards on 57 carries and only attempted two passes, completing one.

“We did pitch the ball backwards 12 times today,” Burget joked about any semblance of an aerial attack. “But seriously, you’ll see us throw the ball this year. We have a great quarterback and great receivers. I promise, you before the end of this year, you’re going to see that ball go in a forward direction at Weslaco East.

“But Richard, our quarterback who’s got probably one of the best arms in the Valley, came up to me and told me tonight, ‘Coach, the middle’s weak.’ So I listened to him.”

Six ballcarriers took advantage of the open field, none more so than Fabian Castro, who used a plethora of cutbacks to produce 196 yards and a TD on 32 carries. East jumped ahead to a 14-0 lead by halftime as the offense could afford to move the chains at its leisure thanks to an opportunistic defense.

East junior defensive back JC Vargas collected three interceptions, including the game-sealing grab on the Rattlers’ final desperate drive, and was part of a committed plan to blanket 6-foot-1 senior Edgar Alanis, the Rattlers’ top receiver.

On the last takeaway, Vargas said he knew Rattlers quarterback Alan Alvarez, making his debut as a varsity signal-caller, would be eyeing Alanis. Vargas made the read, sprinted step by step with Alanis and then made the catch to end the dramatics.

“We know Edgar is a tough receiver,” Vargas said. “I knew No. 2 (Alvarez) was going to always look for him as his first read, so that was the biggest thing. We stopped them pretty good and we were physical out there.”

Alanis, who had 930 receiving yards and nine touchdowns last season, had five catches for 42 yards. Sharyland High coach Ron Adame said the Wildcats’ defense was focused on stopping the pass, so the Rattlers went to a run game that was effective (160 yards on 28 carries), but not enough.

“I worried about our defense at the beginning of the year,” Burget said. “Not that they aren’t good or talented, but they are small. But we have 30 guys benching over 265, 270 pounds. So even if they might be undersized, they’re strong enough to handle what’s coming at them.”

Alvarez struggled during the first half, completing just 2 of 11 passes for 10 yards and throwing two interceptions. But he looked considerably better during the second half, completing 6 of 7 passes and rushing for a touchdown as he led a late comeback.

But with 36 seconds left, after Weslaco East turned the ball over on downs on Sharyland’s 22-yard line, Alvarez launched a bomb that was well short of Alanis but perfect for Vargas.

“I asked him if he’d seen the outlet and Alan said he was covered,” Adame said of the final play. “We can’t second-guess it. Alan did the best job he could for us and we’ll get better from week to week.”

Overall, the Rattlers compiled 253 total yards. They did not commit a penalty all night and outplayed the Wildcats during the second half.

But it all came up a bit short.

“This was a measuring stick for us,” Vargas said. “It was a great chance to see what we had. Two great teams. As they said this week, iron sharpens iron when you get two teams like this and that’s what we got.”

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DENNIS SILVA II | STAFF WRITER

The idea of freshmen playing on Mission Veterans Memorial’s varsity football team is not a foreign concept.

Dynamic talents like former Patriots Santos Villarreal and Bobby Tovar, and current Patriots Roman De Leon and Landry Gilpin, all played Friday nights as freshmen.

“They will learn the mental aspect a lot sooner if they’re around the expectations of varsity kids,” Patriots coach David Gilpin said. “We treat the freshmen differently from the upperclassmen, because of their maturity level. But if you take a freshman out of there and put them in our varsity group, they’ll either sink or swim, right? Everybody we’ve taken a shot at has yet to sink.”

This year, the Patriots expect one sure-fire freshman contributor in Mikey Garcia, a wideout and natural runner whom Gilpin said might be the fastest player on the team.

Gilpin had as many as three freshmen competing with the varsity during the preseason.

“I have the utmost confidence in our decision-making when it comes to evaluating,” Gilpin said. “The best football players at this school need to be around the varsity coaches and players.”

TIGERS AND ‘CATS

Since 2010, Mercedes and Calallen have always squared off in the first game of the season.

“For many years we faced them in the first round of the playoffs,” Mercedes coach Roger Adame Jr. said. “Going into those games, we always felt that we would’ve been more prepared had we played somebody of that caliber. For awhile there, almost six or seven years in a row, we played them in the first round, and so why not start off the year like that?”

