EDINBURG – It doesn’t take long to notice Edinburg Vela’s Geoffrey Lefevre on the field. Standing at 6-foot-4, 215 pounds, the senior signal caller looks the part of a prototypical quarterback. 

Lefevre doesn’t just look the part, however, as he possesses the arm talent and football IQ to sling it with the best of them. With three years of experience under his belt, along with more than 5,000 career passing yards and 44 career passing touchdowns, the Sabercats’ QB1 has earned the title of No. 1 in the 2024 RGVSports.com Top 30 returning players poll. 

“I feel like I’ve had a target on my back since Donna,” Lefevre said. “I feel like guys had a little extra in the tank for me. But honestly, you always want to think you’re the best. You just have to keep yourself humble though and embrace the grind.”

Lefevre spent the first three years of his high school career at Donna High, seeing action as early as his freshman year with the Redskins. He finished that season with 467 passing yards and four touchdowns in just six games of action. 

Year 2 of his career saw him split reps at quarterback, with him seeing the field in all 11 games and finishing the year with 1,355 passing yards and 16 touchdowns.

Last year, however, Lefevre took over the reins full time, repaying his coaches with career bests in completion percentage (60.7%), passing yards (3,324) and passing touchdowns (24).

Lefevre’s final year will look different than the past three, with an offseason coaching move by his dad landing the senior gunslinger at Edinburg Vela this year.

“It has been a new transition for my final year,” Lefevre said. “My dad and I moved to a new school and the guys really welcomed me there. The O-line, the offense, the defense, they all welcomed me with open arms. I don’t really feel pressure. 

A new team presents new challenges for the four-year letter winner, who is tasked with learning a new offense and earning the trust of his new coaches and teammates.

Add in the pressure of past success and being ranked as the No. 1 player in the RGV heading into the season, and expectations couldn’t be higher for the Sabercats’ quarterback. 

Lefevre is ready to embrace the challenge, however, looking to continue the tradition of excellence set at Vela over the past few years.

“I feel like the past few years have prepared me to excel my senior year, along with the love that my brothers on the field have shown me,” Lefevre said. “We’re hungry this year. This team ended on a good season last year and we want to keep that going. There is tradition at Vela. Just expect a lot of explosive plays from us this year. We got some dawgs on offense and defense. We just got to go in and love the work. We can’t get bored of repetition, and we have to want to be the best.”

[email protected]

This post was originally published on this site

Check out the first episode of the RGVSports.com Football Podcast. In this week’s episode RGVSports.com writers Ivan Palacios and Bryan Ramos dive into some of the biggest storylines of the offseason, the Top 10 preseason 5A/6A poll and more!

This post was originally published on this site

The 2024 high school football season is officially underway, with teams hitting the practice field across the Rio Grande Valley.

With Week 1 of the regular season looming, the RGVSports.com staff compiled a list of the top 30 returning RGV football players for the 2024 season.

Our list continues with a trio of PSJA North standouts and one of the RGV’s top athletes out of Rio Hondo.

The reveal of the top player is out in the 2024 RGVSports.com Football Tab today.

Check out the other athletes on our list below: 

No. 6-10

No. 11-15

No. 16-20

No. 21-25

No. 26-30

No. 2: LB Steven Garza, Senior, PSJA North

2023 Stats: 109 total tckls, 12 TFL, 7 QB hurries, 2 sacks, 1 FF, 1 FR

Notes: PSJA North’s “Blackshirts Defense” should be among the area’s best once again this year and Garza is a big reason why. The speedy, physical linebacker possess high football IQ to diagnose a play before it happens. After that, Garza is ready to meet any ball carrier head on and make the stop by any means necessary. His three-year varsity experience should only make him better as he heads into his final year with the Raiders.

