GREG LUCA | STAFF WRITER

For a McAllen Rowe defense decimated by injuries, underclassmen Richard Sanders and Frank Delgado have stepped forward to pick up the slack.

Through six games, Sanders is the team’s leading tackler with 50 stops. Delgado ranks just behind with 49.

Sanders is one of 12 sophomores on the varsity roster, including three starters on each side of the ball. His athleticism put him on coach Paul Reyes’ radar this season, and his “coachability” allowed him to fit in seamlessly.

“He’s young, so every game is a new experience for him,” Reyes said. “He’s been stepping up and doing a good job for us all year.”

Delgado began last season as a JV player before moving up to varsity late in the year. His strength and quickness are his top assets, and he’s been able to put them to better use as he’s gotten used to varsity play, Reyes said.

“He started off a little slow, but I think he got comfortable and understood what he had to do,” Reyes said. “He’s become one of our better defensive players.”

Defense overall has been a struggle for Rowe, as the team ranks last in District 30-6A with 419.5 yards per game allowed.

The Warriors were without four starters last week: defensive lineman Ernest Martinez, linebacker Aaron Ramirez, linebacker Alex Juarez, and defensive back Jose Barrera. Reyes did not believe any of them would be back for Friday’s game against Palmview.

“We look at the big plays we give up, and it’s like we miss a tackle here and we miss a tackle there,” Reyes said. “It just comes back to haunt us sometimes.”

NEXT MAN UP

With leading rusher Justin Leanos sidelined for the rest of the season by a torn ACL, senior Brandon Ramos is stepping forward as the primary back for La Joya High.

After splitting carries with Leanos for the first half of the year, Ramos got the bulk of the work in last week’s 28-20 win against La Joya Palmview, running 15 times for 71 yards and a score.

“He’s aggressive,” coach George Espinoza said. “He’s not one who is going to shy away from contact. He’s a tough runner. He’s going to lower his shoulders and come at you. He has enough speed that he can get to the outside.”

The physical running style comes naturally for Ramos, who was an outside linebacker and strong safety last year before asking for a crack at running back during the offseason.

La Joya wanted to move to more two-back sets in 2015, and Ramos proved to be a fit by showing well in 7-on-7 and two-a-days. On the year, he has 60 carries for 269 yards and three scores.

“He carries that defensive mentality over to the offensive side, so that kind of helps out,” Espinoza said.

Leanos suffered the injury Oct. 2 against McAllen High and underwent surgery Wednesday. The senior had run for 430 yards and a touchdown on 69 carries through six games. He was also the team’s leading rusher in 2014, picking up 987 yards and nine touchdowns.

OTHER OPTIONS

La Joya Palmview’s Joel Piña was held to just 40 yards on 14 carries in a loss to La Joya High last week. The output was the lowest this season for Piña, who ran for more than 200 yards in four of the team’s first five games. His previous low came in Week 4, when he ran 18 times for 133 yards in a loss to Roma.

On the season, Piña still ranks second in the district with 1,148 yards and 18 touchdowns.

With Pina having a rough week, Misael Guerra stepped forward, carrying 13 times for 114 yards to crack the 100-yard mark for the first time since Week 2.

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Tuesday, Oct. 13

District 30-6A

McAllen Rowe def. McAllen High 21-25, 25-12, 25-23, 27-25

La Joya High def. La Joya Palmview 14-25, 25-14, 24-26, 25-22, 15-8

McAllen Memorial at La Joya Juarez-Lincoln, not reported

District 31-6A

PSJA Memorial def. PSJA North 25-18, 25-22, 25-10

Weslaco East def. Edinburg Economedes 25-16, 22-25, 25-23, 25-17

Edinburg North def. Edinburg High 17-25, 25-20,l 25-22, 24-26, 15-8

District 32-6A

Brownsville Veterans Memorial def. Hanna 25-18, 25-14, 25-18

Los Fresnos def. harlingen South 25-15, 25-16, 25-18

San Benito def. Harlingen High 25-18, 25-19, 18-25, 20-25, 15-12

Brownsville Rivera def. Brownsville Lopez 25-13, 25-20, 25-15

District 31-5A

Mission Veterans def. Roma 25-7, 25-4, 25-11

Edinburg Vela def. Sharyland Pioneer 25-20, 22-25, 20-25, 25-22, 15-13

Valley View at Rio Grande City, not reported

District 32-5A

Edcouch-Elsa def. Donna North 25-19, 25-10, 25-22

Donna High def. Mercedes 25-11, 25-13, 25-22

PSJA High def. Brownsville Pace 25-22, 21-25, 25-17, 25-18

Brownsville Porter def. PSJA Southwest 25-10, 25-19, 25-15

District 32-4A

Port Isabel def. Raymondville 25-27, 25-17, 25-23, 25-19

La Feria def. Hidalgo 25-9, 23-25, 25-18, 25-12

Rio Hondo def. Progreso 30-28, 25-19, 26-24

Zapata def. Grulla 25-11, 25-23, 25-23

District 32-3A

IDEA Quest at Monte Alto, not reported

District 32-2A

San Perlita def. La Villa 25-18, 25-16, 25-23

Non-district

San Isidro def. Macedonia 25-17, 23-25, 25-12, 17-25, 15-13

Saturday, Oct. 17

District 30-6A

McAllen Rowe at La Joya Palmview, noon

La Joya Juarez-Lincoln at McAllen High, noon

La Joya High at Mission High, noon

District 31-6A

Edinburg North at Weslaco High, noon

PSJA Memorial at Edinburg High, noon

Edinburg Economedes at PSJA North, 3 p.m.

District 32-6A

Brownsville Hanna at Brownsville Lopez, noon

San Benito at Brownsville Veterans Memorial, noon

Brownsville Rivera at Harlingen South, noon

Harlingen High at Los Fresnos, noon

District 31-5A

Roma at Sharyland High, noon

Valley View at Edinburg Vela, noon

Sharyland Pioneer at Mission Veterans, 1 p.m.

District 32-5A

Donna North at PSJA Southwest, 2 p.m.

Brownsville Porter at Brownsville Pace, 2 p.m.

Edcouch-Elsa at Mercedes, 3 p.m.

PSJA High at Donna High, 3 p.m.

District 32-4A

La Feria at Progreso, noon***

Port Isabel at Grulla, 2 p.m.

Hidalgo at Zapata, 2 p.m.

