Author: Ivan Palacios and Bryan Ramos

September 19, 2024September 19, 2024 by Ivan Palacios and Bryan Ramos

5A DII Notebook: Passers emerging in 5A DII

The Texas high school football season is three weeks in, and strong quarterback play has started to emerge from Districts 15-5A DII and 16-5A DII.

Brownsville Lopez senior Lupe Ramirez, a three-year starter, is no stranger to lighting it up through the air. The Lobos’ signal-caller has completed 59 of his 77 passes and ranks third in the Rio Grande Valley with 706 passing yards and nine touchdowns through three games.

Sharyland High junior Calvin Harris has shown the ability to impact the game with his arm, legs and hands after going for a hat trick with a passing, rushing and receiving touchdown during the Rattlers’ most recent game against Mission High. Harris is up to 661 passing yards, which ranks fourth in the RGV, 197 rushing yards and nine total touchdowns.

Mission High defender Jose Sanchez (22) attempts to stop the run of Sharyland High quarterback Calvin Harris (14) in a Non-District game at Richard Thompson Stadium on Friday, Sept. 13, 2024, in
Mission. (Joel Martinez | [email protected])

Sharyland Pioneer’s passing attack continues to take shape this season, and the Diamondbacks’ Week 3 31-14 win over Edinburg North showcased it. Senior quarterback William Goodloe, who played receiver last season, had his best performance of the early season with 221 passing yards, 50 rushing yards and four total touchdowns against the Cougars.

Sharyland Pioneer quarterback William Goodloe (1) passes the ball against Rio Grande City in a non-district game at Richard Thompson Stadium on Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, in Mission. (Joel Martinez | [email protected])

Mission Veterans junior Cameron Sarinana has flashed potential this season and sits seventh in the Valley with 555 passing yards and four touchdown tosses. He finished his first career start with 290 yards and three touchdowns against crosstown rival Mission High before running into two tough defenses in Edcouch-Elsa and PSJA High. The experience will prove valuable once district play rolls around.

Mission Veterans junior quarterback Cameron Sarinana. (Photo by Andrew Cordero | Special to RGVSports.com.)

Roma also has a new gunslinger in town with quarterback Eli Garza taking over after transferring from McAllen Rowe before the season started. He completed 2-of-5 passes in his debut with the Gladiators last week, a 17-6 win over Grulla, for 76 yards and a touchdown, and he also ran for 27 yards.

THUNDER D
Edcouch-Elsa’s “Thunder Defense” had high expectations coming into the 2024 campaign, returning nearly all of its starters and setting out to allow just two touchdowns all season.

Edcouch-Elsa linebacker Matt Cano (2) attempts to deflect a pass by McAllen High quarterback Joaquin Valdez (10) during a non-district game Friday at Benny Layton Memorial Stadium in Elsa. (Manny Ruiz | Special to RGVSports)

The Yellow Jackets have allowed more than two touchdowns this year, but they’ve still proven to be among the RGV’s top units this year.
Through three games Edcouch-Elsa has allowed 543 total yards and 33 points, averaging just 181.0 yards and 11 points per game against.

More impressively, the Yellow Jackets have 15 takeaways and three defensive touchdowns on the year, tallying 10 interceptions, five fumble recoveries, two pick-sixes and one fumble return TD.

A pair of non-district games remain for Edcouch-Elsa, beginning with Edinburg High this Friday, followed by a contest against Port Isabel the following week.

NEXT UP
A couple of weeks remain before the start of district play for the Valley’s 5A-DII districts, but that doesn’t mean exciting matchups aren’t on deck.

PSJA Southwest (1-2) and Sharyland High (1-2) kick off Week 4 action at 7 p.m. today in a non-district battle between playoff hopefuls. Both teams are looking for a return to the postseason this year, with the matchup also presenting a possible bi-district matchup this season.

Sharyland Pioneer looks to stay hot at home against a tough Brownsville Hanna team. The Diamondbacks are coming off back-to-back wins after dropping their season opener, while the Eagles are in search of their first win of the year. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. Friday at Richard Thompson Stadium in Mission.

Other notable matchups include Brownsville Lopez (2-1) vs. Grulla (1-2) at 7 p.m. today at Joe Sanchez Stadium in Rio Grande City, Mission Veterans (0-3) at Laredo Johnson (1-2) at 7 p.m. today and more.

For a full look at this week’s scheduled games, visit RGVSports.com.

September 17, 2024September 17, 2024 by Ivan Palacios and Bryan Ramos

Sub-5A Notebook: Bloodhounds embrace underdog role

BROWNSVILLE — On any given game night, Brownsville St. Joseph’s active roster features about 25 players, give or take a few depending on injury.

The Bloodhounds have played up in numbers each week this season yet stand with a 3-0 overall record, the program’s best start since 2016.

St. Joseph, which competes in TAPPS Division II District 3, opened the year with a 34-6 victory at home against Raymondville. One week later, the Bloodhounds took down crosstown rival Brownsville Veterans 41-21 on the road in an upset of the reigning Region IV-5A DI champion Chargers, who are now competing at the Class 6A level.

After going toe-to-toe with the Valley’s best and winning a dogfight, the Bloodhounds played host to Class 5A Corpus Christi Carroll last Friday at Canales Field in Brownsville and pulled off a thrilling 29-28 victory to keep their perfect record intact approaching the midway point of the regular season.

Carroll had nearly 80 players dressed for their game against St. Joseph to just 23 for the Bloodhounds.

“We have a quote that’s in our locker room and they’ve seen it since they were little kids. The mantra of Bloodhound football is, ‘Eleven brothers can’t be beat.’ For me, they can dress out as many as they want, they gotta put 11 out there, and if our 11 are united and they don’t point fingers and they believe in each other, I’ll put my 11 against anybody’s 11 and the rest will take care of itself,” St. Joseph’s 10th-year head coach Tino Villarreal said. “I think these guys put in so much hard work in the offseason. They know we’re ironman football, they know we gotta be the best conditioned team, so all of these things play into the culture of what it means to be a St. Joe Bloodhound.”