No. 3: RB Ethan Guerra, Junior, PSJA North

2023 Stats: 153 car, 1572 yds, 21 TD; 13 rec, 374 yds, 3 TD

Notes: Guerra has been one of the RGV’s most dominant ball carriers since his freshman year in 2022, racking up 2,677 rushing yards and 34 rushing touchdowns during the past two years. Year 3 should be no different, with Guerra likely serving as the focal point of PSJA North’s offense once again. The junior running back possesses deceptive strength to run between the tackles, while his 4.6 speed makes him a threat to break off a long touchdown run in the blink of an eye. Guerra very well could be among the top rushers not only in the RGV, but the state this season.

No. 4: ATH Keyan Lopez, Senior, Rio Hondo

2023 Stats: 47 rec, 829 yds, 13 TD; 151 total tckls, 15 TFL, 4 sacks, 2 INT, 2 FF, 1 FR, 1 BLK

Notes: Most teams in the RGV would love to have Lopez on their roster. Rio Hondo is lucky enough to have him on its. The 5-foot-11, 190-pound athlete can do it all on the gridiron and does it at a high level. On offense, Lopez is a physical wideout able to outmuscle most defensive backs. Defensively, Lopez brings that same physicality, able to lay the hammer down on ball carriers, while also possessing the speed to cover almost anybody on the field. An MVP-caliber season could be on the horizon for Lopez as he looks to go out with a bang his senior season.

No. 5: OL Jordan Brewster, Senior, PSJA North

2023 Stats: 91 pancakes

Notes: Replacing offensive linemen will be a big task for PSJA North this year. The young offensive line will benefit from the return of Brewster, arguably the top offensive lineman in the area this season. The 6-foot-4, 315-pound lineman can play any position in the trenches but likely will start at center for the Raiders this year. He’ll also bring a much-needed nastiness up front needed for PSJA North’s physical offense. When all is said and done, Brewster very well could be in for an all-state caliber season before moving on to playing on Saturdays.

[email protected]

This post was originally published on this site

With RGVSports.com expanding into the Coastal Bend area, the sports staff decided to find the top football  teams in the area heading into the 2024 season. 

The result of that culminated in the first-ever RGVSports.com Coastal Bend Top 4 poll. Below is the preseason rankings heading into the new year as voted on by the RGVSports.com staff. Updates to the poll will be coming every Monday following the conclusion of the previous week’s games.

No. 1 Corpus Christi Miller

The Buccaneers open as the No. 1 team in the Coastal Bend area and rightfully so, returning 16 starters from last year’s Region IV-5A DI finalist squad. Offensively, Miller fields one of the state’s most explosive units, averaging a whopping 57.6 points and 536.6 yards per game. The Buccaneers return weapons at every key position on that side of the ball, with quarterback Trevor Long (3,767 passing yards, 57 passing touchdowns) commanding the passing attack, while potential DI running back Broderick Taylor (2,333 rushing yards, 29 rushing touchdowns) securing the run game. Do-it-all playmaker Corey Holmes (1,609 total yards, 28 total touchdowns) gives the Buccaneers another weapon through the air and on the ground, while senior OL Devin Cage anchors the trenches. The defensive unit isn’t far behind from the offense, returning eight starters as well, including dynamic linebackers Delson Cavaness (166 total tackles, 14 TFL) and Lamarcus Cullum (146 total tackles, 23 TFL) and disruptive defensive linemen Steven Richardson (20 TFL, 7 sacks) and George Simmons 10 TFL, 6.5 sacks). A move down to Class 5A DII and a loaded returning class puts the Buccaneers in prime position to make another run at a regional title and more. They’ll be battle tested to make that type of run by the time the postseason rolls around, with non-district tilts against Class 6A DII state champion DeSoto, Corpus Christi Veterans and Cuero on their schedule, as well as a possible district-title deciding matchup against Gregory-Portland during the backend of their season.