Rio Hondo at Raymondville, 2 p.m.

District 32-3A

Monte Alto at Santa Rosa, 2:30 p.m.

District 32-2A

Santa Maria at San Perlita, 7:30 p.m.

Tuesday’s Matches

District 30-6A

McALLEN ROWE DEF. McALLEN HIGH

21-25, 25-12, 25-23, 27-25

McALLEN ROWE — Vanessa Lopez 48 assists, 2 blocks, 11 digs, 1 ace; Mayda Garcia 26 kills, 26 digs, 12 blocks; Kayla Cruz 56 digs; Sophia Luna 14 kills, 1 ace, 3 blocks; Reyela Rodriguez 4 kills, 1 block; Diana Gonzalez 1 kill, 5 blocks; Amanda Martinez 1 ace, 2 blocks; Karina De La Rosa 22 digs, 3 aces; Briana Chaidez 31 digs.

McALLEN HIGH — Carter Helmcamp 11 kills, 16 assists, 1 block; Lexi Giusti 5 kills, 25 assists; Julia Monday 15 kills; Hannah Bishop 6 kills; Sydney Pemelton 9 kills, 2 blocks; Taylor Helmcamp 16 kills; Kellie Woodin 16 digs.

RECORDS — McAllen Rowe 35-9, 8-1; McAllen High 35-4, 6-3.

LA JOYA HIGH DEF. LA JOYA PALMVIEW

14-25, 25-14, 24-26, 25-22, 15-8

LA JOYA PALMVIEW — Jasmine Campos 1 kill, 20 assists, 8 aces; Alexandria Alaniz 10 kills, 1 block, 1 assist, 2 digs; Brenda Martinez 7 kills, 1 assist, 4 aces, 2 digs; Giselle Ornelas 3 kills, 1 block, 5 aces, 6 digs; Michelle Duggan 3 kills, 4 aces; Diana Moreno 1 kill, 1 ace, 11 digs.

LA JOYA HIGH — Karina Casanova 14 kills, 2 aces, 3 blocks; Ashley Olivarez 13 kills, 3 blocks, 1 ace; Veida Gonzalez 26 digs, 4 aces; Sarah Salinas 48 digs, 2 aces; Daisy Hernandez 11 digs, 1 kill; Crystal Mejia 10 assists, 1 ace; Ashley Mireles 14 assists.

RECORDS — La Joya High 18-12, 3-6; La Joya Palmview 4-19, 1-7.

District 31-6A

EDINBURG NORTH DEF. EDINBURG HIGH

17-25, 25-20, 25-22, 24-26, 15-8

EDINBURG NORTH — Victoria Rogers 28 kills, 25 digs; Lizeth Cavazos 6 kills, 11 digs, 1 block; Julie Villarreal 10 kills, 15 digs; Abri Saenz 43 digs; Ayissa Maldonado 46 assists; Kali Martinez 13 kills, 4 blocks.

EDINBURG HIGH — Dezi Marmolejo 7 kills, 1 ace, 45 assists, 8 digs; Marissa Arce 10 kills, 3 aces, 23 digs; Amber Reyes 12 kills, 4 blocks, 9 digs; Tianna Howard 22 kills, 1 block, 8 digs; Yessi Molina 5 kills, 12 assists, 35 digs; Elizabeth Olivarez 1 ace, 2 assists, 53 digs; Bree Pena 6 kills, 33 digs.

RECORDS — Edinburg North 27-10, 8-1; Edinburg High 27-7, 6-2.

WESLACO EAST DEF. EDINBURG ECONOMEDES

25-16, 22-25, 25-23, 25-17

WESLACO EAST — Valeria Castaneda 13 kills; Katelyn Rodriguez 8 kills, 23 digs; Alyssa Flores 9 kills; Chylee Lefevre 7 kills, 24 assists; Rachelle Cardoza 40 digs.

EDINBURG ECONOMEDES — Not reported.

RECORDS — Weslaco East 15-20, 2-7; Edinburg Economedes 5-27, 0-8.

PSJA MEMORIAL DEF. PSJA NORTH

25-18, 25-22, 25-10

PSJA MEMORIAL — Kristi Gomez 20 kills, 2 blocks, 2 aces; Desery Gomez 3 kills, 1 block, 3 digs; Amanda Aguilera 20 assists; Valerie Guajardo 5 assists; Carla De Leon 14 digs; Victoria Maldonado 7 digs; Mireya Martinez 8 digs.

PSJA NORTH — Stephanie Crispin 9 kills, 2 blocks, 2 aces; Maryeld Gonzalez 4 kills, 5 digs; Angela Ochoa 4 kills, 1 ace; Sam Enriques 23 assists.

RECORDS — PSJA Memorial 24-12, 8-1; PSJA North 14-17, 4-5.

District 31-5A

MISSION VETERANS DEF. ROMA

25-7, 25-4, 25-11

MISSION VETERANS — Gabby Lerma 9 kills, 5 aces, 12 digs; Daisy Reyna 9 kills, 2 aces, 5 digs; D.D. Ibarra 8 kills, 18 assists, 3 aces, 10 digs; Karina Garcia 13 assists, 5 digs; Mariah Gonzalez 24 digs; Alex Jimenez 8 kills, 3 blocks; Andrea de la Garza 3 kills, 3 assists, 5 digs, 2 blocks; Jackie Howell 3 blocks; Makenzie Gerlach 1 ace.

ROMA — Not reported.

RECORDS — Mission Veterans 32-3, 8-0; Roma 9-21, 2-7.

EDINBURG VELA DEF. SHARYLAND PIONEER

25-20, 22-25, 20-25, 25-22, 15-13

SHARYLAND PIONEER — Elisa Lopez 33 digs, 1 kill, 1 ace; Audrey Smith 3 aces, 3 kills, 41 assists; 11 digs; Deandra Garza 11 digs, 10 kills; Brooke Garza 24 digs, 6 kills, 1 ace, 1 assist; Desiree Garza 11 kills, 3 digs; Bianca Garza 2 aces, 18 digs.

EDINBURG VELA — Not reported.

RECORDS — Edinburg Vela 31-11, 6-3; Sharyland Pioneer 24-11, 6-3.