The Brownsville St. Joseph defense lines up during a non-district game against Brownsville Veterans on Sept. 6, 2024 at Brownsville Veterans Memorial’s Veterans Stadium in Brownsville. Courtesy Photo – Mariana Paez, Bloodhound Media.

Senior athlete Claudio Torres has been on a tear through three games with 678 total yards and nine touchdowns. He scored the game-winning touchdown and two-point conversion against Carroll with :35 seconds remaining to help seal the victory.

Junior quarterback Gavin Cisneros hit some big-time throws during the Bloodhounds’ comeback victory over Carroll, and senior offensive/defensive lineman Diego De La Cruz, a University of Texas at El Paso commit, is a wrecking ball in the trenches on both sides of the ball.

“These guys are resilient. They were put in real difficult situations, but they were able to overcome that and get the job done, and that’s a good sign for us in non-district play,” Villarreal said. “You want to be challenged, you want to be put in tough situations, you want to be down at halftime, you want to be down in the third quarter, you want to be down with two minutes left to see how you respond, and they responded to the challenge very well. They kept their poise, they kept their cool and they never stopped believing that the game was in our reach.”

Brownsville St. Joseph athlete Claudio Torres runs with the ball during a non-district game against Brownsville Veterans on Sept. 6, 2024 at Brownsville Veterans Memorial’s Veterans Stadium in Brownsville. Courtesy Photo – Mariana Paez, Bloodhound Media.

Villarreal sees similarities between this year’s Bloodhounds and the 2016 squad that started the season 3-0. That St. Joseph team was quarterbacked by Kai Money, who went on to play receiver for the Texas Longhorns.

“Their similarities are that they’re super united. They’re like a family, and that allows them to be loose in practice but know they gotta get the job done,” Villarreal said. “They’re able to be relaxed and laugh and joke and play music and dance in practice, and it’s not something old-school for us that we get bothered by because they’re laser-focused on their job. They want to win.”

Next for the Bloodhounds is a business trip against Austin Regents (2-1) at 6 p.m. Friday in Austin. Win or lose, Villarreal feels Brownsville St. Joseph has the potential to piece together a deep playoff run.

“I think great teams are consistent — they don’t have roller-coaster rides. They come in with the same objective every week, they play at a high level every week, know their assignment every week, regardless of who the opponent is, regardless of the weather, or if we’re traveling,” Villarreal said. “If we’re able to just play consistent ball and every week improve on one little detail, I think that that’s going to be the ticket for us to make a deep run in the playoffs.”

PLAYMAKERS
Week 3 delivered several standout performances across the RGV, including some at the sub-5A level.

Port Isabel running back Luis Ramos continued his offensive tear to start the season, racking up more than 250 all-purpose yards and three touchdowns during a 48-0 rout of Valley View.

Ramos took the game’s opening kickoff 78 yards for a touchdown to set the tone for the Tarpons and added a 75-yard touchdown run and a 61-yard touchdown reception. The junior running back, who only played one half, finished the game with six carries for 133 yards and a touchdown, and added one reception for 61 yards and a score and a kick return touchdown.

Other notable performances included Mario Lopez’s 174-rushing-yard, three-touchdown outing for Rio Hondo against Hidalgo, and Santa Maria quarterback/defensive back Miguel “PJ” Alaniz throwing for 229 yards and three touchdowns, adding five carries for 40 yards and a score and a pick-six.

For full stat leaders for all the RGV’s teams, visit RGVSports.com.

HEATING UP
RGV players weren’t the only thing on fire last week, with several sub-5A Rio Grande Valley teams gaining steam.

Lyford picked up its second straight win after dropping its season opener to Port Isabel, cruising past Brownsville Porter 47-21. The Bulldogs will look to continue rolling as district play begins Friday, when they take on Bishop (0-3) at 7 p.m. at Bulldog Stadium.

Meanwhile, the La Feria Lions improved to 2-1 after their second straight win of the year, taking down Hidalgo 27-13 at home last week. Next up for the Lions is a tilt against Valley View (0-3) at 7 p.m. Friday at Lion Stadium in La Feria.

Santa Rosa continued its hot streak to start the season, moving to 3-0 with a convincing 17-6 win over La Villa. The Warriors now have outscored their first three opponents 113-18. They’ll take on Brownsville Porter (0-3) at 7 p.m. Thursday at Sams Memorial Stadium in Brownsville.

For full results and standings from across the Valley, visit RGVSports.com.

June 10, 2023 by Ivan Palacios and Bryan Ramos

McAllen Rowe tops San Benito for spot at State 7-on-7

WESLACO — McAllen Rowe and San Benito both made the trip to College Station by qualifying for last summer’s state 7-on-7 tournament.

There was only room for one Saturday, however, as the Warriors and Greyhounds faced off in the state qualifying round of the Mid-Valley State Qualifying Tournament at Weslaco East High School, with the winner earning its spot at state.

McAllen Rowe proved to be too much to handle, claiming a 27-7 win over San Benito to punch its ticket to College Station for the eighth time in program history.

The 2023 7-on-7 state tournament is scheduled for June 22-24 at Veterans Park and Athletic Complex in College Station.

“We knew they’re a good, fast team, so we had to come in here and keep our cool, play without emotion and take it play by play,” Rowe quarterback Lance Salinas. “We have a lockdown defense, our offense was moving the ball — it was great all-around. Every game, we got better.”

Salinas connected repeatedly with offensive weapons Sammy Femat, Isaiah Mata and Isaiah Sanchez to move the ball.

San Benito quarterback Aaron Corona threw a touchdown pass to Atticus De Leon on a crosser for the Greyhounds’ only points. The Warriors’ defense played lights out with a three-and-out to start the game and a goal-line stand late in the first half to build a two-score halftime lead.

The SQT round game was McAllen Rowe’s second in as many weeks after the Warriors lost 20-13 against PSJA North at the Snake Pit Classic last Saturday for a spot at state. Now, the Warriors will have to make reservations of their own for their trip to College Station in two weeks.