Adame appreciates how Calallen tests his team’s physicality and speed right away.

“Coach (Phil) Danaher has that program going in an awesome direction,” Adame said. “They’re very well-coached, they have great athletes. It’s a caliber of team that’s going to show you exactly where your team is at. There are some things we need to look at being early in the season, and teams like Calallen will show you real quick.”

The series has survived two realignments, a rarity in today’s evolving classification of UIL athletics.

Adame said this year’s Calallen team may be one of its strongest yet. The Wildcats return 14 starters from last year’s regional finalist.

“Those teams always have talent, but this year’s team has a bit more talent and experience than years past,” Adame said. “That’s a senior ballclub, they have a great quarterback (Gaige Lamb) and this team is as stacked as anyone’s.

“We could schedule anybody we want, but there’s no bigger test for us.”

ALVAREZ THE MAN FOR RATTLERS

Going into this week’s season opener against Weslaco East at home, Sharyland High will have senior Alan Alvarez calling the shots at quarterback.

Alvarez emerged from a four-man competition that lasted the spring and preseason. Sophomore Edgar Longoria will be Alvarez’s backup.

“Alan’s doing well,” Rattlers coach Ron Adame said. “There is growing to be done, but we feel there will be improvement from week to week. He’s got a good foundation. The learning curve will be Friday night ball, and once he gets used to communicating with his line sand being on the same page with his receivers, he’s going to be OK.”

Alvarez and the Rattlers will get a strong first test in the Wildcats. Weslaco East coach Mike Burget called Adame during the offseason in an attempt to schedule teams that would prepare the Wildcats for District 32-6A.

“There’s a mutual respect for both programs,” Adame said. “Like he’s wanting to play us to challenge his kids, we look at it the same way. That’s a team that’s been to the playoffs for awhile, and deep into the playoffs. Iron sharpens iron.”

The Rattlers will be without a starting outside linebacker who dislocated his elbow. The injury is not season-ending and Adame hopes to get him back in October.

MIXING AND MATCHING

One of Edcouch-Elsa’s primary goals during the upcoming non-district slate is finding a replacement for utility man Mac Lara, a 6-foot-1, 210-pound junior who plays receiver and running back.

Lara suffered a fractured tibia during the Yellowjackets’ first scrimmage two weeks ago and will be out three months.

Coach Joe Marichalar has tried moving players around and thinks it’s possible some defensive players even fill in for Lara’s role.

“Maybe within these next few games, somebody will emerge,” Marichalar said. “We want somebody who can handle the blocking, but also be versatile enough to catch a pass downfield. It’s hard to find those hybrid types of kids, but we have talent that can make an effort toward that.”

Marichalar said linebacker Joel Cardoza and defensive backs John Michael Gonzalez and James Rodriguez have seen time on offense.

At running back, Christian Contreras and Cardoza are competing for carries. JV/varsity player Jorge Gomez is also in the mix.

“It’s a good little battle going on there, and that’s why these non-district games are crucial,” Marichalar said. “I’m always about fixing our problems other than our opponent, so if we can answer those questions going into district, we’ll be pleased. Obviously we want to win, so whoever gets thrown into the fire is going to have to grow up real quick.”

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DENNIS SILVA II | STAFF WRITER

For his first day of high school Monday, Aaron Nixon knew what shirt he was going to wear.

It was a burnt orange University of Texas polo with gray sleeves. The incoming freshman wanted to proudly represent the school he had verbally committed to play baseball for less than 24 hours before.

“I’ve always wanted to play for UT since I was real young,” said Nixon, who was formally offered a scholarship Sunday afternoon while sitting in head coach David Pierce’s office. “It’s the University of Texas. It’s got the tradition. What else can you say? I got the shirt yesterday at a store at UT, where they sell everything UT. I’m just real proud. This has been a dream for me.”

Nixon played for the Houston Banditos summer team last month in Georgia at The Perfect Games tournament, a national event that attracts hundreds of college and Major League Baseball scouts. It was there that Nixon, a right-hander who pitched and played infield during 11 games, caught the eye of the Longhorns. The Banditos won the 300-team tournament, which included teams with players in the Classes of 2018 and 2019, and Nixon starred.

When they met Sunday, Texas coaches said Nixon had the talent to play college baseball now, and a big reason is his velocity.

