Friday, Sept. 11

Non-District

Juan Diego Academy def. Macedonian 25-13, 25-14, 25-16

San Perlita at Lyford, not reported

Saturday, Sept. 12

Non-District

Edinburg High def. La Joya Palmview 25-5, 25-11, 25-5

Mission Veterans def. Laredo Alexander 25-18, 25-21, 25-16

Monte Alto at Santa Maria, not reported

District 30-6A

McAllen High def. Mission High 25-7, 25-7, 25-20

McAllen Memorial def. La Joya High 25-5, 25-10, 25-11

McAllen Rowe def. La Joya Juarez-Lincoln 25-3, 25-8, 25-8

District 31-6A

PSJA North def. Weslaco High 25-21, 21-25, 25-16, 23-25, 16-14

Edinburg North def. Weslaco East 25-13, 25-13, 25-12

PSJA Memorial def. Edinburg Economedes 25-21, 25-14, 25-12

District 31-5A

Roma def. Rio Grande City 25-15, 25-20, 26-24

Sharyland High def. Edinburg Vela 25-16, 25-19, 25-18

Sharyland Pioneer def. Valley View 25-16, 25-3, 25-11

District 32-5A

Brownsville Porter def. Donna North 25-23, 25-19, 25-20

Donna High def. SJA Southwest 25-15, 25-15, 25-15

Edcouch-Elsa def. PSJA High 25-23, 25-19, 25-21

Brownsville Pace def. Mercedes 26-24, 25-23, 21-25, 25-19

District 32-6A

Brownsville Veterans def. Harlingen South 25-10, 25-6, 25-11

Los Fresnos def. Brownsville Lopez 25-7, 25-12, 25-6

Brownsville Rivera def. Harlingen High 17-25, 26-24, 14-25, 25-18, 16-14

Brownsville Hanna def. San Benito 18-25, 26-24, 25-13, 23-25, 15-7

District 32-4A

La Feria def. Raymondville 25-14, 25-17, 25-23

Progreso def. Grulla 25-21, 25-27, 17-25, 25-12, 15-11

Zapata def. Port Isabel 14-25, 25-19, 25-19, 25-17

Hidlago at Rio Hondo, not reported

Tuesday, Sept. 15

Non-District

Valley View at Monte Alto, 7 p.m.

District 30-6A

McAllen Memorial at McAllen Rowe, 6:30 p.m.

McAllen High at La Joya, 6:30 p.m.

La Joya Palmview at Mission High, 6:30 p.m.

District 31-6A

Weslaco East at PSJA Memorial, 7 p.m.

Edinburg High at Weslaco High, 7 p.m.

PSJA North at Edinburg North, 7 p.m.

District 31-5A

Edinburg Vela at Roma, 7 p.m.

Mission Veterans at Sharyland High, 7 p.m.

Rio Grande City at Sharyland Pioneer, 7 p.m.

District 32-5A

Donna North at Mercedes, 7 p.m.

Brownsville Pace at Donna High, 7 p.m.

PSJA Southwest at PSJA High, 7 p.m.

Edcouch-Elsa at Brownsville Porter, 7 p.m.

District 32-6A

Brownsville Veterans Memorial at Brownsville Rivera, 6:30 p.m.

Harlingen High at Brownsville Hanna, 6:30 p.m.

Brownsville Lopez at Harlingen South, 6:30 p.m.

San Benito at Los Fresnos, 6:30 p.m.

District 32-4A

Grulla at La Feria, 6:30 p.m.

Hidalgo at Progreso, 7 p.m.

Zapata at Raymondville, 7:30 p.m.

Port Isabel at Rio Hondo, 6:30 p.m.

Non-District

Santa Rosa at San Perlita, 6 p.m.

Saturday’s Matches

District 30-6A

McALLEN MEMORIAL DEF. LA JOYA HIGH

25-5, 25-10, 25-11

McALLEN MEMORIAL — Draik Banks 4 kills, 2 blocks; Lanie Nitsch 3 kills, 2 blocks; Jocelyn Everage 3 kills; Emily Whitworth 5 aces, 4 digs; Aleya Campos 5 aces, 4 digs; Kailey Caldwell 4 aces.

LA JOYA HIGH — Not reported.

RECORDS — McAllen Memorial 23-5, 1-0; La Joya High 0-1.

McALLEN HIGH DEF. MISSION HIGH

25-7, 25-7, 25-20

McALLEN HIGH — Carter Helmcamp 11 assists; Julia Monday 12 kills; Sydney Pemelton 15 kills

MISSION HIGH — Maria Garcia 3 kills; Lisette Vela 3 kills; Nicole Reyes 1 block; Claire Gonzalez 1 block; Jazmine Sustiata 5 points; Emily Alvarado 5 assists, 6 digs; Kazzy Rodriguez 11 digs.

RECORDS — Mission High 11-14, 0-1; McAllen High 1-0.

McALLEN ROWE DEF. LA JOYA JUAREZ-LINCOLN

25-3, 25-8, 25-8

McALLEN ROWE — Vanessa Lopez 15 assists; Deanna Spear 5 assists; Mayda Garcia 10 kills; Taylor Cruz 14 digs; Sophia Luna 8 kills; Ryela Rodriguez 6 kills; Renee Alonzo 7 aces.

LA JOYA JUAREZ-LINCOLN — Not reported.

RECORDS — McAllen Rowe 27-8, 1-0; La Joya Juarez-Lincoln 0-1.

District 31-6A

PSJA NORTH DEF. WESLACO HIGH

25-21, 21-25, 25-16, 23-25, 16-14

PSJA NORTH — Stephanie Crispin 24 kills, 6 blocks; Belle Palacios 15 kills, 17 digs, 3 aces; Maryeld Gonzalez 6 kills, 16 digs, 2 aces; Carla Muro 6 kills, 2 blocks.

WESLACO HIGH — Not reported.

RECORDS — PSJA North 11-12, 1-0; Weslaco High 0-1

EDINBURG NORTH DEF. WESLACO EAST

25-13, 25-13, 25-12

EDINBURG NORTH — Victoria Rogers 8 kills, 10 digs, 3 aces; Ayissa Maldonado 26 assists, 3 digs, 1 ace; Abri Saenz 15 digs; Julie Villarreal 8 kills, 8 digs.