“It made us push a lot harder. It’s our senior year, and we put in a lot of work to get here,” Femat said. “We showed out the way we’re supposed to do.”

The Warriors join four other Valley teams heading to the 2023 7-on-7 state tournament.

La Feria, PSJA High, PSJA North and Weslaco High each punched their tickets to the state tournament last week.

The Lions went 4-0 during the Battle at the Bay SQT, picking up wins over Yoakum (14-6), Hidalgo (28-6), Raymondville and Port Isabel (26-7) to secure a return to state after a one-year hiatus.

PSJA High, PSJA North and Weslaco High each earned bids by winning their respective brackets at the Snake Pit Classic last week.

The Bears defeated San Benito 35-13 to qualify for the state tournament for the first time in program history. Meanwhile, the Raiders are set to make their second straight appearance after defeating McAllen Rowe 20-13.

Weslaco High is the most experienced of the RGV’s five state qualifiers, making its seventh appearance at the state tournament.

The Panthers defeated Laredo United South 13-6 in the qualifying game at Mission Veterans High School to advance to the state event for the first time since 2017.

June 4, 2023 by Ivan Palacios and Bryan Ramos

Trips Booked: Three RGV teams earn spots at state 7-on-7 tourney

MISSION — Three state bids were on the line during Saturday’s Snake Pit Classic 7-on-7 tournament, with teams from across the RGV and Laredo fighting for a spot.

All three berths went to RGV teams for a second straight year, with PSJA North, Weslaco High and PSJA High winning their respective brackets to punch their tickets to the state tournament.

The 2023 7-on-7 state tournament is scheduled for June 22-24 at Veterans Park and Athletic Complex in College Station.

AT TOM LANDRY STADIUM

The PSJA North Raiders were the undisputed No. 1 team in the RGV last season, running through the competition en route to a perfect 10-0 regular season and an appearance in the Region IV-5A championship game.

Last year’s success has placed a target on the Raiders heading into the 2023 campaign, with every team wanting to take them down.

That didn’t seem to phase PSJA North on Saturday, as the Raiders went 4-0 in Bracket A at Tom Landry Stadium en route to a state 7-on-7 bid.

PSJA North gathers together for photos after punching its ticket to the state 7-on-7 tournament following a 20-13 victory over McAllen Rowe on Saturday at Tom Landry Stadium in Mission. (Ivan Palacios | RGVSports.com)

“It feels good to be back,” PSJA North quarterback Ale Aparicio said. “We feel honored to be going back there. We aren’t guaranteed another tournament after this one, so we had to come out here and take advantage of the opportunity. We have a lot of hype everywhere we go, but we don’t let that get to us. We stay humble and play our game. We go out there and execute every play and fight until the end.”

The Raiders cruised through Pool 2 play to secure a spot in the state qualifying game, taking down Harlingen High (41-7), Sharyland High (25-14) and Laredo United (27-12). Their 3-0 mark set up a matchup against the McAllen Rowe Warriors, who finished 2-1 in Pool 1 to advance.

While 7-on-7 normally features high-scoring affairs, it was PSJA North’s defense that stole the show during the qualifying game, forcing turnovers on three of McAllen Rowe’s five possessions.

Offensively, Aparicio and senior tight end Julius Arredondo led the charge, connecting twice for touchdowns, including the go-ahead score from 8 yards with five minutes remaining to make it 20-13.

Senior defensive back Leroy Palacios came up with the game’s biggest turnover on the ensuing possessions, picking off McAllen Rowe quarterback Lance Salinas to secure the victory and the Raiders’ spot at the state tournament.

“I was always told by my dad to just play the ball,” Palacios said. “I just got up there and got it. I fell really hard, but that’s just football. It feels good to be back after we did last year. We lost a few guys but we’ve had kids step up. Nothing really matters. We’re just coming out here to play ball.”

AT MISSION VETERANS HIGH SCHOOL

The Weslaco High Panthers prevailed over Laredo United South in the state qualifying round by a score of 13-6 to punch their ticket to the state 7-on-7 tournament for the first time since 2017.

Quarterback Andres Sepulveda tossed a pair of touchdown passes, one in each half, to Jayden Garcia and Chris Luna.

The Panthers’ defense came up big in all four games with seven combined interceptions on the day, including one on the first play of the second half in the state qualifying round against United South.

Laredo United South made it a one-score game with three minutes remaining, but Sepulveda connected with Elijah Rodriguez for two big first downs to seal the victory for Weslaco.

Weslaco High celebrates its state qualifying round victory over Laredo United South on Saturday at Mission Veterans High School. (Bryan Ramos | RGVSports.com)

“We knew we had to attack the middle, and if they’re playing man, just win those 1-on-1 routes. Defense did what they needed to do, and we just all came together and clicked,” Sepulveda said. “We went home on a loss last year in the state qualifying round, so we took it a little personal and just came back and gave it our all.”

AT KENNETH WHITE MIDDLE SCHOOL

The PSJA High Bears ran the table in Bracket C, going 4-0 en route to the third and final state bid of the tournament.

PSJA High opened play with a tight contest against Sharyland Pioneer, edging the Diamondbacks 27-26. From there, the Bears picked up wins over La Joya High (34-0) and Laredo LBJ to secure a spot in the state qualifying game against San Benito.

PSJA High’s 7-on-7 football team defeated San Benito during the 2023 Snake Pit Classic to earn a state tournament bid. (Courtesy Photo)

The Bears picked apart the Greyhounds in the final game, defeating San Benito 35-13 to stay perfect and punch their ticket to the state tournament.

For full results from the Snake Pit Classic, visit RGVSports.com.

[email protected]

May 25, 2023 by Ivan Palacios and Bryan Ramos

UTRGV football extends offers to seven Valley standouts

EDINBURG — UTRGV has been busy on the recruiting trail as head coach Travis Bush and staff build the first football team in school history. This week, several Rio Grande Valley high school football standouts received offers as preferred walk-ons to join the UTRGV football team as the program prepares for launch in 2024 and 2025.

