Girls

Non-district

McAllen Rowe 7, Laredo Alexander 1

Donna North 3, PSJA North 0

Edinburg Economedes 6, Brownsville Pace 0

Mercedes at La Feria, not reported

Donna at Edinburg North, not reported

McAllen High Mini-Showcase

At McAllen Veterans Memorial Stadium

Friday’s Games

McAllen High 5, Harlingen High 0

Del Rio 1, Laredo United 1

Laredo United 3, Harlingen High 1

McAllen High 0, Del Rio 0

Saturday’s Games

Harlingen High vs. Del Rio, 1 p.m.

McAllen High vs. Laredo United, 3 p.m.

San Benito Girls Dog Pound Soccer Tournament

Friday’s games

Pool play

Pool A (Bobby Morrow Stadium)

San Benito 1, Rio Grande City 0

Mission Veterans 2, Port Isabel 1

Mission Veterans 1, San Benito 0 (PKs)

Port Isabel 2, RGC 1 (PKs)

Mission Veterans 1, RGC 0

San Benito 3, Port Isabel 0

Final pool standings — 1. Mission Veterans, 2. San Benito, 3. Port Isabel, 4. RGC

Pool B (high school practice field)

Weslaco High 1, La Joya High 0

Roma 1, Progreso 0

Roma 1, La Joya High 0

Weslaco High 1, Progreso 0

Weslaco High 1, Roma 0

La Joya High 1, Progreso 0

Final pool standings — 1. Weslaco High, 2. Roma, 3. La Joya High, 4. Progreso

Pool C (high school practice field)

PSJA Memorial 3, La Joya Juarez-Lincoln 2 (PKs)

PSJA Southwest 2, Valley View 0

PSJA Southwest 1, PSJA Memorial 0

Juarez-Lincoln 2, Valley View 0

PSJA Southwest 2, Juarez-Lincoln 0

PSJA Memorial 1, Valley View 0

Final pool standings — 1. PSJA Southwest, 2. PSJA Memorial, 3. Juarez-Lincoln, 4. Valley View

Pool D (old Greyhound Stadium)

La Joya Palmview 2, Weslaco East 0

Sharyland Pioneer 1, Edinburg Vela 0 (PKs)

Pioneer 3, Weslaco East 0

Palmview 1, Vela 0

Pioneer 1, Palmview 0

Vela 2, Weslaco East 0

Final pool standings — 1. Pioneer, 2. Palmview, 3. Vela, 4. Weslaco East

Saturday’s games

Consolation semifinals

(at San Benito HS)

San Benito vs. Roma, 9 a.m.

PSJA Memorial vs. Palmview, 9 a.m.

Port Isabel vs. La Joya High, 10 a.m.

Juarez-Lincoln vs. Vela, 10 a.m.

RGC vs. Progreso, 11 a.m.

Valley View vs. Weslaco East, 11 a.m.

Consolation championships

San Benito-Roma winner vs. PSJA Memorial-Palmview winner, noon

Port Isabel-La Joya High winner vs. Juarez-Lincoln-Vela winner, noon

RGC-Progreso winner vs. Valley View-Weslaco East winner, noon

Championship semifinals

(Bobby Morrow Stadium)

Mission Veterans (Pool A winner) vs. Weslaco High (Pool B winner), 1:30 p.m.

PSJA Southwest (Pool C winner) vs. Sharyland Pioneer (Pool D winner), 3 p.m.

Championship

(Bobby Morrow Stadium)

Mission Veterans-Weslaco High winner vs. PSJA Southwest-Sharyland Pioneer winner, 5:30 p.m.

Non-district

DONNA NORTH 3, PSJA NORTH 0

PSJA North 0 0 — 0

Donna North 2 1 — 3

Donna north (3): Elizabeth Reyes 3. Betzaida Zuniga 3 assists.

RECORDS: Donna North (4-2); PSJA North (Not reported)

Non-district

McALLEN ROWE 7, LAREDO ALEXANDER 1

Laredo Alexander 0 1 — 1

McAllen Rowe 4 3 — 7

Mcallen rowe (7): Sarah Rodriguez 4, Victoria Castro 2, Nyssa Davila 1.

RECORDS: McAllen Rowe (6-2); Laredo Alexander (Not reported)

Boys

Friday, Jan. 23

Non-District

Edinburg High 1, Brownsville Porter 1

Sharyland High 4, La Joya 0

Progreso 4, Mission Veterans 1

La Joya Palmview 4, PSJA North 3

Edinburg North 4, San Benito 3

Brownsville Lopez 2, McAllen Memorial 1

Grulla at Port Isabel, not reported

Raymondville at Harlingen South, not reported

La Feria at Weslaco East, not reported

Mercedes at Harlingen High, not reported

Non-district

PROGRESO 4, MISSION VETERANS 1

Progreso 3 1 — 4

Mission Veterans 1 0 — 1

Progreso (4): Rogelio Zamora 2, Heriberto Gomez, Esteban Ontiveros

RECORDS: Progreso (7-1); Mission Veterans (not reported)

Non-district

EDINBURG NORTH 4, SAN BENITO 3

Edinburg North 1 3 — 4

San Benito 2 1 — 3

Edinburg north (4): Diego Sanchez 3, Silverio Hernandez 1

San Benito (3): Not Reported

RECORDS: Edinburg North (10-1)

GREG LUCA | STAFF WRITER

PSJA Memorial head football coach and athletic coordinator Gus Cavazos is stepping down from his position to become the director of the Safe Schools Initiative for PSJA ISD. He announced his decision on Friday via email.

Cavazos said the Safe Schools Initiative is a new addition to PSJA ISD as the result of a recent federal grant. He said he’ll be working to try to “redirect kids into positive programs” not just at PSJA Memorial, but throughout PSJA ISD.