District 32-5A

EDCOUCH-ELSA DEF. DONNA NORTH

25-19, 25-10, 25-22

EDCOUCH-ELSA — Maddie Acevedo 6 kills, 2 assists, 4 aces, 15 digs; Odessa Mata 4 aces, 13 digs; Jackie De Los Santos 18 assists, 3 aces, 9 digs; Samantha Martinez 12 kills, 11 assists, 7 digs; Bianca Cardenas 5 kills, 1 assist, 4 digs; Jackie Alvarado 1 ace, 18 digs; Cassidy Martinez 10 kills, 1 dig, 1 block; Alinah Rodriguez 5 assists; Palma Ybarra 5 kills, 1 dig, 4 aces, 1 assist; Ashley Galarza 1 kills, 1 assist, 1 dig, 1 block.

DONNA NORTH — Evelyn De Leon 1 ace, 10 kills; I’Dasha Sorrell 7 kills, 4 blocks; Chelsea Reyna 5 kills, 3 blocks.

RECORDS — Edcouch-Elsa 26-10, 9-1; Donna North 11-19, 1-9.

PSJA HIGH DEF. BROWNSVILLE PACE

25-22, 21-25, 25-17, 25-18

PSJA HIGH — Jackie Alanis 10 kills, 3 aces, 7 digs; Mariah West 9 kills, 1 ace, 8 digs; Myranda Garza 5 kills, 1 ace, 6 digs; Valeria Gonzalez 3 kills, 27 assists.

BROWNSVILLE PACE — Not reported.

RECORDS — PSJA High 16-7, 9-1; Brownsville Pace 8-14, 4-6.

DONNA HIGH DEF. MERCEDES

25-11, 25-13, 25-22

DONNA HIGH — Yvette Tamez 13 kills, 7 digs, 4 blocks; Adrianna Marteinez 29 assists, 3 aces; Kara Yanez 32 digs; Sarah Gonzalez 8 kills, 3 blocks; Megan Garcia 2 kills, 2 aces, 15 digs; Melanie Arenas 9 kills, 1 ace, 7 digs.

MERCEDES — Not reported.

RECORDS — Donna High 21-5, 8-2; Mercedes 12-15, 3-7.

District 32-4A

LA FERIA DEF. HIDALGO

25-9, 23-25, 25-18, 25-12

LA FERIA — Annette Ruiz 3 kills, 19 assists, 2 aces, 4 digs; Belisa Vela 17 kills, 3 blocks; Sara Alvarado 4 kills, 3 aces, 2 blocks; Anelli Rodriguez 4 kills, 2 blocks, 1 ace; Isis Bernal 8 assists; Laura Torres 12 digs; Camryn Lopez 4 aces.

HIDALGO — Nelly Flores 9 kills, 2 aces; Karla Cantu 3 kills, Stephanie Ysasi 10 assists, 1 ace.

RECORDS — La Feria 14-9, 9-1; Hidalgo 6-23, 3-7.

ZAPATA DEF. GRULLA

25-11, 25-23, 25-23

ZAPATA — Not reported.

GRULLA — Victoria Gonzalez 1 kill, 1 assist, 38 digs; Danielle Lopez 1 ace, 1 kill, 6 assists, 11 digs; Evelyn Zarte 1 ace, 4 kills, 4 assists, 8 digs; Delma Ozuna 2 aces, 2 kills, 15 digs; Shelsie Hernandez 4 kills, 5 digs; Caitlyn Rodriguez 10 digs; Sarahi Garcia 3 digs; Leticia Flores 3 digs.

RECORDS — Zapata 17-8, 9-0; Grulla 10-7, 3-7.

District 32-2A

SAN PERLITA DEF. LA VILLA

25-18, 25-16, 25-23

SAN PERLITA — Mia Maurer 4 kills; Maranda Theiss 6 kills; Jennifer Ramos 4 kills.

LA VILLA — Not reported.

RECORDS — San Perlita 13-4, 4-1; La Villa 8-9, 1-3.

GREG LUCA | STAFF WRITER

McALLEN —McAllen High was just one point away from forcing a Game 5 when McAllen Rowe’s Mayda Garcia gathered her teammates and led them out of the gym.

With only 1 minute to talk during the Lady Warriors’ timeout, these types of huddles happen almost exclusively on the court. But on Tuesday, with music blasting over the PA system and fans packing both sides of Rowe’s gym, Garcia needed to take her team into the hall. Coach Magda Canales said it was the first time this season the Lady Warriors had left the court during an in-game timeout.

“I like it in a quiet environment where I can see the girls one to one, make sure their attention is on me, and make sure they’re all focused,” Garcia said. “It was really loud in here. It was a good crowd. So I just want to make sure they heard what we had to say.”

Garcia said she talked to the team about the same things she typically does: Communicate, block out mistakes, and target the opponent’s weaknesses.

It worked. Rowe ripped off four of the next five points, including three kills from Garcia, to secure a 21-25, 25-12, 25-23, 27-25 win and put itself in prime position to secure at least a share of the District 30-6A title.

“My players depended on me a lot to put it away, and I love them so much,” Garcia said. “I can’t believe they trusted me like that. It was so intense, and I was making so many mistakes. But they trusted me to put it away, and I wanted them to get the message that I will put it away and do anything for them.”

Taking over matches has become commonplace for Garcia, the reigning All-Valley Player of the Year. She racked up a triple-double on Tuesday with 26 kills, 12 blocks and 26 digs.

Before spearheading the rally in Game 4, she also notched the winning kill to cap the second and third games.

“If Mayda has the fire, and if Mayda is on, then we’re going to be there to support her no matter what,” senior Ryela Rodriguez said.

Rowe’s senior frontline was a huge factor in Tuesday’s win, as Rodriguez had four kills with one block and Sophia Luna had 14 kills with three blocks.

Junior Vanessa Lopez had 48 assists, while sophomore Kayla Cruz led the team with 56 digs.

“The seniors really took charge of the game and performed,” Canales said. “They carried the juniors and sophomores with them, and it was contagious, their enthusiasm. They pulled together as a team. That’s the bottom line.”

The win moves Rowe to 35-8 overall and 8-1 in district. If Rowe can avoid an upset loss to one of the teams in the bottom half of the district standings — something it did quite easily during the season’s first half — the Lady Warriors will be assured at least a share of the district title.

“To me, last year, McHi stole it from us,” Rodriguez said. “This year, we came out knowing that’s not going to happen, and we weren’t going to let that happen.”

McAllen High, the defending district champion, falls to 35-4 and 6-3 in district play. The Lady Bulldogs are all but eliminated from district title contention, but could potentially secure a championship for Rowe by knocking off 8-1 McAllen Memorial next Tuesday.