The 5-foot-11, 175-pound 15-year-old was hitting 89.3 miles per hour on the radar gun. The Longhorns coaches told the Nixons they see Aaron playing shortstop and pitching for them.

Following the tournament, a national talent scout reported the following on Nixon on July 30: “Though listed as a primary shortstop, the 5-foot-11, 175-pound Nixon came out showing even better velocity than he did last weekend as he opened up and sat in the 87-89 mph range for his couple innings of work. Consistently on top of the ball and generating steady plane, Nixon was able to simply overpowering hitters with the fastball and worked pretty much exclusively off of that. His mechanics are relatively simple and there’s no doubting his arm speed nor arm strength as the velocity is far from usual for a rising freshman, as is his ability to locate his heater to either side of the plate with hard running life. He’s already a well-known name amongst collegiate coaches and he did nothing but reaffirm his talents last night.”

“The sense I got from Texas,” Nixon’s dad, Beau, said, “is that Aaron is throwing 89 now, where’s he going to be in four years?”

Nixon has played baseball since he was 3 years old. He grew attached to UT because his older cousin, who now attends the school, liked it, too.

When he was 4 years old, Nixon would walk around the house with a UT cap, swinging a bat. Five years later, when his traveling team went to visit UT, he met former UT coach Augie Garrido and got his autograph.

Nixon grew up watching Mission native and former Sharyland High star Tres Barrera play for the Longhorns. He read Garrido’s book.

“It was surreal sitting in the office with Coach Pierce and his staff at the stadium,” Beau said. “It’s humbling. I tell Aaron to not let it get to his head, keep working hard. He listens. He’s a humble, hard-working kid who just loves baseball and the Longhorns.”

Nixon’s biggest strengths are his power —Beau has cautiously monitored how much his son throws, while Nixon has improved his arm strength with exercise bands and worked on conditioning his lower body for a firm base —and support system. Beau and his wife Diane are McAllen High alumni. Both played sports for the Bulldogs; Beau competed in football and Diane in softball.

Beau went to law school at Texas Tech and Diane went to California State.

“Aaron is the most humble young man you’ll meet,” said Joey Jara, a teammate of Beau’s at McHI who is based out of Lufkin and trains young athletes, especially pitchers, all around the country. “That comes from great parenting. They’re unbelievable. You see a lot of kids across the country who fall off the map because they’re pushed too hard by mom and dad. But that’s not the case with Aaron. Aaron wants this himself, and they’re going to provide him with all he can to achieve what he wants.”

Jara, who has trained Nixon since he was 7 and still does whenever he returns to the Valley, talks about Nixon waking up before school to do P90X workouts. Nixon does speed and agility training at the Cavazos Sports Institute and works on hitting with former Sharyland High star Osiel Flores.

“Aaron has dominated every level he’s competed at, “ Jara said. “I train kids all around the country. It’s what I do for a living. So I know it when I say there’s nobody that works harder than this young man. He has a plan, he has a goal, and he’s going to get it. In his mind, there’s nothing he can’t do. He’s a perfectionist in his approach.”

Nixon plays football and will play baseball and run track and field at McAllen High. Beau doesn’t reveal his son’s official offers so not to flaunt them, but schools that have shown interest include Arkansas, Louisville, Miami, Arizona, Oklahoma State and Houston.

“When you commit to a school like Texas, the expectations are huge,” Beau said. “I understand that. He’s been blessed with a gift, but there’s going to be some pressure. He needs to earn his stripes and play baseball. He’s just a calm, humble kid off the field. On it, he’s tough. He’s confident. He knows he can compete.”

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RGVSPORTS.COM

There’s a familiar face at the top of RGVSports.com’s Top 10 high school football poll heading into Week 1.

In an unanimous vote, Harlingen High has been voted upon by RGVSports.com as the Valley’s top team. The eight voters are writers who cover RGV high school football for AIM Media’s three newspapers (the Monitor, Valley Morning Star and Brownsville Herald).

The Cardinals earned 80 total votes, 20 ahead of second-place Edinburg Vela. Harlingen High has nine starters back from last year’s 10-3 Class 6A regional semifinalist. The Cardinals return top-tier playmakers in running back Leo Tienda and quarterback Jesse Castro. Together last season, they accounted for more than 3,700 total yards and 38 touchdowns.