“I did some soul searching, because I love football and I love the kids here,” Cavazos said. “But I just felt, at this stage in my life, it’s a great opportunity for me and my family. It’s something I think I can make a difference with kids throughout the entire district. I’m pretty pumped up about it.”

PSJA ISD athletics director Orlando Garcia said a decision about an interim athletics coordinator and football coach at Memorial will likely come Monday after discussions with the principal and others within the department.

He said the job will be posted as a joint athletic coordinator and football coach position, and that he is hoping to fill it as quickly as possible.

“I’m very happy for Gus, it’s a good move for him,” Garcia said. “But at the same time, he was doing a real good job for us. He was very loyal and did a lot of good things for that program, so we’re going to respect how he wants to move forward.”

Cavazos has been the head coach at PSJA Memorial for the past seven years following a four-year stint at Rio Hondo. He boasts a 68-50 career record, including a pair of district championships.

After finishing the 2013 season 2-8, PSJA Memorial returned a number of critical pieces this season and had expectations of contending for a playoff spot. The 2014 Wolverines, however, were hit heavily by injury and finished the year just 4-6.

Among Cavazos’ career highlights are the first nine-win season in PSJA Memorial history in 2010 and the first 11-win season in Rio Hondo history in 2007.

Cavazos has made a major impact on football throughout the Valley, as five of his former assistants are now working as head coaches: Rocky James at Rio Hondo, Steve Marroquin at PSJA High, Dan Gomez at San Benito, Jorge Pena at PSJA North and most recently Carlos Saenz at Valley View.

Cavazos said he is proud that so many of his assistants have gone on to head jobs, but that working with the kids will always be his most powerful memory. Thirteen of his players have been Associated Press All-State selections.

“We’ve been able to help a lot of kids,” Cavazos said. “Several of our kids have had opportunities to go on to play college football. Coming from our area, that’s a real testament to how hard these kids have worked.”

Cavazos didn’t want to rule out a possible return to football but said that his full focus is on the Safe Schools Initiative.

“I’ve learned in this job: Never say never,” Cavazos said. “But right now, my full focus is going to be to get this program off the ground and make it very successful. Maybe several years down the road or something it’s possible, but right now that really isn’t my plan.”

BY GREG LUCA | STAFF WRITER

Edinburg Vela’s boys soccer team is a combined 1-31 in district play during the past two seasons, but coach Americo Cortez believes he has a team that is ready to compete for the district title.

The SaberCats took a big step towards proving it this week, making a run to the finals of the Gulf Coast Classic in Corpus Christi before falling 2-1 on penalty kicks against Corpus Christi King.

A Vela team that struggled as freshmen and sophomores is coming into its own this season, with the majority of the starters being juniors who already have two years of starting experience.

“To me, it’s no surprise,” Cortez said. “The hard work they’ve been doing the past two years, I have a team of starters who started with me as freshmen two years ago. I’m very proud of them, because after two straight losing seasons, they haven’t ever given up. They’re still there.”

Cortez said he’s seen his team improve in almost every way: the SaberCats are smarter and more talented than in previous seasons.

The passing is better, the shooting is better, and the team chemistry is better.

“We score from all over the place,” Cortez said. “It’s a team that doesn’t have a guy that you can say, ‘This guy is going to score.’ I don’t have a powerful forward. Everyone does their part.”

SHARYLAND’S SPARK

With her bright red hair and energetic play, freshman Kaitie Watson has quickly earned the title of “firecracker” for the Sharyland High girls soccer team.

Watson scored eight goals during the team’s trip to the Gulf Coast Classic in Corpus Christi, pushing her season total to 19 and helping Sharyland secure the championship with a 5-0 win against Brenham in the finals.

“She’s proven and shown that she’s, in my opinion, one of the best players in the Valley,” coach Aaron Clemons said. “If not the best.”

Clemons said Watson’s talent jumped out early during the practice season. She has quickness, ball control and a strong leg, a combination that makes her a dangerous threat offensively.

“She’s everything you’re looking for in a player, and probably one of the hardest workers we have on our team,” Clemons said. “She’s just a ‘Yes, sir’ kind of girl. ‘I can do it. Put it on me. I’ll take care of it.’”

Isabella Marino also scored eight goals in the tournament, as she and defender Nikki Gonzalez earned all-Tournament honors.

The big difference Clemons saw between the Gulf Coast Classic and the team’s 1-1-1 showing at the McAllen High Showcase was finishing. Clemons worked on that with the team throughout the week in practice, even putting himself in goal while trying to simulate game situations.

“Everybody we’ve played so far this year, we’ve been dominant,” Clemons said. “We just hadn’t been able to put up the points that I anticipated us putting up. But those finishing drills did a lot of good.”

ROAD TEST

While most Valley teams were in action at the Brownsville Tournament, Sharyland High’s boys went on the road to the Smithson Valley Ranger Classic in Spring Branch. The Rattlers defeated College Station 2-0, lost 1-0 to Waco and then defeated Dripping Springs 6-1 in the third-place game.

Sharyland Pioneer’s girls also left the Valley last week, with a 1-2 showing at the I-10 Shootout in Katy.
Pioneer picked up a 4-0 win against Tomball but then lost 5-0 to eventual champion The Woodlands and 3-0 to Cy Woods.

“We are a work in progress, but we have a few good wins under our belt that have given us confidence,” Pioneer coach J.J. Lopez said.

[email protected]

Boys Top 10

Pvs

1, Brownsville Rivera 1

2, Brownsville Porter 4

3, Valley View 5

4, Brownsville Lopez 6

5, La Joya Palmview 7

6, Sharyland High 2

7, Brownsville Hanna 8

8, Edinburg North NR

9, Edinburg Vela NR

10, La Joya Juarez-Lincoln 3

Girls Top 10

Pvs

1, Los Fresnos 6

2, McAllen Memorial 1

3, Harlingen South 8

4, Sharyland High 3

5, Edinburg Economedes NR

6, Brownsville Hanna 4

7, Brownsville Rivera 10

8, Edinburg North NR

9, Sharyland Pioneer 9

10, McAllen High 7

BY GREG LUCA | STAFF WRITER

MISSION — For most of Tuesday night’s non-district game, Sharyland High forward Eric Izaguirre was stifled by Los Fresnos keeper Jesus Malerva.