PSJA North’s Alejandro Aparicio, twins Danny and Dante Garcia, Joe Derek Vecchio, McAllen High’s Max Alvarez, San Benito’s Fabian Garcia and Brownsville Veterans’ Nick Tovar all received offers as preferred walk-ons from the UTRGV coaching staff.

PSJA North junior quarterback/athlete Alejandro Aparicio threw for 1,715 yards and 21 touchdowns, ran for 957 yards and 17 touchdowns, and caught one pass for 34 yards last season. Aparicio was named The Monitor’s 2022 All-Area Player of the Year last season, earning a spot on the RGVSports.com All-Valley team.

Raiders’ junior defensive lineman Danny Garcia tallied 129 total tackles, 28 tackles for a loss, 5.5 sacks, 21 quarterback hurries and four pass deflections. Dante Garcia, who played left tackle, had 131 pancake blocks in 13 games.

PSJA North junior center Joe Derek Vecchio recorded 65 pancake blocks in 10 games. All three PSJA North lineman earned spots on the 2022 RGVSports.com All-Valley team, with the twin siblings also garnering The Monitor’s All-Area Co-Linemen of the Year honors.

McAllen High junior athlete Obed “Max” Alvarez played offense and defense for the Bulldogs, posting 564 receiving yards, 350 rushing yards, 11 total touchdowns including one on kickoff return, 45 tackles and one interception. His standout season earned him a spot on the The Monitor’s 2022 All-Area first team at the utility player role.

San Benito junior running back Fabian Garcia led the Valley in rushing in 2022 with 2,230 yards on 221 carries for an average of 10.1 yards per carry. He finished with 29 rushing touchdowns and also added seven receptions for 103 yards and one receiving touchdown. Garcia’s record-setting season landed him on the inaugural RGVSports.com All-Valley team, while also winning the Valley Morning Star’s Offensive Player of the Year award.

Brownsville Veterans junior tight end Nick Tovar caught eight passes for 72 yards and three touchdowns to go with 11 pancake blocks in the Chargers’ run-heavy offense. Tovar, like the rest of the athletes, earned postseason recognition last year, named to the Brownsville Herald’s All-Area First Team.

Coach Bush and company have also extended offers to Boerne quarterback Jaxon Baize (Class of 2025); Manvel edge rusher Jalen Charles, defensive back Avery Demery and defensive lineman Mason Fleming; Galena Park North Shore linebacker Dillon Dixon; Summer Creek defensive end Kyran Duhon; Klein Collins defensive back Chris Gant Jr.; Gregory-Portland athlete Colton Harrison and linebacker/tight end Brodie Mitchell; Brock tight end Jaxon Hart and offensive lineman Brock Riker; Terrell defensive back Marquel Hambric; Converse Judson linebacker Jaiden Haygood; San Antonio Veterans linebacker Aaron Hoyle; Cypress Creek defensive lineman Nicholas Igwe; Austin Westlake running back Jack Kayser, wide receiver Heath McRee; Smithson Valley offensive lineman William Mack; Clear Falls linebacker Le’Kell Mc’Gowan; Round Rock offensive lineman Luke Miller; Katy defensive back Jed Olotu-Judah; Pflugerville Weiss defensive lineman Chidera Otutu; Houston Conroe defensive back Isaiah Pruitt; Pasadena Dobie defensive back Charles Richard; Corpus Christi Veterans receiver/defensive back Christian Sabsook; Ingleside defensive back/receiver Jaydon Smith; Richardson Berkner outside linebacker Yamil Talib; Brazoswood linebacker Caleb Warren.

UTRGV football plans to conduct a practice year in 2024 before beginning to officially compete at the Division I level in 2025.

CAMP SEASON

UTRGV is partnering with Texas A&M-Kingsville to host a football camp from 9-11 a.m. Saturday at Richard R. Flores Stadium in Edinburg. The camp is run by Texas A&M-Kingsville. For more information, email [email protected].

UTRGV football will also be in attendance at Texas State and UTSA’s football camp on June 1, Houston’s Camp on June 2, Southern Methodist’s (SMU) camp on June 3 and Texas Christian’s (TCU) camp on June 4.

UTRGV and Texas A&M-Kingsville partnering to host Football Camp on Saturday at Richard R. Flores Stadium in Edinburg. Courtesy Graphic.

Texas A&M-Kingsville Summer Camp Schedule. Courtesy Graphic.

UTRGV Football Summer Camp Schedule. Courtesy Graphic.

March 6, 2023 by Ivan Palacios and Bryan Ramos

UTRGV basketball teams tip-off 2023 WAC Tourney

The UTRGV basketball teams enter win-or-go-home mode this week as they begin play in the 2023 Hercules Tires Western Athletic Conference Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournament at Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, today and Tuesday.

The winner of the 12-team men’s and women’s WAC tourneys earns a berth to the 2023 NCAA Men’s and Women’s Tournaments later this month.

The UTRGV women’s basketball team enters the WAC tournament as the No. 10 seed and will take on New Mexico State at 8 tonight in the opening round. The UTRGV men’s team is the No. 10 seed in the men’s tourney and opens against No. 7 Tarleton at 8 p.m. Tuesday. All WAC Tournament games can be streamed online on ESPN+.

MEN’S BASKETBALL

The Vaqueros 2022-23 men’s basketball season has been filled with up and downs, finishing the year just under .500 with an overall mark of 15-16.

They enter the WAC tournament with a bit of momentum on their side, winning three of their last five, almost making it four if not for a nail-biting loss to Utah Tech at home Feb. 23.

The Vaqueros drew a first-round opponent they experienced success against during the regular season, the Tarleton Texans. UTRGV became the first team to defeat the Texans at home this season with a 68-65 win Feb. 4. They completed the season sweep of the Texans during their home finale Feb. 25, taking down Tarleton 99-95 at the UTRGV Fieldhouse in Edinburg.