After the match, tears welled up in the eyes of some of McHi’s players as the team lingered on the court. Taylor Helmcamp led the Lady Bulldogs with 16 kills, while Julia Monday had 15. Carter Helmcamp had 11 kills and 16 assists.

“We just made a few crucial errors at crucial times, and you can’t do that in this type of match,” coach Paula Dodge said. “I have six seniors on the team, so this is the last time we’re going to play (Rowe) in the regular season. So yeah, it hurts.”

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GREG LUCA | STAFF WRITER

ALAMO — When PSJA Memorial volleyball coach Angie Gonzales told her players they would be waving to opposing servers and telling them to ‘Bring it on’ before every point, the first person to get on board was sophomore Kristi Gomez.

Her teammates were shy or worried about offending the other team, but Gomez wasn’t. During early tournament action, she would say it quietly: “Serve it here.” Then, setter Carla De Leon started to join her. In time, the rest of the team bought in.

“We don’t care if the serves are really hard. It’s going to be OK,” Gomez said. “It’s just a serve. It’s nothing. You’re not going to be scared. You go with confidence.”

That’s been the mantra all season for the Lady Wolverines, who at 7-1 are in the thick of the District 31-6A title race.

Gomez has been a primary catalyst for the turnaround from last year’s 5-7 campaign, slamming home powerful kills and stepping forward as the team’s emotional leader.

“She’s just fearless,” Gonzales said. “That’s the best word I can think of to describe her. She’s fearless, and she’s aggressive. That’s a big difference from last year. Last year, she was timid. This year, she’s taking control.”

Gomez said she got the mentality from her father, who helped her get her start in volleyball when she was in fifth grade.

While Gomez has talent on par with any of the Valley’s best players, she’s never been part of a club or travel team. Instead, Gomez honed her skills on a sand court in a public park near her home.

“We always practice in that park,” Gomez said. “When you go play on sand, it’s more heavy, so you feel like a feather here.”

Gomez said she and her father practice every day during the offseason. He’ll toss her a set, she’ll smash the kill and retrieve the ball, and then they repeat.

Other times, Gomez and her sister will scrimmage two-on-two against her father and her brother. On school days, Gomez brings her own beach volleyball and practices outside with other students during lunch period.

“She’s constantly touching a volleyball,” Gonzales said. “Her mentality is: ‘Volleyball is life.’”

The grass roots development process is fitting for Gomez, who teammates describe as humble despite her dominance on the court.

She got her first crack at varsity play early last season, starting out primarily as a defender. As she built a rapport with the rest of the roster, she became more central in the attack, eventually being named the district’s newcomer of the year.

Coming back this season, Gomez has taken on the role of team captain. “Even though she was a vital component on our team (last year), she wasn’t as outspoken as she is now,” Gonzales said. “Now, she’s not as timid. She’s not as shy. She’s a leader.”

When a teammate makes a mistake, Gonzales said Gomez is the first to offer a high five or pick her up off the floor. She is the player accountable for making sure the Lady Wolverines communicate and follow the three C’s for playing a ball on defense: call, commit, confirm.

Gomez has rained kills from everywhere on the court, and setters De Leon and Amanda Aguilera have learned they can go to her in just about any scenario.

“If we’re in a big rally, or if we’re not getting the ball over and we’ve been losing a lot of points, I look to her in those kind of situations,” Aguilera said. “No matter where she’s at.”

Said De Leon: “She’s very good at finding holes. If I set her, she’s very quick to look at the other side of the net. I know even if it’s a bad set, she’ll make me look like an awesome setter.”

The Lady Wolverines credit their success to a new mentality, and to buying in to the 10 laws Gonzales has them recite daily before practice. Gomez said the most impactful to her was No. 10: A sister’s bond can never be broken.

De Leon’s favorite is ‘Team before self.” She said she used to be a “very selfish” player, one who cried when Gonzales first moved her from libero to setter.

“I really put that law into practice,” De Leon said. “If I had to give up my jersey so my team can go farther, I was willing to do that. … To see my team be better, by switching that one role, it brings me joy.”

Under the laws, PSJA Memorial is a more positive and assertive team, one that no longer crumbles when it falls behind, De Leon said. Instead, the Lady Wolverines ask for the ball, telling the server they’re ready for any challenge.

Aguilera said the move “freaks out” other teams and forces errors, and De Leon said it builds the Lady Wolverines’ confidence.

Gonzales knows the tactic has ruffled some feathers with other coaches in the district, but she’s become more comfortable taking that aggressive approach now that she’s in her third season. With a strong first half of district under their belts, the Lady Wolverines aren’t about to back off.

“When we face bigger teams, it’s never about who is across the net — it’s about us,” Aguilera said. “Every time we step on the court, we’re going to get a win. We always have that mentality.”

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VALLEY-VOLLEYBALL SCHEDULE
Saturday, Oct. 10
Non-District
Juan Diego Academy def. Edinburg Economedes 25-13, 25-14, 25-16
La Joya Juarez-Lincoln at Valley View, not reported
District 30-6A
McAllen Rowe def. McAllen Memorial 29-27, 25-20, 17-25, 25-18
Mission High def. La Joya Palmview 25-19, 25-23, 25-11
McAllen High def. La Joya High 25-5, 25-11, 25-13
District 31-6A
Edinburg High def. Weslaco High 25-18, 25-11, 24-26, 25-15
Edinburg North def. PSJA North 25-18, 25-9, 25-13
PSJA Memorial def. Weslaco East 25-22, 25-17, 24-26, 25-13
District 32-6A
Brownsville Veterans def. Brownsville Rivera 25-11, 25-18, 26-24
Harlingen South def. Brownsville Lopez 25-17, 25-12, 25-17
Brownsville Hanna def. Harlingen High 19-25, 25-16, 17-25, 25-23, 15-9
Los Fresnos def. San Benito 25-5, 25-18, 25-11
District 31-5A
Edinburg Vela def. Roma 25-11, 25-11, 25-15
Mission Veterans def. Sharyland High 25-14, 26-24, 25-13
Sharyland Pioneer def. Rio Grande City 25-4, 25-15, 25-12
District 32-5A
Donna High def. Brownsville Pace 25-13, 25-20, 25-20
Edcouch-Elsa def. Brownsville Porter 25-19, 25-15, 25-22
Donna North def. Mercedes 25-22, 25-20, 25-15
PSJA High def. PSJA Southwest 25-14, 25-14, 25-12
District 32-4A
Port Isabel def. Rio Hondo 25-17, 18-25, 25-22, 25-20
Hidalgo def. Progreso 25-18, 25-21, 25-15
La Fera def. Grulla 25-19, 25-20, 21-25, 22-25, 15-7
Raymondville at Zapata, not reported
District 32-3A
Santa Rosa def. Edinburg IDEA 25-22, 25-7, 25-23
Lyford at Monte Alto, not reported
District 32-2A
Lasara at La Villa, not reported