Early on, Izaguirre received a low, driven cross and put the shot just wide. Later, he took a hard shot from the top of the box that Malerva stuffed. In the second half, he sent two free kicks from straight on zinging over the crossbar.

But when Izaguirre found himself alone at the top of the 18-yard box with the ball at his feet and the game tied at 1 in the closing minutes, he saw that he had the perfect angle. His slowest shot of the night dribbled past Malerva and tucked neatly inside the far post, lifting Sharyland to a 2-1 win at Richard Thompson Stadium.

“He had a couple of those chances that he didn’t put in, and he told me, ‘Coach, I already missed a couple, I’m not going to miss the next one,’” Sharyland coach Rev Hernandez said. “And he didn’t.”

Izaguirre used his speed and strength to muscle past the Los Fresnos defense on the play. Although he didn’t have any teammates in a position to score, he noticed that Malerva was slightly out of position, and that was the only queue he needed.

“I just shot it. I didn’t even think twice about it,” Izaguirre said. “I was like, ‘I have to take it. This is the moment that forwards live for: One on one, against the goalie.’”

Those opportunities weren’t always kind to Sharyland on Tuesday, as Malerva made big save after big safe to keep Los Fresnos in it.

His most impressive save came early in the second half, when Sharyland’s Gabriel Garcia received a cross at the top of the box and ripped a shot towards goal. Malerva dove to his right and needed full extension to block it aside with his right hand.

Hernandez called Malerva an “excellent goalie,” and Izaguirre said he made a point of going up to tell him ‘Good job’ after the game.

“He’s the goalie that took us three rounds last year, so he comes with a lot of experience,” Los Fresnos coach Javier Navarrete said. “He’s very poised. He gives our defense a lot of confidence.”

Only when Malerva was slightly out of position due to a scramble for a loose ball was Sharyland able to pick up its first goal, and even then Malerva got a piece. The Rattlers’ Roberto Rangel, a defender, snuck forward and smashed his first touch towards net from about 30 yards out. Malerva dove and made the deflection, but the ball still snuck into the near corner of the goal.

The Falcons promptly answered with a tally by Joan Sandoval off a header on a corner kick, the last score until Izaguirre’s late winner.

“I think the team played pretty well,” Izaguirre said. “We touched the ball. We were fast. We had control. We just couldn’t put it in the back of the net. That’s why it was a tough game tonight.”

Tuesday’s game was also very chippy and physical for a non-district contest. Late in the match, Sharyland’s Yosel Magana and Los Fresnos’ Liver Camarillo nearly had an altercation, with players on both sides gathering before the teams were separated.

“That’s how we do it around here: We Rattlers don’t like to lose at home,” Izaguirre said. “That’s just like they’re spitting on us. We try to win every single time we play here. That’s why the intensity goes so high.”

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BY GREG LUCA | STAFF WRITER

After missing all of last season due to a knee injury, Valley View’s Rafael Garcia started 2015 with a bang, scoring five goals as the Tigers rolled to a 3-0 weekend at the Cypress Fairbanks Tournament in Houston.

Despite losing eight players to graduation, Valley View has picked up right where it left off, with Garcia appearing capable of filling the role left by last year’s All-Valley Defensive MVP, Erik Martinez.

“We’re looking at him as being our defender. He can play a lot of positions,” Valley View interim athletics director Julio Martinez said. “He’s our hybrid player. He’s a great leader. He’s a silent leader. He leads by example. He’s a defensive guy, but if you need to put him up there, he’ll go up there he’ll get the job done.”

Garcia suffered a knee injury that required surgery late in one of Valley View’s games at a summer tournament in McAllen before last season. Garcia’s rehab was just reaching its conclusion as Valley View was finishing up its playoff run to the state final, a 2-1 loss against Northwest Nelson.

The Tigers’ strong opening weekend is just the first step on the team’s mission to get back to those heights.

“It’s a learning environment, and we just have to keep our feet on the ground and focus on what we want to achieve, which is the state championship,” Martinez said. “It was so close last year. That’s our main goal as a team.”

SCORCHING START

With talented freshman Elizabeth Reyes meshing with returning District 63-4A Offensive MVP Betzaida Zuniga, scoring will rarely be an issue for the Donna North girls this season.

Zuniga scored 9 goals and Reyes added 8 as Donna North won all three of its games in the Port Lavaca Tournament, beating Rockport Fulton, St. Joseph Academy and Port Lavaca Calhoun by a combined 22-1. When Saturday’s matches were canceled due to inclement weather, Donna North was named the champion on points.

“We have a very good forward tandem, and I feel very comfortable that they’re going to score the necessary goals for us to be successful offensively,” Donna North coach Tony Garcia said.

After winning MVP as a freshman last season, Zuniga has returned with more passion, more energy and greater leadership in her captain’s role, Garcia said.

Reyes was on Garcia’s radar as an eighth grader, and she has already learned to play with the returning players through work with the high school team during the summer.

Although Reyes and Zuniga play different styles — Zuniga is a finesse player who will usually score from long range, while Reyes likes to dribble and attack from inside the box — they have fit together well to help Donna North to a strong opening weekend.

“Overall, it was very good play by the entire team to help us get ready for our district play,” Garcia said.

PROGRESO MAKES PROGRESS

Progreso coach Margarito Jimenez can see the growth Heriberto Gomez, his senior captain and 2014’s District 64-4A Offensive Player of the Year, has made from last year to this year.
“He’s grown as a player. He’s more mature,” Jimenez said. “He’s a smarter player when it comes to takings shots. Last year, he used to try to score all the way inside the box. This year, as soon as he sees an opening, he takes a shot. He’s more decisive.”