University of Texas Rio Grande Valley guard Justin Johnson (1) attempts a basket against the University of Texas Arlington in a WAC game at the UTRGV Fieldhouse on Thursday, Feb. 9, 2023, in Edinburg. (Joel Martinez | [email protected]) Joel Martinez

Senior forward Justin Johnson leads the Vaqueros into the postseason, averaging a team-high 20.6 points and 5.2 rebounds per game. He’s complemented by sophomore point guard Will Johnston, the team’s second leading scorer (14.5) and team leader in assists (3.7).

Freshman Adante’ Holliman could be the X-factor the Vaqueros need Tuesday, however. The first-year guard has emerged as a playmaker for UTRGV since Feb. 1, averaging 11.1 points per game on 47.2% shooting from beyond the arc during the nine-game span.

Holliman played a key role in the Vaqueros pair of wins against Tarleton, averaging 13.5 points and 3.0 assists against the Texans this year.

A win by UTRGV would mark the team’s first WAC tournament victory since 2019 and just the second all-time. The winner between the two teams advances to the tournament’s quarterfinals to face off against No. 2 Utah Valley at 8 p.m. Thursday.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

The Vaqueros women’s team is riding a wave of momentum entering the 2023 WAC Tournament, something they’ve grown accustomed to with a pair of conference tournament wins a season ago.

The UTRGV women’s basketball team (12-17, 6-12) has won three of its last four games, a number that could easily be a five-game winning streak had a few bounces gone the Vaqueros’ way during tight fourth quarters down the stretch.

The Vaqueros picked up three-straight wins against Tarleton (66-58), Sam Houston (65-61) and Utah Valley (69-59) before falling against California Baptist 81-76 in overtime on the final day of the regular season last Thursday.

University of Texas Rio Grande Valley guard Iyana Dorsey (2) takes possession of the rebound against Tarleton in a WAC game at the UTRGV Fieldhouse on Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2023, in Edinburg. (Joel Martinez | [email protected]) Joel Martinez

Now, the No.10-seeded Vaqueros will face the No. 7 New Mexico State Aggies (15-15, 10-8) in Round 1 of the WAC Tournament. The Aggies defeated the Vaqueros in the only matchup between the two this season 67-59 on Dec. 29, 2022 at the UTRGV Fieldhouse in Edinburg.

Guard Iyana Dorsey has been one of the top scorers in the conference and leads the Vaqueros with 15.9 points per game. Her ability to go off for 30 on any night gives UTRGV an offensive weapon that’s hard to match. Post Deborah Ogayemi has been who the rock goes to when the Vaqueros need points in the paint as she’s putting up 9.4 points and 7.5 rebounds a night. They’ll be key in UTRGV’s success against an athletic New Mexico State squad.

If the Vaqueros can get past the Aggies, they’ll face No. 2 seed Southern Utah at 8 p.m. Wednesday.

December 18, 2022 by Ivan Palacios and Bryan Ramos

UTRGV basketball set for South Padre Island takeover

EDINBURG — The UTRGV men’s and women’s basketball teams are set to take over South Padre Island for the next three days as the South Padre Island Convention Center hosts five games today through Tuesday.

The men’s basketball team (7-4) tips off the action with the second annual UTRGV South Padre Island Battle on the Beach against Houston Christian (3-8) at 6 p.m. today.

The women’s basketball team (5-4) makes its return to the Island on Monday and Tuesday with the third annual UTRGV South Padre Island Classic. The round-robin tournament features UTRGV, Boise State (4-7), Bowling Green (8-1) and Texas A&M-Commerce (2-7) playing four games over the two days. The Vaqueros will face Boise State at 6 p.m. Monday and Bowling Green at 6 p.m. Tuesday. Texas A&M-Commerce takes on Bowling Green on Monday and Boise State on Tuesday, both with 3 p.m. start times.

Tickets to catch the UTRGV men’s and women’s basketball teams in action at the South Padre Island Convention Center can be purchased at UTRGVtickets.com. The games also will be streamed online on ESPN+, ESPN’s streaming service.

UTRGV SOUTH PADRE ISLAND BATTLE ON THE BEACH

The UTRGV men’s basketball team returns to SPI for a second consecutive season during the second annual UTRGV Battle on the Beach today.

Games at South Padre Island have become a part of UTRGV’s efforts to “Rally the Valley,” giving fans from Cameron County and the Lower Valley a chance to watch the Vaqueros in their area.

“We try to play a game here every year because we want to take our product to Cameron County,” UTRGV head coach Matt Figger said. “We’re their school, too. They have campuses down there, and we love to have them. That is specifically why we do this, for them to be there. We love to have Cameron County UTRGV fans in the stands.”

Today’s contest gives Lower Valley UTRGV fans a glimpse at one of the nation’s top scoring offenses, with the Vaqueros ranking 21st in the nation in points per game at 82.8. They also rank sixth in field goal percentage, shooting 51% from the field.

University of Texas Rio Grande Valley guard Justin Johnson (1) drives down the court against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi in a non-conference contest at the UTRGV Fieldhouse on Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2022, in Edinburg. Joel Martinez

UTRGV’s Justin Johnson has spearheaded the Vaqueros’ offensive barrage, averaging a team-leading 20.4 points per game this season while shooting 50.3% from the field.

He’ll look to have a similar performance as he did during last year’s game at SPI, which featured the senior forward netting a then career-high 35 points during an 89-87 loss.

They’ll look to come home with the victory this time around, hoping to extend their winning streak to three before heading into Western Athletic Conference play after the holiday break.

“It is always good playing at the Island,” Johnson said. “It is going to be fun. We’re playing a team that we beat that is going to be trying to come at us hard. We got to clean up a few things and practice really well the next few days. … Going home for Christmas with a win is all that needs to be said for (today). We got to win (today) so we have a good taste in our mouths.”

UTRGV SOUTH PADRE ISLAND CLASSIC

The Vaqueros make their third visit to the Island for the UTRGV South Padre Island Classic, and they’re bringing three teams along with them.