WESLACO EAST — Not reported.

RECORDS — Edinburg North 20-9, 1-0; Weslaco East 0-1.

PSJA MEMORIAL DEF. EDINBURG ECONOMEDES

25-21, 25-14, 25-12

PSJA MEMORIAL — Kristi Gomez 10 kills; Deserey Gomez 12 kills; Stephanie Flores 4 kills; Amanda Aguilera 26 assists.

EDINBURG ECONOMEDES — Not reported.

RECORDS — PSJA Memorial 1-0; Edinburg Economedes 0-1.

District 31-5A

ROMA DEF. RIO GRANDE CITY

25-15, 25-20, 26-24

ROMA — Marianna Canales 4 kills, 2 aces, 9 digs; Krissynthia Rocha 8 kills, 1 ace, 8 digs; Lesbia Celedon 16 assists, 1 ace, 3 digs; Jesselle Guerra 4 kills, 2 aces, 9 digs; Baleria Gordillo 6 kills, 7 digs.

RIO GRANDE CITY — Not reported.

RECORDS — Roma 1-0; Rio Grande City 0-1.

SHARYLAND HIGH DEF. EDINBURG VELA

25-16, 25-19, 25-18

SHARYLAND HIGH — Paiges Jones 17 assists; Caleigh Hausenfluck 3 aces, 20 digs; Estephania Hinojosa 3 blocks; Maddie Garza 13 kills.

EDINBURG VELA — Not reported.

RECORDS — Sharyland High 1-0; Edinburg Vela 0-1.

District 32-5A

EDCOUCH-ELSA DEF. PSJA HIGH

25-23, 25-19, 25-21

EDCOUCH-ELSA — Jackie de los Santos 21 assists, 7 digs; Samantha Martinez 17 kills, 12 digs, 8 assists, 2 aces; Ale Martinez 9 kills, 2 assists, 4 aces, 1 dig, 2 blocks; Odessa Mata 1 kill, 1 assist, 1 ace, 19 digs.

PSJA HIGH — Not reported.

RECORDS — EDCOUCH-ELSA 18-9, 1-0; PSJA HIGH 0-1.

BROWNSVILLE PORTER DEF. DONNA NORTH

25-23, 25-19, 25-20

DONNA NORTH — I’Dasha Sorrell 7 kills; Evelyn DeLeon 5 kills, 4 blocks; Alexis Olivarez 3 kills, 4 blocks.

BROWNSVILLE PORTER — Not reported.

RECORDS — Donna North 10-11, 0-1; Brownsville Porter 1-0.

District 32-4A

LA FERIA DEF. RAYMONDVILLE

25-13, 25-17, 25-23

LA FERIA — Belisa Vela 12 kills, Annette Ruiz 15 assists.

RAYMONDVILLE — Not reported.

RECORDS — La Feria 1-0; Raymondville 0-1.

PROGRESO DEF. GRULLA

25-21, 25-27, 25-17, 25-12, 15-11

GRULLA — Caitlyn Rodriguez 39 digs, 1 kill, 1 assist; Danielle Lopez 5 kills, 7 assists, 30 digs; Evelyn Zarate 6 aces, 5 kills, 9 assists, 23 digs; Leticia Flores 2 kills, 6 digs; Sarahi Garcia 1 ace, 1 kill, 1 assist, 6 digs; Shelsie Hernandez 1 assist, 49 digs; Victoria Gonzalez 1 kill, 49 digs.

PROGRESO — Not reported.

RECORDS — Grulla 6-1, 0-1; Progreso 0-1.

Non-District

EDINBURG HIGH DEF. LA JOYA HIGH

25-5, 25-11, 25-5

EDINBURG HIGH — Dezi Marmolejo 1 kill, 1 block, 2 aces, 19 assists, 6 digs; Marissa Arce 5 kills, 1 ace, 9 digs; Amber Reyes 4 kills, 4 aces, 4 digs; Tianna Howard 13 kills, 1 block, 1 dig; Yessi Molina 5 kills, 3 aces, 3 assists, 11 digs; Elizabeht Olivarez 7 digs; Bree Peña 2 kills, 10 aces, 3 digs; Celeste Olivarez 3 digs; Natalie Rodriguez 2 kills, 3 digs.

LA JOYA PALMVIEW — Not reported.

RECORDS — Edinburg High 20-5; La Joya Palmview not reported.

MISSION VETERANS DEF. LAREDO ALEXANDER

25-18, 25-21, 25-16

MISISON VETERANS — Gabby Lerma 20 kills, 3 aces, 20 digs; Daisy Reyna 15 kills, 3 blocks; Darian Ibarra 7 kills, 20 assists, 3 aces, 12 digs; Mariah Gonzalez 30 digs; Karina Garcia 19 assists, 3 aces, 15 digs.

LAREDO ALEXANDER — Not reported.

RECORDS — Mission Veterans 25-3, 1-0; Laredo Alexander not reported.

BY GREG LUCA | STAFF WRITER

McALLEN — McAllen High coach Kevin Brewer can’t pinpoint where he faltered during preparation for Thursday’s game, but he’s sure something wasn’t right. And he wants to be the one to take the blame for the team’s flat, unfocused play.

The Bulldogs defense was ripped apart by Harlingen’s spread attack and the offense never found consistency on the ground, resulting in a lopsided 46-21 loss at McAllen Veterans Memorial Stadium.

“That’s my fault,” Brewer said. “I didn’t obviously prepare them well enough to start the ball game. We weren’t executing really the whole game. That’s why I’ve got to do a better job with our kids.”

Harilngen High scored on eight of its first 11 drives, punching in six touchdowns and adding a pair of field goals to put the game out of reach early in the fourth quarter.

McAllen High, meanwhile, relied heavily on the big play to generate any type of offense.

“We just came out sluggish,” linebacker Cody Rodriguez said. “There’s no reason for it. We should’ve done better, and we just didn’t execute.”

McAllen High’s athletic but inexperienced defense struggled with the speed and quickness of Harlingen’s spread attack.

Cardinals quarterback Jesse Castro finished 16 of 33 for 270 yards and three touchdowns, and Brewer said most of the damage was a result of miscommunication and defenders not being in the right place.