The change helped Gomez to a big opening weekend, as Progreso defeated Bandera 8-0 and Somerset 6-0 to win the title in a rain-shortened tournament in Pleasanton. Gomez scored four times. Eulises Salinas also scored four goals, with Rodrigo Blanco adding two.

With three senior starters leading a group of talented sophomores and juniors, Jimenez is excited for his team.

“I do think we have what it takes to go deep,” Jimenez said. “I have a very strong team, and we can make a lot of noise come playoff time.”

FRESHMAN STEPS UP

Behind five goals for freshman Jonathan Segundo and a defense that allowed just one goal in five games, Edinburg Economedes notched a fourth-place finish with a 5-0 record at the Mission Eagles Invitational, which was shortened a day by rain.

La Joya Juarez-Lincoln was named champion, with Brownsville Lopez taking second and Sharyland High finishing third.

Economedes coach Sam Gonzalez knew the freshman Segundo had the potential to score after watching him play in middle school, and Segundo confirmed that belief throughout the tournament. Gonzalez said Segundo has good moves with the ball and is always “hungry to score.”

“He was a big factor for our team,” Gonzalez said. “Being a freshman, he’s doing real well.”

Overall, Gonzalez said the defense was the biggest key. He has high expectations for the senior laden group, even as it nurses a few injuries.

“If everybody is healthy,” Gonzalez said, “they’re going to be good.”

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BY GREG LUCA | STAFF WRITER

MISSION — As a junior last season, Roma right winger Jesus Elizondo barely played. He was expecting to take on a significant role after playing on varsity as a sophomore, but that plan was derailed at last year’s Mission Tournament.

He suffered a sprained ankle and never got back to 100 percent, consistently dealing with sprains in both ankles.

“I was injured pretty much for the whole season,” Elizondo said, “so I’m trying to make it a good season this year.”

The entire Roma team has high hopes, returning eight starters to a senior-laden group that reached the playoffs after a 7-3 finish in district last year.

Their run at the Mission Eagles Invitational opened with four consecutive losses, but the group finally broke through in its final chance on Friday, beating McAllen High 2-0 at Tom Landry Stadium, the same field where Elizondo’s season basically ended the year before.

“We’ve been having a tough tournament,” Elizondo said. “We haven’t found our playing style yet, but it will get here.”
Developing a style and a rhythm will take some time for Roma, which is adjusting to a new coach in Alexander Saenz, an assistant from last year’s team taking the place of the departed Joe Cortez.

Elizondo said the Gladiators are using a different system, and players are training at multiple positions.

“It’s a new project we have with a new set of coaches,” Elizondo said. “But we’ve known them since we were little. Since we were in middle school. So I think things are working out great.”

Coach Saenz has the advantage of working with an experienced group and some established talent. Midfielder Mario Rios, defenders Jose Hinojosa and Eric Sandoval and forward Norberto Ibarra all figure to be key.

In Friday’s win against McHi, Roma gave a few younger bench players a chance to shine, and Elizondo said he was impressed with the freshmen.

Victor Peoloyo scored Roma’s first goal on a free kick, and Sebastian Alaffa added the second in the closing minutes, taking a deliberate approach on a penalty kick and grounding it cleanly into the left side of the net.

“Anyone can come in, and the team plays just as well,” Elizondo said. “There’s a lot of competition between us. That’s always positive.”

Despite keeping the pressure high and appearing to be in control for the majority of the game, McHi had a harder time coming away with positives. A playoff team after posting a 12-4 record in district play last season, the Bulldogs got off to a promising start with a 2-1 Day 1 but skidded in losing their final two matches on Day 2, ultimately sealing their elimination.

On a day in which most teams scurried out of the stadium to avoid rainy conditions and temperatures in the 40s, McAllen High coach Fernando Segovia had no interest in leaving. Instead, McHi took up a position on the track, running back and forth in 25-yard intervals for about 25 minutes. By the time Segovia cleared his team out of the stadium, the next game of the tournament was already in the second half.

Segovia declined to comment.

[email protected]

Soccer scores from Jan. 9, 2015

Cypress-Fairbanks Invitational

At Houston

Friday’s Games

Valley View 4, Langham Creek 0

2015 Mission Eagles Soccer Invitational

Friday, Jan. 9

At Mission High Practice Field

Group 1

Mission High 3, Harlingen High 1

Brownsville Veterans 1, Laredo Alexander 0

Edinburg Economedes 5, Edcouch-Elsa 0

Harlingen High 1, Laredo Alexander 0, SO

Donna 1, Edcouch-Elsa 0

Brownsville Veterans 1, Edinburg Economedes 0

Laredo Alexander 4, Mission High 3, SO

Donna High 2, Brownsville Veterans 1, SO

Edinburg Economedes 2, Harlingen High 1

At Tom Landry Stadium (Mission High School)