Boise State is a solid team out of the Mountain West Conference and Bowling Green, which has only one loss this season, is ranked 40th in the nation according to the NCAA’s Women’s Basketball Net Rankings.

Iyana Dorsey leads the Vaqueros in scoring with 16.1 points per game, while Deborah Ogayemi ranks second on the team at 9.3 points.

University of Texas Rio Grande Valley guard Iyana Dorsey (2) drives the ball against Texas A&M Corpus Christi in a non-conference game at the UTRGV Fieldhouse on Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2022, in Edinburg. Joel Martinez

UTRGV head coach Lane Lord said a good showing by the Vaqueros on South Padre Island can boost their stock in the Rating Percentage Index (RPI).

“Defensively, we’re just so much better than our offense right now. We’ve won (three out of four), and a couple of those were on the road,” Lord said. “We feel good about where our team is right now. We got a long way to grow, but I really like our team. They’re good kids, they work hard, they got great effort, so I’m excited about Padre to show the Lower Valley what we can do and how good this team can really compete.”

For players, the trip to South Padre Island tied with the Christmas break provides opportunities for their families to make the trip to the Rio Grande Valley to see them in action, and they get to do it on the beach.

“I think it’s super cool. It gives our fans that are an hour and a half away an opportunity to watch one of our games, and who doesn’t want to play at a beach? That’s just the amazing perk of UTRGV is we have Padre an hour and a half away,” UTRGV junior guard Halie Jones said. “This is definitely a tournament a lot of our families come to because who experiences the beach in December, so I’m really excited.”

July 22, 2022 by Ivan Palacios and Bryan Ramos

Mid-Valley teams gearing up for new look districts

PHARR — District 31-6A received a revamped look following realignment earlier this season. The former nine-team district moved to six for the 2022 campaign, with three teams dropping a classification.

Gone are last season’s district champion Edinburg Vela and perennial power PSJA North, both making the move to Class 5A DI. The move shook up the district, with only two of last year’s four playoff qualifiers back this season, opening the door for others to breakthrough.

Four of District 31-6A’s six teams made appearances during RGVSports.com’s 2022 football media day Thursday at PSJA Stadium in Pharr, each gearing up for a run at the district title.

“With this new district, it gives us all a chance to make it,” Edinburg Economedes defense end Ramsey Ramirez said. “It gives us all a bigger chance to make the playoffs. It’s going to come down to who wants it more. With six teams and only four going to the playoffs, it’s just going to come down to who’s hungrier at the end of the day.”

The media day marked the first of three to be held by RGVSports.com this month leading up to the official start of practices Aug. 1.

The Jaguars were joined by Edinburg North, Edinburg High and PSJA High in representing District 31-6A during Thursday’s media day. The Cougars open as early favorites to win, with Dave Campbell’s Texas Football magazine picking them to come out on top.

Edinburg North returns 14 starters (six offense; eight defense) from last season’s team, which finished fifth in the district and just missed out on the postseason. Running backs Mark Hernandez, Ulysses Melendez and Christopher Barrera will be focal points of the offense, combining for 11 touchdowns last year.

“They all have a unique different style,” Edinburg North head coach Damian Gonzalez said. “Mark is one of those hammer guys. Chris is the speedy and flashy guy. Uly brings a mixture of both. They all have experience. They can all do different things with the ball. We’re looking to implement and take advantage of what they bring to the table.”

PSJA High hopes to make some noise this season, returning several key pieces from last year’s squad including third-year starter Jaime Lopez. The junior quarterback led the district in passing yards last season (1,989 yards, 21 touchdowns), adding 400 yards on the ground.

He’ll be joined by a pair of standouts outside in 6-foot-3 receiver Christian Gamboa (615 receiving yards; 15 touchdowns) and explosive wideout Andrew Castillo (485 yards; 12 touchdowns.

“Everyday in practice we run 7-on-7 against Jaime and the offense,” PSJA High defensive back Aiden Munoz said. “I think that helps our linebackers and defensive backs tremendously. Jaime, I think he’s the best quarterback in the Valley. He really dots us up with the receivers that we got. It makes it really fun and gives us a lot of practice.”

A total of 13 teams were represented during RGVSports.com’s first media day, including PSJA North and PSJA Memorial.

The Raiders are prepared for their move down to District 15-5A DI from District 31-6A a season ago. The Raiders were able to piece together a run to the regional semifinals in 2021 and return 16 starters from their Round 3 squad.

“We have to use the experience we have, dominate everybody, win games and go deep in the playoffs,” junior middle linebacker Mikey Gonzalez said.

PSJA Memorial is set to compete in the new-look District 16-5A DII, but more important for second-year head coach Will Littleton and the Wolverines is continuing taking steps in the right direction. The Wolverine’s six-team district includes Mission Veterans, PSJA Southwest, Roma, Sharyland High and Sharyland Pioneer. Four will earn playoff spots.

“Football season is obviously our favorite time of the year and we’re looking forward to the start,” Littleton said. “Personally at PSJA Memorial, we’re all excited about changing the culture and changing how people think about us. We’ve been working extremely hard and can’t wait to get out there and play ball.”

“Everybody’s bought in and everybody’s been showing up. The culture is changing,” senior running back Oziel Flores said.

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February 3, 2022 by Ivan Palacios and Bryan Ramos

New districts create obstacles, opportunity after UIL realignment

HARLINGEN — The UIL 2022-2024 reclassification and realignment creates new districts for Texas high school programs, and with it comes new obstacles and plenty of opportunity.

DISTRICTS 31-6A & 32-6A

Districts 31-6A and 32-6A will have new football champions next year with 2021 district title winners Edinburg Vela and Harlingen South dropping down to Class 5A Division I. Both districts also feature six teams.

Edinburg High, Edinburg Economedes, Edinburg North, La Joya High, Mission High and PSJA High make up the new 31-6A with the Bobcats and Eagles as the returning playoff teams from a season ago.