On the heels of a dominating shutout against Edinburg High, the McHi defense was exploited for 457 total yards.

“I thought we made a big stride last week, and I think we kind of reverted back a little bit this week,” Brewer said. “They have to find their identity. And right now, they really don’t have one.”

Castro consistently pounded the edges with screen passes, including a 60-yarder to Daniel Funk that marked the game’s first touchdown. Castro also thrived in scramble situations, picking up 51 yards and a score on five carries.

Harlingen running back Michael Allen Gonzalez had 87 yards and two scores on four carries, with most of that yardage coming on the perimeter.

“They did a great job of putting speed in space and conflicting our in-space players,” Brewer said. “We’ve got who we’ve got. We can’t go sign some free agents or anything. We’ve got who we’ve got, so we have to go find out how to get some things fixed.”

When McAllen High’s offense succeeded, it was on the back of big plays. Josh McGowen finished with 101 yards on 21 carries, but the bulk of that total came on one 75-yard touchdown run. He also had five catches for 102 yards, mostly on an 80-yard scoring grab during the third quarter.

Quarterback Caleb Youngblood had 11 carries for 84 yards, highlighted by a 47-yard option keeper and a 26-yard touchdown scramble.

Brewer said the offensive line needs to block better going forward.

“We came out flat,” McGowen said. “We came out big headed, thinking we were going to come out here and easily get this W. We just couldn’t execute the plays. We were missing our blocks, and just couldn’t hold. We need a lot of work as a team.”

FIELD POSITION

The Bulldogs were consistently backed up in their own territory during the first three quarters, with an average starting field position at the 27-yard line. During the same span, Harlingen’s average drive started its own 44.

BIG DAY ON ‘D’

Harlingen’s Edwin Gasca notched two sacks and recovered a fumble.

UP NEXT

McAllen High closes out its non-district schedule with a game against Corpus Christi Carroll on Friday. Harlingen will next be in action at Weslaco High, also on Friday.

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BY GREG LUCA | STAFF WRITER

When McAllen Memorial coach Bill Littleton looks at San Benito’s offense, he sees an explosive group that is more comfortable in its second season under coach Dan Gomez.

And when Littleton looks at his own defense, he sees a rapidly improving unit that is benefitting from returning about half of last year’s starting lineup.

The battle between those two groups figures to be a major factor in the clash between McAllen Memorial and San Benito at 7:30 p.m. tonight at McAllen Veterans Memorial Stadium.

“Overall, I think we’re probably a little bit ahead of where we were at this time last year, ” Littleton said. “We’ve been more consistent through two ball games.”

Defense was McAllen Memorial’s weakness last season, as the team ranked fifth in District 30-6A by allowing 311.6 yards per game. The 2014 unit gave up 59 points to Sharyland High in Week 1 and 38 points to Edinburg Economedes in Week 2.

This year, the Mustangs’ defense held the Rattlers to just 18 points and limited Economedes to 21, yielding an average of 257 yards between the two games.

“They’ve got a lot of experience,” Gomez said. “They have size. They have speed. They have confidence. They’re a very tough defense, so we know we’re going to have our hands full with those guys.”

Littleton said his defense’s biggest strength has been its ability to make adjustments. Between two games, the Mustangs have allowed 26 first-half points and just 12 second-half points.

The group’s only major flaw has been an occasional lapse in gap control.

“The kids have adapted to the adjustments on the field,” Littleton said. “That’s always a winner, when you can get in the chess match and make good adjustments.”

Memorial’s success has come without the help of a returning starter at defensive end in Paul Zuniga, who is yet to play this season due to an ankle injury. J.D. Islas, the Mustangs’ other defensive end, has 20 tackles, while defensive tackle Ricky Miner has 21 stops.

Linebacker Sam Hinojosa has 29 tackles, the most on the team.

“He’s really excited about what he’s doing, and he’s becoming a leader of this football team,” Littleton said. “The main thing I can say about Sam right now is he has a motor, and his motor is running 100 miles per hour.”

The Mustangs’ defense is emphasizing limiting the big play against a speedy San Benito attack. Even after graduating a potent duo in quarterback Cristian Sierra and running back Gabriel Vasquez, San Benito has come back strong behind quarterback J.R. Gaitan and running back Edward Alvarez, averaging 46 points and 473 yards per game during the first two weeks.

“It’s just kids coming in and finding where they’re comfortable and getting the work,” Gomez said. “It’s kids that got some play last year, and some who are new to varsity. We’ve got them sprinkled out everywhere.”

Note: To commemorate the anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, all first responders and military wearing a uniform will be admitted to tonight’s game for free. Participating first responders and veterans will also be honored during a halftime ceremony.

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BY GREG LUCA | STAFF WRITER

Mission Veterans volleyball coach Diana Lerma is back with the Lady Patriots after missing two matches for undisclosed reasons, Mission CISD public relations director Craig Verley said Thursday.

“I have no comment,” Lerma said in a text message. “I am not allowed to comment on anything that is going on with me.”

Verley, Mission Veterans assistant coach Vivian Ray and Mission Veterans athletic coordinator David Gilpin also declined to comment on the circumstances surrounding Lerma’s absence.

Lerma led the team to third place at the Laredo Tournament on Aug. 29, then picked up a 25-21, 25-23, 25-17 win Tuesday against Los Fresnos.

She missed the team’s next two matches: a 25-19, 25-22, 25-16 win Saturday at San Benito and a 23-25, 25-14, 25-13, 25-15 win Tuesday on the road against Brownsville Hanna.

She is back with the team, and no further absences are forecast, Verley said.

STEPPING UP

As a setter last season, Evelyn Zarate’s biggest challenge was identifying where opponents had a single block. She could let Grulla’s hitters handle the rest.

But switching to hitter for her senior season, Zarate is taking on the responsibility of recognizing the holes in the defense and finding a way to get the ball to the floor.

“It’s a big transition, and it’s a big help,” Grulla coach Cita Jimenez said.

As a fourth-year varsity player working in a familiar system under a sixth-year coach, Zarate has had an easy time with the transition.