Vela returns 10 starters, including power running back Robert Guerra, from last year’s Class 5A regional semifinalist. The SaberCats are making the move up to Class 6A.

In third place is San Benito, another Class 6A regional semifinalist from last season. The Greyhounds only return five starters, but the defense remains tough and there are capable young playmakers like Rene Garcia and Marceino Morales ready to step up.

Mercedes comes into Week 1 ranked fourth. The Tigers, who had the Valley’s top defense last season, return 15 starters from last year’s 7-4 team and are favored to win their second District 32-5A title in three years.

The post-Trevor Speights era begins for McAllen Memorial, ranked fifth, but the Mustangs have talent in store for 2016. Running back Jojo Williams and Campbell Speights, Trevor’s younger brother, factor heavily into Memorial’s plans. Defensively, the Mustangs will be potent behind safety Joey Delgado and linebacker Jaryd Lara.

Edcouch-Elsa, Mercedes‘ top rival, is ranked sixth after an inspiring run to the Class 5A regional semifinals last season. The Yellowjackets return 12 starters, including dual-threat QB Marco Aguinaga and his top two receivers J.J. Flores and A.J. Rodriguez.

Weslaco High is seventh. The Panthers return eight starters from last year’s 9-3 team. Only one offensive starter is back, but seven are staying on defense.

Los Fresnos is under a new head coach in Patrick Brown, who comes over from San Antonio Sam Houston, but his transition should be relatively easy as eight starters return from last year’s 9-2 team.

Roma is looking to make its third consecutive playoff appearance and is ranked ninth. The Gladiators return 16 starters, including the top returning rusher in senior Ramon Espinoza. Roma is a favorite in an intense District 31-5A.

Mission Veterans Memorial only returns five starters, but its dynamic talent at the skill positions is what has it ranked 10th. The Patriots return a top quarterback in Diego Hernandez along with speedy athletes in Landry Gilpin, Ramon De Leon and Jacob Guerrero. Mission Vets may be young, but it is not without a wealth of talent.

Other teams receiving votes in this introductory top 10 poll are McAllen High, Brownsville St. Joseph, Brownsville Veterans Memorial, Sharyland High and Edinburg Economedes.

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RGVSPORTS.COM TOP 10 POLL

The following are the teams in RGVSports.com’s Top 10 poll, with first-place votes in parentheses and total points based on 10 points for a first-place vote through 1 point for a 10th-place vote. The eight voters are writers who cover RGV high school football for AIM Media’s three newspapers (the Monitor, Valley Morning Star and Brownsville Herald).

Team – Points

1. Harlingen High (8) 80

2. Edinburg Vela, 60

3. San Benito, 48

4. Mercedes, 46

5. McAllen Memorial, 44

6. Edcouch-Elsa, 37

7. Weslaco High, 34

8. Los Fresnos, 24

9. Roma, 22

10. Mission Veterans Memorial, 16

Other teams receiving votes: McAllen High (13), Brownsville St. Joseph (7), Brownsville Veterans Memorial (2), Sharyland High (1), Edinburg Economedes (1).

DENNIS SILVA II | STAFF WRITER

MERCEDES — During his first two years at the helm of Mercedes, Roger Adame Jr.’s defenses ranked among the best in the Rio Grande Valley.

In 2014, the Tigers placed fifth overall in yards allowed (228 per game). Last season, they were No. 1, holding opponents to 212.9 per game. Defense has been the backbone of Adame’s foundation since he started as a defensive coordinator at Mercedes in 2009.

As soon as he hung a whistle around his neck and grabbed a play sheet, Adame fell in love with the challenge of game-planning every week — “like a chess match,” he said — and the physical demands of the unit.

“Defensively, we make sure we come in with a workman’s mentality,” Adame said. “They know they have to punch in every time they step onto that field. That means 11 hats to the ball, everyone flying to the ball. We film our practices and we don’t want to see anybody loafing. If someone is, the defense pays for it.

“Every one of these kids wants to make that big tackle. They want the ball run their way, and that’s the relentless, physical mentality we want.”

So while the Tigers’ offense dominated summer headlines with its impressive play en route to a 7-on-7 state appearance, it’s defense that will dictate Mercedes’ fate this season. Seven starters return on that side of the ball, including stalwarts Roger Adame III, Joel Gomez, Sebastian De Leon, Raul Arteaga and others.