“It’s going to give our kids a lot of confidence in the offseason to prepare for what’s going to be a very competitive season. It’s going to be a district where I feel we have a good chance to do well and compete for a district title and playoff run,” Mission High football head coach Danny Longoria said.

Brownsville Hanna, Brownsville Rivera, Harlingen High, Los Fresnos, San Benito and Weslaco High will compete in 32-6A. The Cardinals, Falcons and Greyhounds are all coming off postseason appearances.

DISTRICT 15-5A DIVISION I

District 15-5A DI is the biggest of any in the Valley, featuring eight teams. Among those are Class 5A DI newcomers Edinburg Vela, La Joya Juarez-Lincoln and PSJA North

“Our 5A Division I is going to be a really tough district from top to bottom. It’s going to be real tough to even make the playoffs, let alone do some damage when you get there,” PSJA North football head coach Marcus Kaufmann said. “It’s a tough district. It’s going to be fun.”

Rio Grande City returns to the Valley after spending its previous two seasons as the lone RGV team in a district filled with San Antonio and Laredo opponents. They’ll join La Joya Palmview and McAllen ISD’s trio of schools in District 15-5A DI.

Five of the district’s eight teams are playoff qualifiers from a season ago, including a trio of third-round teams in the SaberCats, Raiders and Mustangs.

“I think it’s very competitive,” McAllen Memorial head coach Moses Patterson said. “Looking at it, there are some big teams there. … I think it’ll be very competitive. I’m looking forward to it. There is no sleeper game on there as far as district wise. I think it’s a good draw for us.”

DISTRICT 16-5A DIVISION I

Donna North and Harlingen South join the SaberCats, Huskies and Raiders in making the drop from Class 6A to Class 5A DI.

They’ll join Brownsville Lopez, Brownsville Pace, Brownsville Veterans, Donna High and Weslaco East in District 16-5A DI.

The Hawks and Chargers are the district’s only two teams to qualify for the postseason last year, with Harlingen South earning the District 32-6A title, while the Chargers finished third in District 16-5A DI.

DISTRICT 15-5A DIVISION II

In one of the biggest surprises of the morning, a pair of Coastal Bend schools will join four Valley programs in 2022.

Corpus Christi Flour Bluff and Gregory-Portland, which both advanced to the Region IV-5A DI finals a season ago, join Brownsville Porter, Edcouch-Elsa, Mercedes and Valley View in District 15-5A DII.

The addition of Coastal Bend teams presents challenges off the gridiron, with teams having to accommodate for travel to the Corpus Christi area for district games.

“COVID has changed the playing field,” Edcouch-Elsa head coach Christian Navarro said. “Having to deal with that and bussing, while ensuring you have the correct people working because as it is everybody has been affected. Travel has been a big deal. But, just like any other district, we’ll find a way.”

DISTRICT 16-5A DIVISION II

District 16-5A DII loses three teams from the past two seasons, dropping to six members for the next two years.

The district’s remaining members include Mission Veterans, PSJA Memorial, PSJA Southwest, Roma, Sharyland High and Sharyland Pioneer.

With a shorter district schedule, the room for error is small, Mission Veterans head coach David Gilpin said.

“I like the big districts because all year long it’s a battle,” Gilpin said. “You have more room for error in a big district. In a six-team district, if you take an unexpected loss or you take a loss in a toss-up game, it certainly hampers the chances at a district championship. … Those games will all be important.”

DISTRICT 16-4A DI

Hidalgo, Kingsville King, La Feria and Zapata are all holdovers from last year’s 16-4A DI but will see the addition of Alice, Corpus Christi Calallen and Corpus Christi Tuloso-Midway to the mix.

DISTRICT 16-4A DII

All four of District 16-4A DII’s teams — Bishop, Port Isabel, Raymondville and Grulla — have already punched their tickets to the 2022 and 2023 playoffs thanks to the latest realignment.

DISTRICT 16-3A DI

Rio Hondo’s move from Class 4A to Class 3A Division I begins in District 16-3A DI along with Falfurrias, Lyford, Progreso, San Diego and Santa Gertrudis Academy.

DISTRICT 16-3A DII

The lone change to District 16-3A DII is the subtraction of Skidmore-Tynan and addition of George West, which joins Banquete, Hebbronville, Monte Alto, Odem, Santa Rosa and Taft.

DISTRICT 16-2A DI

District 16-2A Division I features the same five teams from last season — Ben Bolt Palito-Blanco, La Villa, Premont and Santa Maria — plus the addition of Freer.

The La Villa Cardinals will look to defend their 2021 District 16-2A DI title with Freer and Premont nipping at their heels.