Jimenez describes the senior as a heavy hitter with a strong mind for the game. Zarate has also handled the defensive side of the shift well, making reliable passes in serve receive.

“Being that I’ve had her all four years, it was a little scary at first, but she’s taken it well and confidently,” Jimenez said. “We’ve seen the growth in her, and the maturity is there.”

Grulla has also leaned on libero Victoria Gonzalez and middle blocker Delma Ozuna, both returning starters. The Gators have five returners in the lineup — a big reason the team is 6-0 in non-district matches outside of tournaments.

The early success has Grulla’s hopes high heading into district play Saturday. The Gators are coming off of the first playoff appearance in school history last year.

“They want to continue making history here at Grulla,” Jimenez said. “Their goals and expectations are coming in as No. 1.”

IN THE MIDDLE

Although Edinburg Vela has nine juniors and two seniors on its roster, the first player outside hitter Jaida Muhammad mentions when asked about the SaberCats standouts is the lone sophomore: Bianca Cortez.

A significant piece in Vela’s rotation at middle blocker, Cortez has quickly established herself as a force at the net. Her success has played a large part in Vela’s 26-8 record heading into the district season this weekend.

“She is really doing a good job defensively for us,” coach Araceli Ortega said. “I think that’s been a great factor.”

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BY GREG LUCA | STAFF WRITER

McAllen High coach Kevin Brewer wants to use the non-district season to make his team tougher, so he’s not interested in scheduling cupcakes.

He wants learning experiences for his group, the type of vigorous tests McHi faces in opening against Odessa Permian, drawing Harlingen High at 7 p.m. tonight in McAllen, and traveling to take on Corpus Christi Carroll next week.

Facing the Cardinals won’t be easy, Brewer said, but it will make his team better.

“It’s going to tell us a lot about where we’re at when we play people like that,” Brewer said. “We’ll evaluate, win or lose, after and see what we need to do better against teams of that caliber to be successful.”

Harlingen High coach Manny Gomez takes a similar approach to the non-district season. With wins and losses irrelevant to playoff seeding, Gomez wants to see if his team can execute and continue to build chemistry. He’s also looking to find useful backups who potentially could fight for spots in the Cardinals rotation.

And to really answer those questions, Gomez needs top-flight competition.

“All day,” Gomez said. “That’s all I know at Harlingen. This thing about playing somebody lesser than you, it gets you nowhere, at least in my eyes.”

Harlingen opened its season with San Antonio Reagan last week, putting on a much more impressive showing than last year’s 42-0 loss. Against squad that was 12-2 in 2014, Harlingen took a 21-7 lead in the second quarter before Reagan stormed back with 35 unanswered.

“That’s really impressive — they had that program on the ropes,” McHi coach Kevin Brewer said. “I’m not surprised. Harlingen is very talented.”

Cardinals running back Leo Tienda picked up 224 yards and three touchdowns, showing big-play ability and a penchant for running inside and on the edges.

Brewer wasn’t shocked to see a newcomer step right in for Harlingen. Year after year, the Cardinals have been able to plug in productive, athletic players, a primary reason the team hasn’t suffered a losing season since 1999.

“It doesn’t seem like they ever have a down year talent wise,” Brewer said. “They just reload consistently.”

Indeed, Gomez said the Valley always expects Harlingen to be a juggernaut — the primary reason he’s struggled to find games during his eight years at the helm.

A former player himself, he understands the tradition that’s been established in the program, and how that continues to perpetuate high-level play year after year. Playing tough games, like tonight’s against McAllen High, is just a piece of the formula.

“That’s one thing we have the upper hand on a lot of programs out here: That mindset has been planted in all of these kids way, way, way back,” Gomez said. “All of our responsibilities now as coaches are to creak the whip here and there, and pull on the reins.”

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BY GREG LUCA | STAFF WRITER

With quarterback experience at a premium in Rowe’s pass heavy offense, coach Paul Reyes often elects to leave his younger options on JV so they can play as many reps as possible. But even with senior John Perez having a firm hold on the starting job, sophomore Jesus Sanchez was simply too good to leave off the varsity roster.

“He was somebody that we knew we needed to bring up,” Reyes said. “He’s learning behind John. Both of them feed off of each other, they help each other out, and it’s been a good situation for both of our quarterbacks.”

Perez has been strong through two weeks, completing 33 of 49 passes for a district leading 346 yards and three touchdowns against two interceptions. But Sanchez has also been a significant factor off the bench, completing 11 of 18 attempts for 118 yards and a touchdown with one interception.

Sanchez doesn’t boast the same arm strength as Perez, but Reyes said he is more elusive in the pocket. At a young age, Sanchez understands the offense and is confident enough to take control of the huddle.

“He’s somebody who is good enough to start, and when he comes in it just adds a little spark,” Reyes said. “He’s going to be a good one for the next few years for us.”

LEADING MAN

After completing 16 of 23 passes for 125 yards in Week 2, Mission High’s William Arias has secured his place as the Eagles’ No. 1 quarterback.

Arias, a varsity returner, had been in competition with Rudy Trevino, last year’s junior varsity starter, prior to his strong performance in the loss against Brownsville Hanna.

“He’s more experienced. He’s taken more snaps,” Mission coach Mario Pena said of Arias. “The more snaps that you get, hopefully the better you’ll get.”

Arias’ biggest focus has been improving his decision-making, and Pena said Mission’s staff has tried to scale back the offense to keep Arias in his comfort zone. That’s been a common thread for Mission, which has pulled out a few of the new wrinkles the staff had hoped to implement coming into the season. The tempo is still increased compared to last year, but with fewer substitutions. Keeping things simple, Pena hopes, can help limit mistakes.
“Basically, we’re doing what we feel our kids can do,” Pena said. “We don’t want to put our quarterback in a bad situation, so we have to adapt our offense to what we feel that we can do.”

DIFFICULT ROAD

Coming off of last year’s playoff appearance, coach George Espnioza believes La Joya High has a different mindset heading into the hellacious stretch of games it will face the next four weeks.

The Coyotes are scheduled to play four teams that are or have been ranked in the RGVSports.com Top 10: Edinburg Vela, Weslaco East, McAllen Memorial and McAllen High.