No. 2 Flour Bluff

The title of No. 2 ranked team in the Coastal Bend area belongs to the Hornets, a squad favored by many to win the District 15-5A DI title. An explosive offensive attack is led by third-year starting quarterback Jayden Paluseo and star wideout Cameran Dickson, a Vanderbilt commit. The duo hooked up 66 times through the air for 1,089 yards and 17 touchdowns, making them arguably the top quarterback-receiver duo in the area. The defense will need to fill some holes, with only five starters returning from last year’s squad. The Hornets make the jump from 5A DII to 5A DI this season, moving into a district that features nine teams. A long district schedule is made tougher with games against PSJA North and Corpus Christi Veterans to close out the regular season. The Hornets should be up to the task, however, with a third-straight district title possibly in the cards.

No. 3 Corpus Christi Veterans

The Eagles open the season as the No. 3 team in the inaugural RGVSports.com Coastal Bend rankings, coming off an 8-4 season a year ago. They’ll be a fairly young team in 2024, but return players at key positions to keep them in the hunt this year. Junior quarterback Billy White III commands the offense for a second straight year, fresh off a breakout 3,000 passing yard, 30 passing touchdown season. He’s one of only four returners on the offensive side of the ball, but his experience and on-field coaching should help the brand-new skill position group. Linebacker Chris Vasquez will lead a defense that brings back just five starters, entering the year as the team’s top returner in tackles (81 total) and sacks (6). A Week 1 tilt against No. 1 Corpus Christi Miller will test the Eagles, but should serve as valuable experience for the team as they prepare for an eight-game district schedule.

No. 4 Gregory-Portland

The final spot in the Coastal Bend preseason poll belongs to the Wildcats, a team which has played into at least two rounds of the playoffs each of the last three seasons. Head coach Brent Davis has turned Gregory-Portland into a yearly contender since taking the reins in 2021 and this year should be no different, with a loaded offensive unit returning from last year’s 9-3 squad. QB Reed Dooms (2,242 passing yards, 25 passing touchdowns) and RB Cody Adame (1,220 rushing yards, 10 rushing touchdowns) give the Wildcats a dynamic one-two punch in the backfield, while receivers Brandon Coates and Ryder Harrison provide weapons outside. The biggest question for Gregory-Portland will be its defense, returning just two starters from last year. The unit will have plenty of time to mesh, however, with only five district contests on the schedule for the Wildcats. Non-district games against Calallen, Sinton and Alice should have the Wildcats ready to roll by the time district rolls around. Their Week 10 matchup against Miller is likely the biggest game on their schedule this year, with the contest likely deciding the district champion in 14-5A DII.

[email protected]

This post was originally published on this site

HARLINGEN — Harlingen High’s 2023 campaign could be labeled a successful season by most program standards. The Cardinals finished 8-4 overall and advanced to the second round of the postseason for a fourth straight year.

The Cardinals aren’t just any other program, however, with district titles and deep postseason runs the standard.

A “down” 2023 season has this year’s group motivated to get back to that level, with the Cardinals opening the year as the No. 5 team in the RGVSports.com 5A/6A preseason poll.

“The mood has been good going into this year,” Harlingen High junior running back Noah Huerta said. “We’re trying to get revenge for the season after last year. We got a few losses we feel like we shouldn’t have had. We have a lot of people coming back, a lot of leaders. We’re just excited. We got that motivation, and we’re ready to get it this year.”

While the 2023 campaign could be viewed as a rebuilding year on the outside, for the Cardinals the season served as valuable experience.

The experience will be on full display on both sides of the ball, with a total of 13 starters (seven offense, six defense) returning for the 2024 campaign.

“We don’t believe in rebuilding years, but I understand the stigma,” Harlingen High senior linebacker Sterling Tomlin said. “We’re ready, though. We’ve done a lot of reloading. We’ve put people in different places and changed things up. We’re ready for whatever God throws our way. We’re just going to keep pushing.”

Offensively, the Cardinals return one of the area’s top backs in Huerta. The junior ball carrier exploded onto the scene after being forced into the starting role following an injury to the team’s starting back, rushing for 942 yards and 18 touchdowns.

He’ll have an experienced front five opening holes for him this season, led by senior Anthony De Leon and junior Steve Lopez.