Group 2

Los Fresnos 2, St. Stephens 1, SO

McAllen High 1,Laredo LBJ 0, SO

Donna North 3, McAllen Rowe 1

St. Stephens 1, Laredo LBJ 0

McAllen Rowe 1, Roma 0

Donna North 2, McAllen High 1

Los Fresnos 1, Laredo LBJ 0, SO

Roma 2, McAllen High 0

St. Stephens 2, Donna North 0

At Sharyland Pioneer

Group 3

Laredo United 2, Sharyland Pioneer 0

Hidalgo 2, San Benito 1, SO

La Joya Palmview 1, McAllen Memorial 0

Laredo United 3, Hidalgo 0

Edinburg North 3, McAllen Memorial 1

La Joya Palmview 1, San Benito 0

Sharyland Pioneer 6, Hidalgo High 1

Edinburg North 2, San Benito 1, SO

La Joya Palmview 2, Laredo United 0

At Sharyland High

Group 4

Sharyland High 2, San Antonio Warren 0

Edinburg Vela 2, Laredo Nixon 1

PSJA Memorial 3, Mercedes 1

San Antonio Warren 2, Laredo Nixon 1, SO

Del Rio 1, Mercedes 0

PSJA Memorial 1, Edinburg Vela 0

Sharyland High 3, Laredo Nixon 0

Edinburg Vela 3, Del Rio 2, SO

PSJA Memorial 2, San Antonio Warren 0

At Mission Veterans Practice Field

Group 5

Laredo United South 3, Mission Veterans 1

PSJA North 4, La Feria 0

Weslaco East 2, Grulla 1

Laredo United South 1, PSJA North 0, SO

La Joya Juarez-Lincoln 2, Grulla 1

Weslaco East 3, La Feria 0

PSJA North 2, Mission Veterans 0

La Joya Juarez-Lincoln 6, La Feria 0

Laredo United South 2, Weslaco East 1, SO

At Patriot Stadium (Mission Veterans Memorial)

Group 6

Eagle Pass 0, La Joya High 1

Brownsville Lopez 3, Laredo Cigarroa 2, SO

PSJA Southwest 2, Edinburg High 1, SO

Laredo Cigarroa 2, Eagle Pass 1, SO

PSJA Southwest 1, Rio Grande City 0

Brownsville Lopez 2, Edinburg High 1

Laredo Cigarroa 1, La Joya High 0

Brownsville Lopez 4, Rio Grande City 0

Edinburg High 2, Eagle Pass 0

Saturday, Jan. 10

At Tom Landry Stadium (Mission High School)

Group 1

Mission High vs. Edcouch-Elsa, 10 a.m.

Edinburg Economedes vs. Laredo Alexander, 11 a.m.

Donna High vs. Harlingen High, Noon

At Mission High Practice Field

Group 2

Los Fresnos vs. McAllen Rowe, 10 a.m.

Donna North vs. Laredo LBJ, 11 a.m.

Roma vs. St. Stephens, Noon

At Sharyland Pioneer

Group 3

Sharyland Pioneer vs. McAllen Memorial, 10 a.m.

La Joya Palmview vs. Hidalgo High, 11 a.m.

Edinburg North vs. Laredo United, Noon

At Sharyland High

Group 4

Sharyland High vs. Mercedes, 10 a.m.

PSJA Memorial vs. Laredo Nixon, 11 a.m.

Del Rio vs. San Antonio Warren, Noon

At Patriot Stadium (Mission Veterans Memorial)

Group 5

Mission Veterans vs. Grulla, 10 a.m.

Weslaco East vs. PSJA North, 11 a.m.

La Joya Juarez-Lincoln vs. Laredo United South, Noon

At Mission Veterans Practice Field

Group 6

La Joya High vs. PSJA Southwest, 10 a.m.

Edinburg High vs. Laredo Cigarroa, 11 a.m.

Rio Grande City vs. Eagle Pass, noon

Quarterfinals

Game 1: Group 1 Winner vs. Group 6 Winner, at Mission High’s Tom Landry Stadium, 2 p.m.

Game 2: Group 2 Winner vs. Group 5 Winner, at Mission Veterans Memorial’s Patriots Stadium, 2 p.m.

Game 3: Group 3 Winner vs. Best Runner-up, at Sharyland High’s Rattlers Stadium, 2 p.m.

Game 4: Group 4 Winner vs. 2nd Runner-up, At Sharyland Pioneer, 2 p.m.

Semifinals

Semifinal A: Game 1 Winner vs. Game 4 Winner, at Mission High’s Tom Landry Stadium, 4 p.m.

Semifinal B: Game 2 Winner vs. Game 3 Winner, at Sharyland High’s Rattler Stadium, 4 p.m.

Third-Place Game

Semifinal A Loser vs. Semifinal B Loser, at Mission High’s Tom Landry Stadium, 6 p.m.

Championship Game

Semifinal A Winner vs. Semifinal B Winner, at Mission High’s Tom Landry Stadium, 7 p.m.

2015 McHi Girls Soccer Showcase

at McAllen High School

Friday, Jan. 9

San Antonio Taft 3, Brownsville Lopez 0

McAllen High 1, Corpus Christi King 1

Brownsville Rivera 3, Sharyland High 1

Brownsville Lopez 5, Corpus Christi King 1

Brownsville Rivera 3, San Antonio Clark 2

McAllen High 1, San Antonio Taft 1

Saturday, Jan. 10

Corpus Christi King vs. San Antonio Clark, 10 a.m.

Brownsville Rivera vs. San Antonio Taft, Noon

Sharyland High vs. Brownsville Lopez, 2 p.m.

McAllen High vs. San Antonio Clark, 4 p.m.

Port Lavaca Tournament

Friday’s Games

Donna North 10, St. Joseph Academy 0

Donna North 9, Port Lavaca Calhoun 0

By GREG LUCA | STAFF WRITER

McALLEN — Throughout the preseason, McAllen High defender Gaby Gonzalez focused on her free kicks. The move from right back to stopper for her junior season means more responsibility, more expectations and more opportunities on set pieces.

With her team down a goal and less than 5 minutes to play in Thursday’s season opening match against Sharyland High, Gonzalez had one of those opportunities from about 20 yards out on the left wing and nailed it, sending the ball perfectly just inside the far post to tie the game.

Sharyland, which got the better of the play for the majority of the frigid morning, had late chances at an equalizer but could never convert, as the RGVSports.com’s preseason No. 3 Rattlers and No. 5 Bulldogs played to a 1-1 draw in the opening game of the 2015 McHi Girls Soccer Showcase.

“I’ve been working on [my free kicks], and I’d say it paid off,” Gonzalez said.