“We can’t be making mistakes,” Espinoza said. “A lot of things we’ve had the past couple of games have just been our own mental errors. We just need to eliminate those mistakes and concentrate on what you have to do.”

La Joya nearly pulled a pair of upsets during the stretch last season, losing 21-20 to Weslaco East and 21-17 to McAllen Memorial. Espinoza said the difficult run of games helped the team improve, enabling La Joya to make the playoffs for the first time since the ISD split in 2007.

“We’re just going to take it as it comes,” Espinoza said. “It’s a positive, in a way. You look at it, and you get it out of the way. Hopefully, you’re healthy enough to finish out the rest of the season.”

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BY GREG LUCA | STAFF WRITER

MISSION — When La Joya Juarez-Lincoln defensive tackles Norberto Lomeli and Bryan Lira made their first varsity starts as sophomores this season, coach Tommy Garcia saw them make a classic sophomore mistake. At the snap, the two would simply stand up rather than staying low and firing off the ball.

For the 6-foot-4 Lira and 6-foot-3 Lomeli, proper technique wasn’t always essential at the freshman level. On varsity, it is.

With five sophomores starting on each side of the ball this season, the Huskies have been learning those types of lessons up and down the lineup. Garcia has seen all of the newcomers take steps forward during their first two varsity games, which included Juarez-Lincoln’s first win since 2013 last week against Rio Hondo. But none have come farther, quicker than the duo of Lira and Lomeli.

“When they went out there in the first scrimmage, they played like sophomores,” Garcia said. “Now, they’re starting to play like seasoned veterans. They’re not there yet, but they have a good chance of getting there by the time district comes around.”

Both boast a lot of natural strength, Garcia said. But facing players of similar stature for the first time, they’ve quickly discovered how important it is to be fundamentally sound.

The two run pluggers on the line in Juarez-Lincoln’s 4-2 scheme said the varsity level has been much faster than what they were used to.

“It doesn’t really matter what size you are or how strong you are,” Lomeli said. “If you have good technique, you will beat the man that you need to.”

While Lira and Lomeli have shown the most improvement in two weeks, Garcia said safety Elias Gutierrez has been the biggest surprise of the sophomore starters. Not only has Gutierrez shown playmaking ability by forcing multiple turnovers and returning a punt for a touchdown, but he’s also been charged with relaying signals and directing the team’s rover and strong safety.

Garcia said he expected that Gutierrez would need time to learn the role. Instead, the sophomore has played like a two-year starter.

“I feel I needed to step up more, because I’m the leader of the defense,” Gutierrez said. “I needed to man up.”

Starting linebackers Joseph Valdez and Benito Gonzalez are also sophomores. Garcia said the duo has made sophomore mistakes, but each game has also brought improvement.

“I’m increasing every play, every game that we have,” Valdez said. “Every time I go and make a tackle and I look at the film, I feel like I need to do better.”

Sophomore offensive line starters Jesus Proa and Julio Monsivalles are also growing up quickly. Monsivalles, a pass-blocking specialist and the Huskies’ starting left tackle, is a step ahead of Proa as a result of only having to play one position.

Proa, meanwhile, has been shuffling around the other spots on the line.

Garcia said the two were wide-eyed during the first preseason scrimmage but started to look more comfortable as quickly as Week 2.

While the defensive players said speed was the biggest difference from freshman ball, Proa and Monsivalles said the major change they noticed was size.
“The hits are harder,” Proa said, “but it feels better when you win.”

The Huskies also have sophomores at the skill positions on offense. Speedster Adonis Barrillas was the team’s leading rusher in Week 1 before suffering a high ankle sprain that may keep him out until district play. Sophomore Eddie Hernandez is often the one leading the way at fullback, and Harley Vargas is usually split out wide.

With 62 freshmen in the program, the Huskies have had to split the group into two teams. If all goes well, those players will someday provide useful depth for Juarez-Lincoln’s experienced core. The Huskies project to return seven starters on offense and seven starters on defense next year, by far more than Garcia has ever had to work with during his four-year tenure. The prospect has the coach and his players optimistic about the future.

“We have pretty good size right now,” Gutierrez said. “Back in the day, they weren’t disciplined. Right now, we’re more and more disciplined, and we care about the program. So I’m kind of excited.”

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BY GREG LUCA | STAFF WRITER

DONNA — After Donna North won the second game to level the match, Edinburg Vela’s Jaida Muhammad started pumping up her teammates.

Muhammad believes that positivity — not just from her, but from the entire team —is one of the big reasons Vela could be in for a third straight trip to the playoffs.

On Tuesday, the Lady SaberCats showed some of what that mindset can produce, taking the third and fourth games convincingly in a 25-18, 24-26, 25-14, 25-15 win against the Lady Chiefs.

“All the girls are always positive,” Muhammad said. “They’re always trying to bring up the team, always trying to encourage each other. That’s one thing that we have that I think will get us far.”

Muhammad also led the Lady SaberCats with her play, smashing home 21 kills. Now a junior in her third year on varsity, Muhammad has transformed from a defensive specialist into an attacking force.

“We’re banking a lot on her pulling us through tough situations,” coach Araceli Ortega said. “She is a motivator. She is just the type of kid that is very hard to break mentally. She bleeds for the team. She’s just the kid that goes 100 percent all the time, and that’s the type of kid you want on the court. It’s like a disease that spreads through our team.”

Nicole Avelar had 18 kills and 3 blocks, Bianca Cortez had 6 blocks, Julissa Cuellar had 16 assists, and Mariely Rebollar had 11 assists.

Echoing Ortega, Avelar said a lot of the team’s success was owed to Muhammad’s positive attitude.

“That really helps us,” Avelar said. “In the second game, when we were down, she was really there to support us. She helped us get through the games.”

The win improves Vela to 26-8 on the season. Ortega said the SaberCats have to this point leaned on their five returning varsity players: Muhammad, Avelar, Rebollar, Cuellar and Nicole Castaneda.

With a total of nine juniors on the roster — a group that includes Muhammad, Avelar and Cuellar — the Lady SaberCats believe they have a stronger bond than they did last season.

Muhammad, Avelar and Ortega are all eyeing a trip to the playoffs.

“I feel like we have a solid team,” Avelar said. “I see a good season for us in the future.”