“We have speed, for sure. That’s the good thing,” Gomez said. “We have athleticism. Strength-wise, we’re still in an adjustment phase, but I think we’re going to be better than years past.”

The M.O. of the Tigers’ 3-4 defense is simple: win first down. When second down arrives, ideally the offense is in a precarious, pressure situation to have to produce a big play.

Coaches and players agree that if defensive players simply hustle, things will go in their favor.

“It just takes effort,” said Adame III, an all-state selection last year who is as comfortable pressuring the quarterback as he is sliding out into coverage. “There will be mistakes, obviously, but we’re confident effort can make up for a lot of that. They say defense wins championships, so we always want to shut a team out. Then there’s no way we can lose.”

This year’s defense has experience in the secondary with Gomez, Arteaga and David Lopez. That will be the strength of the unit. There are playmakers at linebacker in Adame III and De Leon, and the defensive line has good potential with Ivan Zapata and Rolando Rincon.

Adame said he intends to rotate more along the defensive front to keep guys fresh. That could mean more opportunity for younger guys. Overall, Adame said he has playmakers in the right spots and the scheme, a read-and-react philosophy, to take advantage of their abilities.

“Our goal every year is to be one of the toughest defenses in the Valley, the region, the whole state,” Adame III said. “There’s a brotherhood here to not let anyone down, and it starts with hustle and doing the little things right like not jumping offsides, knowing the coverages and not getting distracted during games. It’s all 11 guys knowing what to do.”

RUN STRONG

Mercedes has a considerable amount of talent on offense. Whether it’s Zach Gomez’s confident presence in the pocket or receivers Richard Urbina, Joe Garcia and Matthew Ledesma blowing by people, there are weapons galore.

But the most important factor this season may be junior running back Fabian Ledesma, who rushed for 724 yards and 13 touchdowns last season. With the Tigers’ defensive-minded style of play, the run game is essential to keeping the defense fresh.

“We know if we can get that running game going, week in and week out, it opens up so much more for us,” Adame said. “Fabian has that workman’s mentality that we talked about with the defense.”

Ledesma, who said he wants more than 1,000 yards this season and is intent on breaking school rushing records, will be the anchor of that success.

“It’s what I want,” he said. “I want that responsibility to be the guy.”

POSITION BATTLES

Mercedes has had position battles at offensive line, linebacker and the defensive line.

The most intense competition has been the offensive line. Danny Melendez and Jesus Barrientes are the lone returners. Others have been playing for the other three spots. Two bright sports have been Jacob Gutierrez and Logan McCutchen.

“Anybody can be replaced at any moment,” Adame said. “If somebody’s outperforming an all-district guy, that guy will be replaced. Right now, there are some positions there (on the offensive line) that are almost solidified, but they’ve got to compete every day.”

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MERCEDES’ PROGNOSIS

There’s a lot to like about the Tigers, who return 15 starters from a 7-4 team. Mercedes has the dynamic versatility on offense and stingy defense to win its second district title in three years.

Projected 2016 Record: 10-2

COACH’S TENURE

Coach: Roger Adame Jr.

Year at School: Third

Record at Mercedes: 16-6

DENNIS SILVA II | STAFF WRITER

McAllen High freshman Aaron Nixon has yet to put on the purple and gold baseball uniform of the Bulldogs, but he already has a head start on where he could play in college.

Nixon tweeted Sunday afternoon that he had verbally committed to play baseball for the University of Texas. In the photo he tweeted with the news, Nixon has a picture of him as a young boy in a batting stance wearing a Longhorns cap.

“Blessed to say that I have committed to play baseball at The University of Texas!! Hook’Em!!” Nixon tweeted.

The 15-year-old right-hander is listed at 5-foot-11 and 175 pounds on his player profile on The Perfect Game web site. The Perfect Game is regarded as the “premier provider of amateur baseball events” and attracts collegiate and Major League Baseball scouts annually to its national showcases. Nixon plays for the Houston Banditos Black summer team.

He plays shortstop, third base and pitcher. Nixon also has drawn interest from Arizona, Texas A&M, Texas Tech and LSU.

Here’s an interview Nixon did three years ago with ESPN after being named 11U MVP. He claims his desire of playing for UT.