Gonzalez felt that her free kicks had been a little “shaky” in recent practices, and coach Pat Arney said Gonzalez had been inconsistent.

But the opportunity she had Thursday was exactly the type she prefers, with a wide angle that allows her to take advantage of the natural curve of her shot.

Arney saw the opening from his vantage point on the sideline, and Gonzalez agreed to aim for it. After, Arney called it “the perfect shot,” one no goalie could have saved.

“I just kind of watched it in, and I was like, ‘What?’” Gonzalez said. “Defenders don’t usually score goals a lot, so I was just kind of like, ‘Woah, that’s cool.’”

Gonzalez’s goal offset the opening tally from Sharyland High’s Isabella Marinaro, who ricocheted a shot from about 30 yards out off the left post to give the Rattlers a 1-0 lead early in the second half. Rarely will a player attempt a shot from that range — Sharyland coach Aaron Clemons said he “could stand to see a little bit more running up top and us getting in better position to take shots” — but Marinaro had grown tired of trying to work her way through the defense.

“I was getting frustrated, and I saw that I didn’t have a chance to dribble, so I just took it,” Marinaro said. “And it went in.”

Clemons also felt some frustration during the game, as the Rattlers were unable to capitalize on opportunities to put the Bulldogs away. Nikki Gonzalez put a header off the post midway through the second half, and Vanessa Guevara rang a free kick off the cross bar with less than 2 minutes remaining. Guevara’s rebound came perfectly back to her, but McHi goalie Ruby Iracheta made the last in a series of critical saves to keep the game deadlocked.

Both coaches came away from the game wanting a little more, which both agreed is to be expected in a debut for talented teams with a decent amount of roster turnover.

Arney left hoping to cut down on silly mistakes, misguided passes and disconnected play. Clemons also found some little things to work on, namely finishing plays. Marinaro said the team needs to communicate more.

Just a few hours later, Sharyland was already showing signs of improvement with a 7-2 win against San Antonio Taft.

“That was real good for us,” Clemons said. “Having that first game with McHi being tough like that, I think it warmed us up and got us ready to play. It was really something we needed.”

McHi will have its chance to work out some of the kinks today with games against Corpus Christi King and Taft, and then Saturday against San Antonio Clark. Sharyland will also be back in action, playing Brownsville Rivera on Friday and Brownsville Lopez on Saturday.

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Cypress-Fairbanks Invitational
At Houston
Valley View 4, Houston Chavez 3, PKs

2015 Mission Eagles Soccer Invitational
Thursday, Jan. 8
At Tom Landry Stadium (Mission High School)
Group 1
Edinburg Economedes 1, Mission High 0, SO
Brownsville Veterans 1, Edcouch-Elsa 0
Laredo Alexander 1, Donna 0, SO
Brownsville Veterans 1, Mission High 0, SO
Edinburg Economedes 1, Donna High 0
Edcouch-Elsa 2, Harlingen High 1
Donna High 2, Mission High 0
Brownsville Veterans 1, Harlingen High 0
Laredo Alexander 1, Edcouch-Elsa 0, SO

At Mission High Practice Field
Group 2
Los Fresnos 2, Donna North 0
McAllen High 2, McAllen Rowe 0
Laredo LBJ 1, Roma 0
McAllen High 1, Los Fresnos 0, SO
Donna North 3, Roma 0
St. Stephens 3, McAllen Rowe 1
Los Fresnos 2, Roma 0
McAllen High 2, St. Stephens 1
Laredo LBJ 2, McAllen Rowe 0

At Sharyland Pioneer
Group 3
La Joya Palmview 1, Sharyland Pioneer 0
San Benito 1, McAllen Memorial 0, SO
Edinburg North 2, Hidalgo High 1, SO
Sharyland Pioneer 1, San Benito 0, SO
Edinburg North 2, La Joya Palmview 1
McAllen Memorial 2, Laredo United 1 SO
Edinburg North 1, Sharyland Pioneer 0
Laredo United 1, San Benito 0
McAllen Memorial 4, Hidalgo 0

At Rattlers Stadium (Sharyland High)
Group 4
Sharyland High 2, PSJA Memorial 1
Mercedes 2, Edinburg Vela 0
Del Rio 1, Laredo Nixon 0, SO
Sharyland High 2, Edinburg Vela 0
Del Rio 2, PSJA Memorial 0
San Antonio Warren 3, Mercedes 2, SO
Sharyland High 2, Del Rio 1
San Antonio Warren 1, Edinburg Vela 0
Mercedes 1, Laredo Nixon 0

At Patriot Stadium (Mission Veterans Memorial)
Group 5
Mission Veterans 1, Weslaco East 0
Grulla 1, La Feria 0
La Joya Juarez-Lincoln 5, PSJA North 1
Mission Veterans 1, La Feria 0
La Joya Juarez-Lincoln 1, Weslaco East 0
Laredo United South 1, Grulla 0, SO
La Joya Juarez-Lincoln 3, Mission Veterans 0
Laredo United South 4, La Feria 0
PSJA North 4, Grulla 1

At Mission Veterans Practice Field
Group 6
Edinburg High 1, La Joya High 0
Brownsville Lopez 3, PSJA Southwest 2, SO
Laredo Cigarroa 3, Rio Grande City 0
Brownsville Lopez 3, La Joya High 2, SO
Rio Grande City 2, Edinburg High 1, SO
Eagle Pass 2, PSJA Southwest 1, SO
Rio Grande City 2, La Joya High 1, SO
Brownsville Lopez 4, Eagle Pass 1
PSJA Southwest 1, Laredo Cigarroa 0

Friday, Jan. 9
At Mission High Practice Field
Group 1
Harlingen High vs. Mission High, 9 a.m.
Laredo Alexander vs. Brownsville Veterans, 10 a.m.
Edcouch-Elsa vs. Edinburg Economedes, 11 a.m.
Laredo Alexander vs. Harlingen High, Noon
Edcouch-Elsa vs. Donna, 1 p.m.
Edinburg Economedes vs. Brownsville Veterans, 2 p.m.
Laredo Alexander vs. Mission High, 3 p.m.
Brownsville Veterans vs. Donna High, 4 p.m.
Edinburg Economedes vs. Harlingen High, 5 p.m.