Donna North coach Diana Alaniz is hoping her team can put itself in position for a possible playoff rematch.

The Lady Chiefs have been aiming for a top-three finish in District 32-5A since the start of the year, and Tuesday’s game did nothing to dampen those hopes.

The Lady Chiefs were led by I’Dasha Sorrell (8 kills, 2 blocks and 3 aces), Evelyn De Leon (7 kills, 6 blocks) and Azucena Cruz (23 digs).

At 10-10, Donna North has already matched its win total from its first two seasons combined heading into the district opener Saturday against Brownsville Porter.

“Can’t complain with that, especially with where we were last year,” Alaniz said. “I’m disappointed that we lost, because we’ve been battling a lot of tough teams and hanging in there longer. Vela overall just had a lot of firepower for us, and the kids just kind of broke down mentally.”

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Tuesday, Sept. 8

Non-District

Grulla def. San Perlita 25-15, 25-14, 25-22

Lasara at Raymondville, not reported

McAllen Rowe def. Laredo Alexander 25-19, 25-12, 26-24

PSJA Memorial def. PSJA Southwest 25-15, 25-7, 25-10

Edinburg High def. Roma 25-11, 25-11, 25-10

McAllen High def. San Benito 25-12, 25-15, 25-7

Valley View def. La Joya Juarez-Lincoln 25-8, 25-9, 25-10

McAllen Memorial def. Sharyland High 25-11, 22-25, 25-17, 25-15

Edinburg Vela def. Donna North 25-18, 24-26, 25-14, 25-15

Mission Veterans def. Brownsville Hanna 23-25, 25-14, 25-13, 25-15

Donna High def. Mission High 25-20, 25-19, 25-15

Brownsville Rivera def. Mercedes 25-19, 25-15, 11-25, 25-22

Brownsville Veterans def. PSJA High 18-25, 25-23, 25-21, 25-17

Juan Diego Academy def. Laredo Nixon 25-17, 25-22, 18-25, 20-25, 15-10

Edinburg North at La Feria, not reported

Los Fresnos vs. PSJA North vs. Hidalgo at Hidalgo, not reported

Port Isabel at Brownsville Porter, not reported

Harlingen South at Edinburg Economedes, not reported

Lyford at Progreso, not reported

La Joya Palmview at Weslaco East, not reported

La Joya High at Edcouch-Elsa, not reported

Sharyland Pioneer at Laredo United South, not reported

Weslaco High at Brownsville Pace, not reported

Rio Grande City at Harlingen High, not reported

Med Tech at La Villa, not reported

Monte Alto at San Isidro, not reported

Friday, Sept. 11

Non-District

San Perlita at Lyford, 6 p.m.

Saturday, Sept. 12

Non-District

Monte Alto at Santa Maria, 11 a.m.

Edinburg High at La Joya Palmview, noon

Idea at La Feria, noon

Laredo Alexander at Mission Veterans, 3 p.m.

District 30-6A

McAllen Rowe at La Joya Juarez-Lincoln, noon

Mission High at McAllen High, noon

La Joya High at McAllen Memorial, noon

District 31-6A

Weslaco High at PSJA North, noon

Edinburg North at Weslaco East, noon

PSJA Memorial at Edinburg Economedes, 3 p.m.

District 31-5A

Roma at Rio Grande City, noon

Sharyland High at Edinburg Vela, noon

Sharyland Pioneer at Valley View, noon

District 32-5A

Brownsville Porter at Donna North, 2 p.m.

Donna High at PSJA Southwest, 2 p.m.

PSJA High at Edcouch-Elsa, 2 p.m.

Mercedes at Brownsville Pace, 3 p.m.

District 32-6A

Harlingen South at Brownsville Veterans Memorial, noon

Los Fresnos at Brownsville Lopez, noon

Brownsville Rivera at Harlingen High, noon

Brownsville Hanna at San Benito, 7 p.m.

District 32-4A

Raymondville at La Feria, 1 p.m.

Progreso at Grulla, 2 p.m.

Port Isabel at Zapata, 2 p.m.

Hidlago at Rio Hondo, 2 p.m.

Tuesday’s Matches

Non-district

BROWNSVILLE RIVERA DEF. MERCEDES

25-19, 25-15, 11-25, 25-22

MERCEDES — Alexa Pena 44 digs, 12 points; Roslynn Rodriguez 7 kills, 5 blocks; Felicia Garza 5 kills; Erinn Ramirez 2 kills, 24 digs, 15 assists; Caitlyn Gutierrez 17 digs, 8 kills; Kristen Gutierrez 10 assists, 10 digs.

BROWNSVILLE RIVERA — Not reported.

RECORDS — Not reported.

EDINBURG HIGH DEF. ROMA

25-11, 25-11, 25-10

EDINBURG HIGH — Dezi Marmolejo 10 kills, 4 aces, 6 digs, 31 assists; Marissa Arce 6 kills, 1 assist, 14 digs; Bree Pena 9 kills, 1 ace, 13 digs, 1 assist; Yessi Molina 3 kills, 12 digs, 5 assists; Tianna Howard 13 kills, 2 blocks, 1 dig; Amber Reyes 4 kills, 1 dig; Elizabeth Olivarez 27 digs, 2 aces; Natalie Rodriguez 2 kills, 2 digs, 2 assists. .

ROMA — Not reported.

RECORDS — Edinburg High 19-5; Roma not reported.

DONNA HIGH DEF. MISSION HIGH

25-20, 25-19, 25-15

DONNA HIGH — Yvette Tamez 23 kills, 2 aces, 3 blocks; Adrianna Martinez 27 assists, 2 aces; Kara Yanez 18 digs.

MISSION HIGH — Nicole Reyes 7 kills; Lissete Vela 4 kills, 3 blocks; Alyssa Olivarez 12 points, 14 digs; Emily Alvarado 2 kills, 10 assists; Kazzy Rodriguez 12 digs; Maria Garcia 2 kills, 9 digs.

RECORDS — Donna High 13-4; Mission High 11-13.