The biggest question mark for Harlingen High’s offense comes at the quarterback position, with the Cardinals graduating both their top options from a year ago. Senior Jonas Serna and freshman Hasaan Woolery are the likely candidates to take the QB1 role, both seeing action during the team’s scrimmages thus far.

Whoever lines up at quarterback will have a valuable weapon in sure-handed wideout Adam Sanchez. The senior receiver finished second in the district in receiving last year, hauling in 46 catches for 550 yards and three touchdowns.

“Our offense is going to be powerful,” Huerta said. “We feel like it is going to be one of the strongest in the game. Our quarterback, he’s going to ball out. He’s going to be good. You guys might not know who he is yet, but he’s going to show out. Just our whole offense is going to be good.”

The defense brings back its own set of playmakers at every level, beginning with first-team All-Valley linebacker Sterling Tomlin.

The hard-nosed linebacker enters Year 3 as a starter on the Cardinals’ defense and has established himself as one of the best at his position in the area, racking up 219 total tackles, 19 tackles for loss, four sacks and two interceptions through 25 games.

Defensive end Jacob Ortiz (62 total tackles, 20 TFL, two sacks) adds a disruptive force in the trenches for the Cardinals, and the return of safety Julisses Garza (27 total tackles, two interceptions in four games played) from injury adds a ball-hawking weapon in the secondary.

“I don’t want to say too much, but there has been some changes,” Tomlin said. “We’ve been practicing a lot and there has been a lot of consistency. We’ve had that consistency in our practicing, our plays and what we’re trying to do. To achieve our goals, we’re trying to stick to what we’ve been taught by our coaches. The defense is going to be stout. The offense is going to be stout. I say it every year, our offense is a sleeper. People don’t realize that. Often, we even lead the Valley in a lot of statistics, but people don’t see it because we’re known for our defense, but we’re going to be just as good on the offensive side of the ball.”

Harlingen High is set to open the regular season at home against a familiar foe in former district rival Weslaco High on Aug. 30 at Boggus Stadium, their first of three games at their home stadium to start the year.

The 32nd Bird Bowl against Harlingen South is set to follow the week after, with RGV powerhouse Edinburg Vela coming to town in Week 3. They’ll close out non-district play with games against Laredo United South, Mission Veterans and Cuero.

District play opens and closes with a bang for the Cardinals, who take on last year’s 5A DI state semifinalist Brownsville Veterans on Oct. 10 to kick off 32-6A play and finish the year at home with the Battle of Arroyo against San Benito on Nov. 8.

[email protected]

This post was originally published on this site

LOS FRESNOS — The Los Fresnos Falcons are no strangers to the postseason. Since the arrival of head coach David Cantu in 2021, the Falcons have qualified for the playoffs three straight times, earning two postseason games during that span, as well.

One thing missing, however, is a district title.

With a star-studded group of returners, this season could be the year Los Fresnos breaks through and captures the gold ball. The Falcons are the No. 7 team in the RGVSports.com 5A/6A preseason poll.

“We, for sure, have pressure this season,” Los Fresnos quarterback Robert Pineda said. “We know what we did all offseason though and spring ball. We’re all competitive. We all have the same ambition. We’re chasing that gold ball. Every day we come in with that mindset. We want it really bad not just for us, but for the community.”

The Falcons return a solid core on both sides of the ball, bringing back a total of 11 starters from last year’s bi-district finalist squad.

One of the biggest returning pieces is Pineda, the third year starting signal caller. The junior has started 23 games since stepping onto the field in 2021, leading the Falcons to back-to-back playoff appearances and one postseason win.

Pineda has established himself as one of the RGV’s premier dual-threat quarterbacks since his freshman year, throwing for 3,254 yards and 35 touchdowns and rushing for 1,567 yards and 16 scores in two years.

Year 3 could bring even more success for the quarterback, with Pineda’s experience allowing coaches to open the playbook even more on offense.