At Tom Landry Stadium (Mission High School)
Group 2
St. Stephens vs. Los Fresnos, 9 a.m.
Laredo LBJ vs. McAllen High, 10 a.m.
McAllen Rowe vs. Donna North, 11 a.m.
Laredo LBJ vs. St. Stephens, Noon
McAllen Rowe vs. Roma, 1 p.m.
Donna North vs. McAllen High, 2 p.m.
Laredo LBJ vs. Los Fresnos, 3 p.m.
McAllen High vs. Roma, 4 p.m.
Donna North vs. St. Stephens, 5 p.m.

At Sharyland Pioneer
Group 3
Laredo United vs. Sharyland Pioneer, 9 a.m.
Hidalgo vs. San Benito, 10 a.m.
McAllen Memorial vs. La Joya Palmview, 11 a.m.
Hidalgo vs. Laredo United, Noon
McAllen Memorial vs. Edinburg North, 1 p.m.
La Joya Palmview vs. San Benito, 2 p.m.
Hidalgo High vs. Sharyland Pioneer, 3 p.m.
San Benito vs. Edinburg North, 4 p.m.
La Joya Palmview vs. Laredo United, 5 p.m.

At Sharyland High
Group 4
San Antonio Warren vs. Sharyland High, 9 a.m.
Laredo Nixon vs. Edinburg Vela, 10 a.m.
Mercedes vs. PSJA Memorial, 11 a.m.
Laredo Nixon vs. San Antonio Warren, Noon
Mercedes vs. Del Rio, 1 p.m.
PSJA Memorial vs. Edinburg Vela, 2 p.m.
Laredo Nixon vs. Sharyland High, 3 p.m.
Edinburg Vela vs. Del Rio, 4 p.m.
PSJA Memorial vs. San Antonio Warren, 5 p.m.

At Mission Veterans Practice Field
Group 5
Laredo United South vs. Mission Veterans, 9 a.m.
PSJA North vs. La Feria, 10 a.m.
Grulla vs. Weslaco East, 11 a.m.
PSJA North vs. Laredo United South, Noon
Grulla vs. La Joya Juarez-Lincoln, 1 p.m.
Weslaco East vs. La Feria, 2 p.m.
PSJA North vs. Mission Veterans, 3 p.m.
La Joya Juarez-Lincoln vs. La Feria, 4 p.m.
Weslaco East vs. Laredo United South, 5 p.m.

At Patriot Stadium (Mission Veterans Memorial)
Group 6
Eagle Pass vs. La Joya High, 9 a.m.
Laredo Cigarroa vs. Brownsville Lopez, 10 a.m.
PSJA Southwest vs. Edinburg High, 11 a.m.
Laredo Cigarroa vs. Eagle Pass, Noon
PSJA Southwest vs. Rio Grande City, 1 p.m.
Edinburg High vs. Brownsville Lopez, 2 p.m.
Laredo Cigarroa vs. La Joya High, 3 p.m.
Brownsville Lopez vs. Rio Grande City, 4 p.m.
Edinburg High vs. Eagle Pass, 5 p.m.

Saturday, Jan. 10
At Tom Landry Stadium (Mission High School)
Group 1
Mission High vs. Edcouch-Elsa, 10 a.m.
Edinburg Economedes vs. Laredo Alexander, 11 a.m.
Donna High vs. Harlingen High, Noon

At Mission High Practice Field
Group 2
Los Fresnos vs. McAllen Rowe, 10 a.m.
Donna North vs. Laredo LBJ, 11 a.m.
Roma vs. St. Stephens, Noon

At Sharyland Pioneer
Group 3
Sharyland Pioneer vs. McAllen Memorial, 10 a.m.
La Joya Palmview vs. Hidalgo High, 11 a.m.
Edinburg North vs. Laredo United, Noon

At Sharyland High
Group 4
Sharyland High vs. Mercedes, 10 a.m.
PSJA Memorial vs. Laredo Nixon, 11 a.m.
Del Rio vs. San Antonio Warren, Noon

At Patriot Stadium (Mission Veterans Memorial)
Group 5
Mission Veterans vs. Grulla, 10 a.m.
Weslaco East vs. PSJA North, 11 a.m.
La Joya Juarez-Lincoln vs. Laredo United South, Noon

At Mission Veterans Practice Field
Group 6
La Joya High vs. PSJA Southwest, 10 a.m.
Edinburg High vs. Laredo Cigarroa, 11 a.m.
Rio Grande City vs. Eagle Pass, noon

Quarterfinals
Game 1: Group 1 Winner vs. Group 6 Winner, at Mission High’s Tom Landry Stadium, 2 p.m.
Game 2: Group 2 Winner vs. Group 5 Winner, at Mission Veterans Memorial’s Patriots Stadium, 2 p.m.
Game 3: Group 3 Winner vs. Best Runner-up, at Sharyland High’s Rattlers Stadium, 2 p.m.
Game 4: Group 4 Winner vs. 2nd Runner-up, At Sharyland Pioneer, 2 p.m.

Semifinals
Semifinal A: Game 1 Winner vs. Game 4 Winner, at Mission High’s Tom Landry Stadium, 4 p.m.
Semifinal B: Game 2 Winner vs. Game 3 Winner, at Sharyland High’s Rattler Stadium, 4 p.m.

Third-Place Game
Semifinal A Loser vs. Semifinal B Loser, at Mission High’s Tom Landry Stadium, 6 p.m.