Tuesday, Oct. 13
District 30-6A
McAllen High at McAllen Rowe, 6:30 p.m.
McAllen Memorial at La Joya Juarez-Lincoln, 6:30 p.m.
La Joya Palmview at La Joya High, 6:30 p.m.
District 31-6A
PSJA North at PSJA Memorial, 7 p.m.
Weslaco East at Edinburg Economedes, 7 p.m.
Edinburg High at Edinburg North, 7 p.m.
District 32-6A
Brownsville Veterans Memorial at Brownsville Hanna, 6:30 p.m.
Brownsville Lopez at Brownsville Rivera, 6:30 p.m.
Los Fresnos at Harlingen South, 6:30 p.m.
Harlingen High vs. San Benito, 6:30 p.m.
District 31-5A
Mission Veterans at Roma, 7 p.m.
Edinburg Vela at Sharyland Pioneer, 7 p.m.
Valley View at Rio Grande City, 7 p.m.
District 32-5A
Edcouch-Elsa at Donna North, 7 p.m.
Mercedes at Donna High, 7 p.m.
Brownsville Pace at PSJA High, 7 p.m.
PSJA Southwest at Brownsville Porter, 7 p.m.
District 32-4A
Port Isabel at Raymondville, 7 p.m.
La Feria at Hidalgo, 6:30 p.m.
Rio Hondo at Progreso, 7 p.m.
Zapata at Grulla, 7 p.m.
District 32-3A
IDEA Quest at Monte Alto, 7 p.m.
District 32-2A
La Villa at San Perlita, 7:30 p.m.

VALLEY-VOLLEYBALL SUMMARIES
Saturday’s Matches
District 30-6A
McALLEN HIGH DEF. LA JOYA HIGH
25-5, 25-11, 25-13
McALLEN HIGH — Sydney Pemelton 10 kills, 1 block kill, 4 aces; Taylor Helmcamp 10 kills; Lexy Giusti 21 assists; Carter Helmcamp 2 kills, 10 assists.
LA JOYA HIGH — Veida Gonzalez 4 kills, 7 digs; Karina Casanova 3 kills; Vanessa Ortega 3 kills; Ashley Mireles 8 assists; Crystal Mejia 3 assists; Daisy Hernandez 9 digs.
RECORDS — McAllen High 35-3, 6-2; La Joya High 17-12, 2-6.

MISSION HIGH DEF. LA JOYA PALMVIEW
25-19, 25-23, 25-11
MISSION HIGH — Maria Garcia 8 kills, 13 digs; Lissette Vela 7 kills, 2 blocks; Nicole Reyes 6 kills, 2 blocks; Emily Alvarado 3 kills, 18 points, 7 aces, 16 assists; Fanni Moreno 9 points, 4 aces; Michelle Madden 2 kills, 10 assists.
LA JOYA PALMVIEW — Jasmine Campos 4 kills, 7 assists, 3 digs, 6 aces; Giselle Ornelas 4 kills, 7 digs; Alexandria Alaniz 2 kills, 1 assist, 11 digs, 2 aces; Brenda Martinez 5 kills, 5 digs, 1 block; Diana Moreno 8 digs.
RECORDS — Mission High 15-17, 4-4; La Joya Palmview 4-18, 1-6.

District 31-6A
EDINBURG HIGH DEF. WESLACO HIGH
25-18, 25-11, 24-26, 25-15
EDINBURG HIGH — Dezi Marmolejo 5 kills, 2 aces, 39 assists, 11 digs; Marissa Arce 9 kills, 1 ace, 16 digs; Amber reyes 16 kills, 5 blocks, 2 digs, 1 assist; Tianna Howard 14 kills, 4 blocks, 2 digs; Yessi Molina 4 assists, 18 digs, 1 ace; Elizabeth Olivarez 40 digs, 1 ace; Bree Pena 5 kills, 32 digs; Natalie Rodriguez 8 digs, 1 kill, 1 ace; natalie martinez 4 digs, 6 blocks, 1 ace.
WESLACO HIGH — Madelyn Ybarra 4 kills, 25 digs, 6 blocks; Amy Garcia 3 aces, 21 digs; Jacquieline Calvillo 5 kills, 5 digs; Jacqueline Moreno 3 kills, 1 block; Bianca Gonzalez 9 kills, 7 digs; Savannah Herrera 16 digs; Leslie Gonzalez 2 kills, 8 digs, 1 ace; Alyssa Escamilla 2 kills, 15 digs.
RECORDS — Edinburg High 27-6, 6-1; Weslaco High 8-24, 2-6.

EDINBURG NORTH DEF. PSJA NORTH
25-18, 25-9, 25-13
EDINBURG NORTH — Victoria Rogers 19 kills, 9 digs, 1 ace; Lizeth Cavazos 11 kills; Abri Saenz 20 digs, 1 ace; Ayissa Maldonado 32 assists, 3 aces.
PSJA NORTH — Stephanie Crispin 9 kills, 4 blocks; Belle Palacios 3 kills, 10 digs, 1 ace; Sam Enriquez 14 assists.
RECORDS — Edinburg North 26-10, 7-1; PSJA North 14-16, 4-4.

PSJA MEMORIAL DEF. WESLACO EAST
25-22, 25-17, 24-26, 25-13
PSJA MEMORIAL — Kristi Gomez 21 kills, 6 blocks, 4 digs; Amanda Aguilera 26 assists; Deserey Gomez 4 kills; Carla De Leon 5 assists, 7 digs; Victoria Maldonado 10 digs; Mireya Martinez 10 digs; Stephanie Flores 6 kills, 1 block.
WESLACO EAST — Valerie Castaneda 9 kills; Olivia Espinoza 5 kills; Katelyn Rodriguez 4 kills, 16 digs; Chylie LaFevre 4 kills, 16 assists, 9 digs; Rachelle Cardoza 20 digs.
RECORDS — PSJA Memorial 17-8, 7-1; Weslaco East 14-20, 1-7.