“I feel really comfortable in this offense going into this year,” Pineda said. “I feel like my offensive line trusts me. My receivers and coaches trust me. I just feel really good going into this one.”

The Falcons also bring back a pair of playmakers at wideout in junior Lucky Perales and senior Josh Limon. The receiver duo earned their quarterback’s trust last season, combining for 737 receiving yards and seven touchdowns.

A new face will start alongside Pineda in the backfield in 2024, with junior running back JC Fuentes stepping into the starting role. Fuentes showed flashes of his potential despite a limited role last year, averaging 9.4 yards per carry en route to 347 rushing yards and four touchdowns.

Junior middle linebacker Juan Sanchez returns to command the offense, racking up 82 tackles and three tackles for loss as a sophomore, while versatile safety Cade Stumbaugh (61 tackles, three sacks, two fumble recoveries, one interception) gives the Falcons another weapon against the pass and run.

Junior defensive back Abraham Elizondo’s return from injury should help solidify the Falcons secondary, displaying his lockdown potential last year after racking up 30 tackles, 10 passes deflected and one interception in nine games played.

“We’re feeling great going into this year,” Pineda said. “We’ve had a good spring ball. Everyone on our team is competitive. We’re all looking forward to having a good season this year.”

The road to a district championship won’t be as long as years past, with realignment knocking 32-6A down from six teams to five in 2024.

That won’t make it any easier, however, with the already loaded district, which features RGV powerhouses Harlingen High and San Benito, adding Brownsville Veterans into the mix.

“It is going to take a lot of hard work to come out on top of this district,” Pineda said. “We’re ready though. We are going to take on anyone. We’re excited for the challenge.”

Los Fresnos opens the season with non-district games against a pair of McAllen ISD schools in McHi and Rowe. A home tilt against Laredo United South follows in Week 3, followed by back-to-back road games against PSJA High and Edinburg High before closing out their non-district slate at home against Sharyland High.

The Falcons won’t waste any time taking on the top dawgs in their district, kicking off 32-6A play against San Benito on Oct. 18, followed by tilts against Brownsville Veterans and Harlingen High before closing out the year against Brownsville Hanna.

[email protected]

This post was originally published on this site

McALLEN — More than 50 teams from across the Coastal Bend, Laredo and RGV took centerstage under the lights Friday, all gathering at the McAllen Sports Complex for the Bulldogs Friday Night Light Cross Country Invitational.

Two teams stood out among the loaded group, with McAllen High’s girls and Weslaco East boys taking home the team trophy for their second straight overall victory to start the 2024 season.

The Bulldogs had three athletes finish among the top five in a field that featured 185 total runners. Senior Dana Rojas Vazquez led the group, clocking in at 17 minutes, 42.5 seconds for the individual win. The victory marked her second straight of the year, while also breaking the sub-18 mark for a second time this season.

Fellow senior Kenzi Ramirez joined Rojas Vazquez in the top five, coming in fourth with a time of 19:14.5, followed by freshman teammate Sophia Simpson in fifth with a time of 19:34.3. Simpson has now finished in the top five during each of her first two varsity meets.

In the boys division, the Wildcats had their top five runners all finish inside the top 25 to secure their second straight team victory. Senior Adrianno Gonzalez paced the way with a sixth-place finish, clocking in at 15:59.4. Octavian De La Serna (15th), Aaron Nava (16th), Aron Martinez (19th) and Alexander Nava (21st) rounded out the Wildcats top five runners.

While the Wildcats took home the team trophy, the Lions dynamic junior trio stole the show, with the group taking the top three spots during the race.

Anthony Morales cruised to first place with a time of 15:00.3 during his first meet of the 2024 season, followed by his twin sibling Armando in second (15:10.5) and Nathan Salinas in third (15:36.0).

With the trio leading the way, the Lions finished in third in the overall team standings, with Eagle Pass taking second.

For full results from this weekend’s cross country action, click here.

[email protected]

This post was originally published on this site