UIL 2022-24 FOOTBALL REALIGNMENT & ENROLLMENT
DISTRICT 31-6A
Team 2020-22 2022-24
Edinburg Economedes 2,739 2,704
Edinburg High 2,565 2,438
Edinburg North 2,763 2,696
La Joya High 2,854 2,826
Mission High 2,339 2,325
PSJA High 2,463 2,453
DISTRICT 32-6A
Team 2020-22 2022-24
Brownsville Hanna 2,609 2,394
Brownsville Rivera 2,504 2,381
Harlingen High 3,134 2,684
Los Fresnos 3,313 3,199
San Benito 3,074 2,924
Weslaco High 2,651 2,641.5
DISTRICT 15-5A DIVISION I
Team 2020-22 2022-24
Edinburg Vela 2,301 2,191
La Joya Juarez-Lincoln 2,285 2,098
La Joya Palmview 2,195 2,188
McAllen High 2,201 2,222
McAllen Memorial 2,115 2202.5
McAllen Rowe 2,165 1,996
PSJA North 2,224 2,110
Rio Grande City 2,160 2,068
DISTRICT 16-5A DIVISION I
Team 2020-22 2022-24
Brownsville Lopez 2,055.5 1,934
Brownsville Pace 2,151 2,018
Brownsville Veterans 2,152 2,068
Donna High 2,172 2,099
Donna North 2,257 2,208.5
Harlingen South 2,328 2,105
Weslaco East 2,184 2,157.5
DISTRICT 15-5A DIVISION II
Team 2020-22 2022-24
Brownsville Porter 2,011.5 1,891
Edcouch-Elsa 1,467 1,320.5
Mercedes 1,503 1,461
Valley View 1,455 1,368
Corpus Christi Flour Bluff
Gregory-Portland
DISTRICT 16-5A DIVISION II
Team 2020-22 2022-24
Mission Veterans 1,874 1,905
PSJA Memorial 1,852.5 1,851
PSJA Southwest 1,837 1,724
Roma 1,772 1,768
Sharyland High 1,760 1,751
Sharyland Pioneer 1,756 1,613
DISTRICT 16-4A DIVISION I
Team 2020-22 2022-24
Hidalgo 1,089 1,064.5
La Feria 1,005 923
Alice
Corpus Christi Calallen
Kingsville King
Tuloso-Midway
Zapata
DISTRICT 16-4A DIVISION II
Team 2020-22 2022-24
Grulla 918 857
Port Isabel 675 594
Raymondville 590 553
Bishop
DISTRICT 16-3A DIVISION I
Team 2020-22 2022-24
Lyford 483 460
Progreso 501 465
Rio Hondo 555 515
Falfurrias
San Diego
Santa Gertrudis Academy
DISTRICT 16-3A DIVISION II
Team 2020-22 2022-24
Monte Alto 265 305
Santa Rosa 308 284
Banquete
George West
Hebbronville
Odem
Taft
DISTRICT 16-2A DIVISION I
Team 2020-22 2022-24
La Villa 184 186
Santa Maria 201 169
Ben Bolt Palito-Blanco
Freer
Premont
Riviera Kaufer

February 3, 2022 by Ivan Palacios and Bryan Ramos

Shaking things up: Class 5A football gets stronger in latest UIL realignment

HARLINGEN — The University Interscholastic League (UIL) released its 2022-24 reclassification and realignment Thursday morning, shaking up the high school sports scene across the state for the next two years. Its impact on the Rio Grande Valley continues to be the loss of Class 6A schools, but the strengthening of Class 5A competitors with Edinburg Vela, Harlingen South and PSJA North, among others, dropping from the UIL’s highest classification.

GOING DOWN

The latest reclassification and realignment includes eight RGV teams moving down a classification — Brownsville Porter, Donna North, Edinburg Vela, Grulla, Harlingen South, La Joya Juarez-Lincoln, PSJA North and Rio Hondo.

The group includes two football teams that were crowned champions of their respective districts in 2021 in Edinburg Vela and Harlingen South, and two that reached the regional semifinals of the Class 6A playoffs last year in the PSJA North Raiders and Edinburg Vela SaberCats.

Edinburg Vela, La Joya Juarez-Lincoln and PSJA North went from District 31-6A a season ago to District 15-5A Division I for the next two years. They’ll compete against La Joya Palmview, McAllen High, McAllen Memorial, McAllen Rowe and Rio Grande City in football.

“There’s going to be some good football teams not in the playoffs in the next two years with the way the realignment is,” PSJA North football head coach Marcus Kaufmann said. “There’s five playoff teams in that district and it’s going to be tough. It’s going to be a dogfight to see who can get out.”

In basketball and volleyball, the SaberCats and Raiders will compete in District 31-5A, a 10-team gauntlet featuring the three McAllen high schools, PSJA Memorial, PSJA Southwest, Sharyland High, Sharyland Pioneer and Valley View.

Donna North and Harlingen South football will be in 16-5A Division I for the next two seasons with Brownsville Lopez, Brownsville Pace, Brownsville Veterans, Donna High and Weslaco East.

Edinburg Vela football head coach John Campbell said the recent movement of local powerhouses down to the Class 5A level bodes well for an area team’s chances at a postseason run.

“I think the entirety of the Rio Grande Valley has reason to be excited. … I think there’s enough talent and enough good programs there that are spread between two districts (15-5A DI and 16-5A DI),” he said. “I really think that gives the Rio Grande Valley an opportunity to make a pretty deep run into the playoffs. I think all in all, chalk it up as a success for the entirety of the Valley.”

Grulla goes from Class 16-4A Division I to 16-4A Division II in a four-team football district with Bishop, Port Isabel and Raymondville, while Rio Hondo moves from 4A-DII to 16-3A DI.

VENTURING OUT

Changes to Class 5A Division II will result in a handful of RGV teams having to venture out a little further than normal for their district football games.

Brownsville Porter, Edcouch-Elsa, Mercedes and Valley View are joined by Corpus Christi Flour Bluff and Gregory-Portland in the new-look District 15-5A Division II. Brownsville Porter moved from Class 5A Division I to Division II, which also keeps the classic rivalry between Edcouch-Elsa and Mercedes alive.

“We knew this was always an option with predictions coming out. We’re excited to be with two teams that are traditionally powerhouses in their district and it will give us something new in traveling,” Mercedes football head coach Roger Adame said. “We get to play some new teams, some new faces we’ve never seen before and we’re excited for the challenge.”

Hidalgo and La Feria’s football teams are also headed toward Corpus Christi to compete in District 16-4A Division I against Alice, Corpus Christi Calallen, Corpus Christi Tuloso-Midway, Kingsville King and Zapata.

“That one I didn’t really expect, bringing Corpus down here,” Hidalgo football head coach Monty Stumbaugh said. “I thought maybe Alice would drop down, but we’re in a seven-team district. It’s going to be a tough district. Calallen is always tough, Alice is always tough, Midway is tough, it’s going to be a tough district and that’s what we got, so now we got to get ready to play.”

DISTRICT 16-3A DIVISION II
Team 2020-22 2022-24
Monte Alto 265 305
Santa Rosa 308 284
Banquete
George West
Hebbronville
Odem
Taft
DISTRICT 16-2A DIVISION I
Team 2020-22 2022-24
La Villa 184 186
Santa Maria 201 169
Ben Bolt Palito-Blanco
Freer
Premont
Riviera Kaufer