GRULLA DEF. SAN PERLITA

25-15, 25-14, 25-22

GRULLA — Caitlyn Rodriguez 12 digs; Danielle Lopez 3 kills, 3 assists, 7 digs; Evelyn Zarate 3 aces, 9 kills, 12 digs; Sarahi Garcia 10 digs; Shelsie Hernandez 14 digs; Victoria Gonzalez 19 digs.

SAN PERLITA — Not reported.

RECORDS — Grulla 6-0; San Perlita not reported.

McALLEN MEMORIAL DEF. SHARYLAND HIGH

25-11, 22-25, 25-17, 25-15

McALLEN MEMORIAL — Not reported.

SHARYLAND HIGH — Paige Jones 10 assists, 8 kills, 1 ace; Melanie Lazos 10 assists; Caleigh Hausenfluck 15 digs; Norma Quintanilla 3 blocks.

RECORDS — McAllen Memorial ; Sharyland High.

BROWNSVILLE VETERANS DEF. PSJA HIGH

18-25, 25-23, 25-21, 25-17

BROWNSVILLE VETERANS — Not reported.

PSJA HIGH — Jackie Alanis 19 kills, 47 digs; Myranda Garza 13, 29 digs; Valeria Gonzalez 7 kills; Gabrielle Fonseca 92 digs.

RECORDS — Not reported.

MISSION VETERANS DEF. BROWNSVILLE HANNA

23-25, 25-14, 25-13, 25-15

MISSION VETERANS — Gabby Lerma 17 kills, 2 aces, 10 digs; Daisy Reyna 16 kills, 2 aces, 10 digs, 3 blocks; D.D. Ibarra 10 kills, 16 assists, 2 aces, 10 digs, 1 block; Karina Garcia 13 assists, 10 digs; Mariah Gonzalez 20 digs.

BROWNSVILLE HANNA — Not reported.

RECORDS — Mission Veterans 22-3; Brownsville Hanna not reported.

McALLEN HIGH DEF. SAN BENITO

25-12, 25-15, 25-7

McALLEN HIGH — Carter Helmcamp 8 kills, 14 assists, 1 block; Lexi Giusti 4 kills, 1 block, 21 assists, 1 ace; Julia Monday 11 kills, 4 aces; Hannah Bishop 5 kills; Sydney Pemelton 16 kills, 1 block; Taylor Helmcamp 3 kills, 2 blocks; Kellie Woodin 5 digs, 1 ace.

SAN BENITO — Not reported.

RECORDS — Not reported.

McALLEN ROWE DEF. LAREDO ALEXANDER

25-19, 25-12, 26-24

LAREDO ALEXANDER — Not reported.

McALLEN ROWE — Vanessa Lopez 34 assists; Deanna Spear 31 digs, 6 assists; Mayda Garcia 25 kills, 2 aces, 18 digs, 8 blocks; Kayla Cruz 30 digs; Sophia Luna 10 kills, 1 ace, 4 digs; Ryela Rodriguez 7 kills.

RECORDS — McAllen Rowe 27-7; Laredo Alexander not reported.

Saturday, Sept. 5

Non-District

PSJA Memorial def. La Joya Palmview 25-10, 25-8, 25-21

Sharyland High def. Edinburg Economedes 25-15, 25-16, 25-14

McAllen Rowe def. Brownsville Veterans 25-19, 25-20, 25-22

Laredo United South at Roma, not reported

McAllen High def. Harlingen High 25-10, 28-30, 25-17, 25-14

Donna High def. La Joya High 25-7, 25-22, 25-8

Edinburg Vela def. Edinburg North 25-19, 25-11, 14-25, 25-21

Los Fresnos def. McAllen Memorial 25-27, 25-18, 25-20, 12-25, 15-11

Edinburg High def. Brownsville Rivera 25-10, 25-16, 25-21

Mission Veterans def. San Benito 25-19, 25-22, 25-16

Weslaco East def. PSJA High 25-21, 25-21, 25-19, 13-25, 15-11

La Feria def. Brownsville Pace 25-17, 22-25, 25-18

Edcouch-Elsa def. Corpus Christi Ray 25-10, 25-19, 25-12

Mission High def. Donna North 25-13, 25-19, 25-11

Lyford at Port Isabel, not reported

Monte Alto at Raymondville, not reported

Laredo United at Sharyland Pioneer, not reported

Hidalgo at Brownsville Lopez, not reported

Laredo Nixon at Rio Grande City, not reported

Harlingen South at Laredo United, not reported

PSJA Southwest at La Joya Juarez-Lincoln, not reported

Tuesday, Sept. 8

Non-District

Los Fresnos vs. PSJA North vs. Hidalgo at Hidalgo, 5:30 p.m.

Port Isabel at Brownsville Porter, 6 p.m.

San Perlita at Grulla, 6 p.m.

Lasara at Raymondville, 6 p.m.

Laredo Alexander at McAllen Rowe, 6:30 p.m.

Edinburg North at La Feria, 6:30 p.m.

PSJA Southwest at PSJA Memorial, 7 p.m.

Harlingen South at Edinburg Economedes, 7 p.m.

Lyford at Progreso, 7 p.m.

Edinburg High at Roma, 7 p.m.

San Benito at McAllen High, 7 p.m.

La Joya Juarez-Lincoln at Valley View, 7 p.m.

McAllen Memorial at Sharyland High, 7 p.m.

Edinburg Vela at Donna North, 7 p.m.

La Joya Palmview at Weslaco East, 7 p.m.

Mission Veterans at Brownsville Hanna, 7 p.m.

Mission High at Donna High, 7 p.m.

Brownsville Rivera at Mercedes, 7 p.m.

La Joya High at Edcouch-Elsa, 7 p.m.

Sharyland Pioneer at Laredo United South, 7 p.m.

Weslaco High at Brownsville Pace, 7 p.m.

Rio Grande City at Harlingen High, 7 p.m.

Med Tech at La Villa, 7 p.m.

PSJA High at Brownsville Veterans, 7 p.m.

Monte Alto at San Isidro, 7 p.m.