District 31-5A
MISSION VETERANS DEF. SHARYLAND HIGH
25-14, 26-24, 25-13
MISSION VETERANS — Alex Jimenez 7 kills, 11 digs, 2 blocks; Andrea de la Garza 3 kills, 2 assists, 1 ace, 10 digs; Daisy Reyna 24 kills, 12 digs; Karina Garcia 30 assists, 2 aces, 14 digs; Mariah Gonzalez 25 digs; Jackie Howell 3 kills, 1 dig, 2 blocks; Makenzie Gerlack 1 dig.
SHARYLAND HIGH — Hannah Kirby 4 kills, Tehya Rassman 3 kills, 1 ace, 13 digs; Norma Quintanilla 3 kills, 2 blocks; Caleigh Hausenfluck 23 digs; Maddie Garza 11 digs, 4 assists; Paige Jones 7 assists.
RECORDS — Mission Veterans ; Sharyland High 15-17, 5-3.

SHARYLAND PIONEER DEF. RIO GRANDE CITY
25-4, 25-15, 25-12
SHARYLAND PIONEER — Elise Lopez 14 digs, 1 ace; Audrey Smith 17 assists, 3 digs, 8 kills, 2 aces; Maddie Hatzold 1 ace; Mariah Youngblood 5 kills, 2 assists, 7 digs.
RIO GRANDE CITY — Not reported.
RECORDS — Sharyland Pioneer 24-10, 6-2; Rio Grande City 0-8.

EDINBURG VELA DEF. ROMA
25-11, 25-11, 25-15
EDINBURG VELA — Nicole Aguilar 9 kills, 7 digs, 4 points; Jaida Muhammad 7 kills, 8 digs, 11 points; Nicole Castaneda 7 blocks, 3 digs; Mariely Rebollar 11 assists, 3 points; Julissa Cuellar 7 assists, 6 kills.
ROMA — Not reported.
RECORDS — Edinburg Vela 30-11, 5-3; Roma 9-20, 2-6.

District 32-5A
DONNA HIGH DEF. BROWNSVILLE PACE
25-13, 25-20, 25-20
DONNA HIGH — Yvette Tamez 14 kills, 6 blocks; Adrianna Martinez 29 assists, 1 ace; Kara Yanez 22 digs; Sarah gonzalez 8 kills, 5 blocks; Melanie Arenas 10 kills, 8 digs.
BROWNSVILLE PACE — Not reported.
RECORDS — Donna High 20-6, 7-2; Brownsville Pace 8-13, 4-5.

DONNA NORTH DEF. MERCEDES
25-22, 25-20, 25-15
DONNA NORTH — I’Dasha Sorrell 2 aces, 11 kills, 8 blocks; Evelyn De Leon 2 aces, 11 kills; Chelsea Reyna 5 kills, 5 blocks; Vanessa Alonzo 4 kills, 4 blocks; Nicole Rodriguez 30 assists.
MERCEDES — Not reported.
RECORDS — Donna North 11-18, 1-8; Mercedes 12-14, 3-6.

EDCOUCH-ELSA DEF. BROWNSVILLE PORTER
25-19, 25-15, 25-22
EDCOUCH-ELSA — Cassidy Martinez 11 kills; Sam Martinez 8 kills, 10 assists; Bianca Cardenas 6 kills, 2 assists; Maddie Acevedo 4 kills.
BROWNSVILLE PORTER — Not reported.
RECORDS — Edcouch-Elsa 25-10, 8-1; Brownsville Porter 11-19, 4-5.

PSJA HIGH DEF. PSJA SOUTHWEST
25-14, 25-14, 25-12
PSJA HIGH — Myranda Garza 8 kills, 3 aces; Jackie Alanis 9 kills, 3 aces; Mariah West 3 kills, 5 aces.
PSJA SOUTHWEST — Not reported.
RECORDS — PSJA High 15-7, 8-1; PSJA Southwest 12-18, 2-7.

District 32-4A
LA FERIA DEF. GRULLA
25-19, 25-20, 21-25, 22-25, 15-7
GRULLA — Caitlyn Rodriguez 1 assist, 14 digs; Danielle Lopez 8 assists, 18 digs; Delma Ozuna 1 ace, 4 kills, 15 digs; Evelyn Zarate 8 kills, 1 assist, 20 digs; Leticia Flores 1 ace, 9 digs; Sarahi Garcia 1 ace, 1 kill, 7 digs; Shelsie Hernandez 2 blocks, 1 kill, 4 digs; Victoria Gonzalez 2 kills, 42 digs.
LA FERIA — Annette Ruiz 27 assists, 3 kills, 7 digs; Belisa Vela 15 kills, 2 blocks, 1 ace, 9 digs; Myah Salas 9 kills, 1 assist, 1 dig, 1 block; Anelli rodriguez 5 kills, 5 blocks, 3 assists; Camryn Lopez 7 kills, 1 block; Sara Alvarado 2 kills, 2 aces, 1 block, 2 digs, 2 assists; Laura Torres 12 digs; Audrey Garza 6 digs, 1 ace, 1 kill; Donna Garcia 68 digs; Isis Bernal 3 assists.
RECORDS — La Feria 13-9, 8-1; Grulla 10-6, 3-6.

HIDALGO DEF. PROGRESO
25-18, 25-21, 25-15
HIDALGO — Karla Cantu 16 kills; Nelly Flores 15 kills, 4 aces; Stephanie Ysasi 23 assists, 4 aces.
PROGRESO — Not reported.
RECORDS — Hidalgo 6-22, 3-6; Progreso 17-12, 3-6.

BY GREG LUCA | STAFF WRITER

MISSION — Mission Veterans volleyball coach Diana Lerma was not with the team during Saturday’s match, part of an indefinite suspension.

“I have no comment to say,” Lerma said by phone after the match. “I cannot comment on anything that’s going on with me.”

The absence is Lerma’s second of the season, after she missed a pair of matches in early September for undisclosed reasons.

Assistant Vivian Ray is handling coaching duties in the interim, including Saturday’s 25-14, 26-24, 25-13 win at home against Sharyland High.

Ray declined comment on the situation, as did Mission Veterans athletic coordinator David Gilpin, who spoke to the team during its pre-match huddle and watched the game from the bench.