Championship Game
Semifinal A Winner vs. Semifinal B Winner, at Mission High’s Tom Landry Stadium, 6 p.m.

2015 McHi Girls Soccer Showcase

Thursday, Jan. 8

McAllen High 1, Sharyland High 1

Brownsville Rivera 8, Corpus Christi King 2

San Antonio Clark 2, Brownsville Lopez 1

Sharyland High 7, San Antonio Taft 2

Friday, Jan. 9

San Antonio Taft vs. Brownsville Lopez, 10 a.m.

McAllen High vs. Corpus Christi King, Noon

Sharyland High vs. Brownsville Rivera, 2 p.m.

Corpus Christi King vs. Brownsville Lopez, 4 p.m.

San Antonio Clark vs. Brownsville Rivera, 6 p.m.

McAllen High vs. San Antonio Taft, 8 p.m.

Saturday, Jan. 10

Corpus Christi King vs. San Antonio Clark, 10 a.m.

Brownsville Rivera vs. San Antonio Taft, Noon

Sharyland High vs. Brownsville Lopez, 2 p.m.

McAllen High vs. San Antonio Clark, 4 p.m.

BY GREG LUCA | STAFF WRITER

MISSION — Sharyland High enters 2015 with all the tools a district title contender could want. The No. 2 team in the RGVSports.com top 10 has senior talent spread throughout every position group. About two thirds of the starting lineup returns from a team that went 13-3 and advanced to the area round of the playoffs last season.

The Rattlers are confident, and with good reason.

“We have a pretty good team, I’m not going to lie,” senior midfielder Brandon Longoria said. “We expect to win district. We want to go to state, and I think, with this team, we can do it.”

Longoria figures to be key for the Rattlers, specifically because of his ability to make precise, long-distance passes from his midfield position. Coach Rev Hernandez describes Longoria as a “very smart player”, someone who can work the ball to Sharyland’s attacking options.

The best of those options figures to be Eric Izaguirre, who is the team’s leading returning scorer with seven goals during district play last season. Izaguirre stands out because of his speed and strength, which is something the entire team has been working to improve during the offseason.

“What’s going to make a big difference this year is the experience guys got last year,” Izaguirre said. “Pretty much all of the starting team is going to be seniors. I think that’s going to help us a lot.”

Given the number of senior starters and how long this group has been together, Hernandez expects chemistry to be a key to their success. While many of Sharyland High’s athletic teams have been hampered by the split to form Sharyland Pioneer, the Rattlers boys soccer team has been mostly unaffected, with all the seniors electing to stay together for one more run.

“They’ve been playing already for two or three years,” Hernandez said. “They knew each other, they know what buttons to push, and which buttons not to push. So that’s very good.”

No. 3 La Joya Juarez-Lincoln

Much like Sharyland High, the Huskies return eight senior starters from a team that reached the area round of the playoffs. The names to watch figure to be Jimmy Castaneda, Luis Sanchez, Javier Coronado, David Segura and Gerardo Chavaria, with the latter two having the best chance to do the bulk of the scoring.

“We have eight seniors playing on the team, so we believe that we’re a solid team,” coach Victor Ramos said. “We’ll be able to compete in our district.”

Replacing Luis Guerra and Jose Escareno will be a challenge, but losing a few seniors hasn’t been enough to derail the Huskies’ upward trajectory in recent seasons. Juarez-Lincoln opened in 2008, and the Huskies have gone to the playoffs and won a game every year since 2009.

The key is typically the team’s high-powered offense. The Huskies netted 49 goals in district play last season — 11 more than the next highest total. That scoring again figures to be there. The only question is whether the defense can carry its end.

“We’re a very offensive team, so what we need to work on is our defensive part,” Ramos said. “Everybody loves to go forward, but when we defend, it’s not the same. So we’ve been working on that.”

No. 7 La Joya Palmview

The Lobos advanced to the area round of the playoffs last season, and coach Mario Ribera believes his team has only improved.

“I feel that we have a very strong team,” Ribera said. “I would say it’s even better compared to my team from last year.”

Still, Palmview has one major weakness it’s looking to address early in the season: the forward position.

With leading scorers Eric Garza and Carlos Hernandez gone from last year’s team, Ribera is still searching for a pair of starters out of a group of four candidates.

“We’re creating a lot of opportunities up front, but right now we’re not finishing,” Ribera said. “That’s my main concern.”

Palmview’s strengths should be on set pieces and in possession — factors that have typically been specialties for the Lobos the past few years.

Goalie Evilberto Maldonado is one of four returning starters, along with midfielders Jorge Garcia and Alan Morales. Jose Bocanegra is also back after starting as a freshman last year.

“Being one of the elite teams that I consider my team to be in the Valley,” Ribera said, “we should be fighting to be district champs.”

No. 9 Mission High

Eagles coach Christos Barouhas has little trouble pinpointing the most significant departure from last season’s team: captain and right fullback Jonathan Leija. The senior was a captain and team leader, on and off the field.

“To this point, I haven’t been able to really replace him,” Barouhas said. “It’s going to be difficult.”

Leija may not be back, but Barouhas has filled the vacant captain role with the most similar player he possibly could: Leija’s brother, Luis.

“He’s not exactly the same, but he has the same values, he has the same discipline, and that carries on and transfers to the rest of the guys,” Barouhas said.

Luis is one of the rare returning starters for Mission. The Eagles will also be relying on Manuel Rojas and Jose Gutierrez, an attacking, versatile midfielder who played JV last season but has really impressed Barouhas in the months since.

“I think he’s going to impress a lot a people,” Barouhas said.

[email protected]

RGVSports.com Boys Preseason Top 10
1. Brownsville Rivera
2. Sharyland High
3. La Joya Juarez-Lincoln
4. Brownsville Porter
5. Valley View
6. Brownsville Lopez
7. La Joya Palmview
8. Brownsville Hanna
9. Mission High
10. San Benito