Juan Diego Academy Invitational Tournament

Friday, Sept. 4

Progreso def. Lasara 25-12, 25-12

Juan Diego Academy def. IDEA Mission 25-9, 25-12

IDEA Quest def. Santa Maria 25-10, 25-15

La Villa def. IDEA Weslaco 25-19

Valley View def. Macedonia Christian Academy 25-11, 25-11

Juarez-Lincoln JV def. Medical Academy 25-7, 22-25, 15-11

Santa Maria def. IDEA Mission 25-17, 25-17

Juan Diego Academy def. IDEA Quest 25-20, 25-13

Macedonia Christian Academy def. IDEA Weslaco 25-23, 25-17

Valley View def. La Villa 25-16, 25-11

Saturday Sept. 5, 2015

Santa Maria def. Lasara 25-7, 25-12

Macedonia Christian Academy def. Medical Academy 25-17, 25-16

Juan Diego Academy def. Progreso 25-16, 25-16,

Valley View def. Juarez-Lincoln J.V. 25-21, 25-4

IDEA Weslaco def. IDEA Mission 25-10, 25-10

IDEA Quest def. La Villa 25-19, 255-14

Medical Academy def. Lasara 25-21, 25-17

Consolation Championship: Santa Maria def. Macedonia Christian Academy 25-11, 25-12

Third-Place Game: Progreso def. Juarez Lincoln J.V. 26-24, 25-18

Tournament Championship: Juan Diego Academy def. Valley View 25-19, 25-13, 25-19

Tournament MVP

Jasmine Long, Juan Diego Academy

All-Tournamnent Team

Kasia Ault, Macedonia Chrisitan Academy

Alzza Garcia, Santa Maria

Alonda Torres, Progreso

Julissa Reyes, Juarez-Lincoln J.V.

Kumary Castaneda, Valley View

Francheska Munguia, Valley View

Maddy Flores, Juan Diego Academy

Ellie Kittleman, Juan Diego Academy

Saturday’s Matches

Non-District

DONNA HIGH DEF. LA JOYA HIGH

25-7, 25-22, 25-8

DONNA HIGH — Melanie Arenas 7 kills, 3 digs, 5 blocks; Adrianna Martinez 18 assists, 6 aces; Kara Yanez 10 digs; Yvette 11 kills, 3 blocks.

LA JOYA HIGH — Not reported.

RECORDS — Donna High 12-4; La Joya High not reported.

McALLEN ROWE DEF. BROWNSVILLE VETERANS

25-19, 25-20, 25-22

McALLEN ROWE — Mayda Garcia 27 kills, 29 digs, 8 blocks, 1 assist; Ryela Rodriguez 12 kills, 11 blocks; Vanessa Lopez 28 assists, 1 kill, 1 ace, 13 digs; Deanna Spear 12 assists, 1 kill, 31 digs, 3 blocks.

BROWNSVILLE VETERANS — Not reported.

RECORDS — McAllen Rowe 27-6; Brownsville Veterans not reported.

WESLACO EAST DEF. PSJA HIGH

25-21, 21-25, 25-19, 13-25, 15-11

WESLACO EAST — Not reported.

PSJA HIGH — Jackie Alanis 11 kills, 32 digs; Valeria Gonzales 11 kills, 24 assists; Myranda Garza 4 kills, 18 digs.

RECORDS — Not reported.

EDINBURG HIGH DEF. BROWNSVILLE RIVERA

25-10, 25-16, 25-21

EDINBURG HIGH — Dezi Marmolejo 5 aces, 1 assist, 16 digs; Marissa Arce 8 kills, 16 digs; Amber Reyes 5 kills; Tianna Howard 14 kills, 3 blocks, 1 ace, 4 digs; Yessi Molina 1 kill, 26 assists, 10 digs; Bree Pena 4 kills, 18 digs; Natalie Rodriguez 3 kills, 1 ace, 1 assist, 10 digs.

BROWNSVILLE RIVERA — Not reported.

RECORDS — Edinburg High 18-5; Brownsville Rivera not reported.

McALLEN HIGH DEF. HARLINGEN HIGH

25-10, 28-30, 25-17, 25-14

McALLEN HIGH — Carter Helmcamp 9 kills, 11 assists, 6 aces; Alexis Giusti 24 assists, 3 aces; Julia Monday 19 kills, 1 block, 2 aces; Hannah Bishop 5 kills; Sydney Pemelton 11 kills, 3 blocks, 2 aces; Kelly Woodin 1 ace, 10 digs; Alli Amaya 8 digs, 11 aces.

HARLINGEN HIGH — Not reported.

RECORDS — McAllen High 28-1; Harlingen High not reported.

MISSION VETERANS DEF. SAN BENITO

25-19, 25-22, 25-16

MISSION VETERANS — Daisy Reyna 18 kills, 2 aces, 15 digs; Alex Jimenez 13 kills, 7 digs; Karina Garcia 16 assists, 1 ace, 13 digs; Andrea de la Garza 5 assists, 8 digs.

SAN BENITO — Not reported.

RECORDS — Mission Veterans 21-3; San Benito not reported.

SHARYLAND HIGH DEF. EDINBURG ECONOMEDES

25-15, 25-16, 25-14

SHARYLAND HIGH — Melanie Lazos 13 assits; Paige Jones 3 aces; Caleigh Hausenfluck 17 digs; Maddie Garcia 10 kills, 3 aces, 5 blocks.

EDINBURG ECONOMEDES — Not reported.

RECORDS — Not reported.

MISSION HIGH DEF. DONNA NORTH

25-13, 25-19, 25-11

MISSION HIGH — Claire Gonzalez 8 kills; Emily Alvarado 6 kills, 11 points, 14 assists; Lissete Vela 6 kills; Nicole Reyes 5 kills; Alyssa Olivarez 4 kills, 14 points, 5 aces; Michelle Madden 14 assists, 7 points; Cazzy Rodriguez 8 points, 24 digs.

DONNA NORTH — Not reported.

RECORDS — Not reported.

EDINBURG VELA DEF. EDINBURG NORTH

25-19, 25-11, 14-25, 25-21

EDINBURG VELA — Jaida Muhammad 9 kills, 21 digs, 5 points; Nicole Avelar 7 kills, 8 digs, 11 points; Julissa Cuellar 8 assists, 15 digs; Chery Chavez 15 digs, 12 points; Dylann Guerra 25 digs, 7 points; Clarissa Ortega 9 points, 3 assists.

EDINBURG NORTH — Not reported.

RECORDS — Not reported.