“I’m just supporting our girls and our team,” Gilpin said.

Mission CISD public relations director Craig Verley could not be reached for comment.

Daisy Reyna led the Lady Patriots on Saturday with 24 kills and 12 digs. Alex Jimenez had 7 kills and 11 digs, Karina Garcia had 30 assists, 2 aces and 14 digs, and Mariah Gonzalez had 25 digs.

Mission Veterans only faced trouble during the second set. After the team fell behind 12-6, Ray called a timeout and spoke to the team in the huddle. The Lady Patriots responded with a 12-5 run to retake the lead.

GREG LUCA | STAFF WRITER

McALLEN — When McAllen Rowe ripped off a lightning-quick 20 straight points in the fourth quarter to erase a two-score deficit, McAllen High coach Kevin Brewer didn’t need to say anything to his team.

Coming into the night at 1-1 in district, McHi’s players had labeled Friday’s game as a must-win. They already knew what was at stake, and what they had to do.

Josh McGowen scored with just under 4 minutes left to tie the game, then led the Bulldogs on a 49-yard drive to set up Cesar Flores’ 27-yard field goal as time expired, lifting McAllen High to a 43-40 win against Rowe at McAllen Veterans Memorial Stadium.

“We were all thinking the same thing: We’re a brotherhood,” McGowen said. “We were all working trying to get the same thing, and that’s trying to get the win. We just came out there and did it.”

McGowen was the focal point of the attack all night for McAllen High, picking up 263 yards and three touchdowns on 27 carries. The rest of the offense combined for 152 yards.

After fumbling and limping off the field with a left knee injury on McHi’s first offensive series, McGowen bounced back quickly, scoring a 53-yard touchdown on his next carry. He also had a 55-yard score early in the second half.

“He showed a tremendous amount of toughness,” Brewer said. “That’s huge. That’s what you need out of your tailback.”

McHi’s final drive began on its own 45-yard line with 1:26 to play and three timeouts. Not wanting to risk giving the ball back to Rowe’s explosive offense, Brewer chose to keep the ball on the ground and run McHi’s normal tempo. McGowen picked up 14 yards, then 5, then 6. After Caleb Youngblood pounded his way for 9 yards, McGowen ripped off a 15-yarder down to the 6. Brewer called timeout with 1 second remaining to set up Flores’ field goal.

“I feel very proud of myself and my team,” Flores said. “We’ve been working hard every single day, so I love my team.”

The win moves McAllen High to 3-4 overall and 2-1 in District 30-6A. Rowe drops to 2-5, 1-3 in district.

ROWE’S RALLY

Rowe fell behind 33-20 before things started to click. Over a span of just 2:14, the Warriors scored three times to claim their first lead of the game.

Joseph Moreno scored on a 21-yard run to make the defecit 33-26 with 10:35 remaining.

After a McHi fumble, Rowe’s Jose Chavez punched in a 1-yard run to tie the game. The Warriors recovered the ensuing onside kick and scored on the next snap, a 29-yard pass from John Perez to Raul Juarez that gave Rowe a 40-33 lead with 8:21 to play.

“That’s what we expect to do,” Rowe coach Paul Reyes said. “It was a good, hard battle. Our kids fought back.”

Perez embodied that resiliency. After taking three sacks and losing a fumble during three scoreless drives to start the game, Perez sat the remainder of the first half.

He bounced back in the second, playing the whole way to lead Rowe’s comeback. He finished 15-of-20 passing for 145 yards and two touchdowns.

“He’s going to be a gamer. He’s going to be ready to play,” Reyes said. “He came out and made some good plays (in the second half), so we rode with him.”

FINDING SCORING

With the base offense mostly reliant on McGowen, McHi found ways to put up points on defense, special teams and with the wildcat formation.

Stephen Valdez returned a fumble 87 yards for a score, Gunnar Henderson took a kickoff back 73 yards, and Ruben Gutierrez scored a 26-yard TD out of the wildcat.

“It’s critical,” Brewer said. “It’s got to be more than just Josh. For all three phases to score and other people to contribute, that’s huge. That’s what we need.”

DOWN ON D

McAllen Rowe was without four defensive starters for Friday’s game. Defensive lineman Ernest Martinez, linebacker Aaron Ramirez, linebacker Alex Juarez and defensive back Jose Barrera all missed the game due to injury.

Entering Friday, Martinez and Barrera ranked as the team’s two leading tacklers.

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BY GREG LUCA | STAFF WRITER

After earning first-team all-district honors as a freshman libero last season, Sharyland High’s Caleigh Hausenfluck has shown an even better ability to read offenses during her sophomore year.

The Rattlers’ leader in digs for the second consecutive season, Hausenfluck is a key factor keeping Sharyland in the thick of the playoff race at 5-2 in District 31-5A.

“Great kid. Great work ethic. Fearless. That’s what you want out of a libero,” Sharyland High coach Raul Castillo said. “You give her a ball near her, and she’s going to dig you.”

Coming into the program last season after an extensive history of club and travel ball, Hausenfluck needed only about a week to lock down the starting libero job.

She’s had a stranglehold on the position ever since, and Castillo called her a natural in the role.

Although she doesn’t have the typical size of a hitter, Hausenfluck has also shown the ability to play any role on the court, if necessary.

“If she’s gotten better on anything, it’s reading where the hitter is going to go, what our defense lines up with, and where to go and where not to go,” Castillo said. “Defensively, she’s the strongest girl.”

DEFENSIVE STALWART

When Donna High coach Cindy Viesca needed a new starter at libero coming into last season, she thought Kara Yanez might fit the mold because of her aggressiveness and determination.

After a spring and offseason to work on the transition, Yanez earned all-Valley second-team honors last year. She’s had another strong campaign so far in 2015, helping Donna to a 19-5 overall mark, including 6-2 in District 32-5A.

“She’s very determined,” Viesca said. “That helps her defensively to get the ball. She’s always wanting the hitters to come to her, because she wants to get those digs.”

Although she worked as an outside hitter early in her career, Yanez took to the shift quickly, especially after she started to see some success.

Now in her senior year, Yanez once again ranks as Donna’s leader in digs.

“She’s grown a lot,” Viesca said. “She’s become a leader not only on the court, but also off the court. She kind of motivates our younger players.”

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RGVSports.com Top 10

1. Mission Veterans
2. Los Fresnos
3. McAllen Memorial
4. McAllen Rowe
5. McAllen High
6. Brownsville Veterans
7. Brownsville Hanna
8. Edinburg North
9. PSJA High
10. PSJA Memorial

BY GREG LUCA | STAFF WRITER

McALLEN — In only their third district game of the season, McAllen High’s players feel like they’re facing a must-win scenario.

Despite being projected as one of the preseason favorites in District 30-6A, the Bulldogs sit just 2-4 overall and 1-1 in district entering Week 7. With most of the league looking like playoff contenders, McAllen High knows crunch time starts with a matchup against McAllen Rowe at 7 tonight in McAllen Veterans Memorial Stadium.

“Of course it’s a rivalry and everything, but we just have to get this win as far as the district standings go,” linebacker Cody Rodriguez said. “You wouldn’t expect it to be a must-win in Week 2 of district, but it is what it is, and we have to move forward from here.”

McAllen High coach Kevin Brewer sums up his team’s struggles in one word: “Inconsistent.”

McHi needed to rally from 26-14 down in the fourth quarter to escape its district opener against Mission High with a 36-26 win, then suffered a 22-18 defeat at the hands of La Joya High last week.

Last season, McAllen steamrolled those two teams by a combined 89-14.

“The community expects a lot more from us, and we obviously expected a lot more from ourselves,” quarterback Caleb Youngblood said. “We shouldn’t be in this position, so we should get out of it this week.”

Dominating margins were the norm for McHi last season, as the team finished second in district at 5-1, outscoring opponents 235-62.

The Bulldogs graduated key skill players on offense and had to replace a majority of the defense, but the team still expected to be near the top of the standings after posting winning seasons eight of the past nine years.

“We came in thinking that we were just going to breeze through,” running back Josh McGowen said. “We knew it was going to be a challenge, but we didn’t think it would be as big of a challenge.”

On both sides of the ball, the biggest issues have been turnovers and penalties, Brewer said.

Against La Joya, McHi was flagged eight times for 59 yards. As a result, the Bulldogs converted just 1 of 11 third-down attempts — something Brewer said has become a disturbing trend.

“When we’re not doing those things, and we’re in a normal down and distance on the chains, we’re fine,” Brewer said.

The team has found an explosive offensive weapon in McGowen, McHi’s leader in rushing and passing. Brewer spoke highly of Youngblood’s play in his first year as the starting quarterback, specifically his ability to check plays at the line and put the offense in advantageous situations.

The offensive line has also played well, although that group will be tested after an injury to starting left tackle Will Solis. Of the receivers, Brewer said they need to be more consistent both catching and running routes.

Defensively, a young unit has shown signs of coming together, save a pair of significant flaws.

“They have to do a better job in two areas: Big plays, especially on third down, and then turnovers,” Brewer said. “They have to start creating more turnovers.”

To try to address the lingering issues, McHi has spent more time in practice drilling its most popular third-down plays. In any pile-up scenario, the defenders are told to focus on ripping the ball free.

When the team makes a mental mistake in practice, Brewer stops the drill and makes everyone do up-downs.

“I have to try something,” Brewer said. “We’ll see if it works.”

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BY GREG LUCA | STAFF WRITER

Coming into the season, McAllen Memorial coach Bill Littleton penciled linebacker Jaryd Lara in as one of the key players on the defensive side. Through six games, Lara has delivered, ranking second on the team with 65 tackles.

“He’s just a real solid player,” Littleton said. “We expected him to be one of our top guys.”

Lara also stepped in at defensive tackle when the team needed more of a pass-rush threat last week against McAllen Rowe. On the season, he has 2 sacks and 8 hurries.

Lara worked his way onto varsity during the tail end of last season, appearing mostly on special teams. With the graduation of leading tackler Lucas Rios, Memorial had an opening on that side of the ball, and Lara stepped up to fill it.

“He’s just a hard worker in the weight room,” Littleton said. “He got himself really strong. He’s gotten faster. He did the things he needed to do to be a better football player.”

Memorial’s defense has been middling to this point, ranking third in the district with 316 yards per game allowed.

The biggest issues have come in the first half of games, where Memorial has allowed 84 points. The Mustangs have given up a combined 54 points in the second half.

“We’re still a little erratic in the first half,” Littleton said. “Can’t really put my thumb on it.”

Littleton added that he thinks the Mustangs are getting every opponent’s ‘A’ game as a result of the team’s 6-0 start.

He also noted that players are sometimes sacrificing their gap or assignment to try to make a play.

“I think that’s part of the problem: Not that we’re playing too hard, but we’re trying too hard,” Littleton said. “Instead of trying to do our job, we’re trying to do somebody else’s job, also. It ends up costing us.”

STEPPING UP

When three-year starter Frank Melendez went down with a season-ending knee injury during Week 1, La Joya High turned to sophomore Jonathan Gomez.

Originally projected as a backup and special teamer, Gomez has filled in admirably at outside linebacker, making 32 tackles to rank third on the team.

“Jonathan has done a heck of a job for us,” La Joya High coach George Espinoza said. “He’s bought into the program. He’s here every day, and he’s one of those guys that gets pumped up and motivated.”

Gomez brings good size and an aggressive mentality to the position, Espinoza said.

In last week’s 22-18 win against McAllen High, Gomez racked up a team-high eight tackles, including two for loss, and five quarterback hurries.

“When his number was called, he didn’t shy away,” Espinoza said. “He stepped up. And he’s been getting better week by week.”

WELL RESTED

After a rash of injuries played a major role in a loss to McAllen Rowe, La Joya Juarez-Lincoln used a much-needed bye week to return close to full strength.

Quarterback Obed Fernandez is back near top speed after dealing with a lower-body injury, and running back Adonis Barillas is at 100 percent for the first time since Week 2, coach Tommy Garcia said.

The only lingering concern on offense is at center, where Daniel Gonzalez will be trying to play through a high-ankle sprain.

“Daniel is the one that worries me,” Garcia said. “But he’s going to have a go. He’s a tough kid.”

Linebacker Benito Gonzalez is back in the fold after suffering a concussion, and Garcia said he will need his defense at full strength as Juarez-Lincoln prepares to go up against McAllen Memorial’s district-leading offense.

The Mustangs have picked up 538 yards per game, paced by 284.3 yards per game from running back Trevor Speights.

“Trying to stop Trevor, it would be stupid for us to even say that,” Garcia said. “Nobody has been able to stop him. We try to contain him and do the best we can.”

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